Well identified evolutionary drivers generally result in insect herbivores becoming host specialists – that is most insects which feed on plants generally feed on only one plant species, or a small group of closely related plant species. However, among the frugivorous tephritids host generalism (also known as polyphagy) is very common. Nearly all of the major fruit fly pest species, including Mediterranean fruit fly, Oriental fruit fly, Queensland fruit fly, and South American fruit fly, are host plant generalists. At QUT we have a long running research thread around this issue of polyphagy and host use in tephritids. Our research covers purely theoretical considerations, ‘omic’ approaches to investigating fruit fly/host fruit interactions, chemical ecology and behavioral ecology. There is never going to be a simple answer to this topic, but it is endlessly fascinating and informative.
Funding / Grants
- The evolution of generalism: why so many polyphagous fruit flies. Australian Research Council Discovery Project, DP180101915 (2018 - 2021)
Team
- Rehan Silva
- Professor Anthony Clarke
- Shirin Roohigohar
- Francesca Strutt
- Associate Professor Peter Prentis
Partners
Publications
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