Olfactory-ecology
Guides
Mordellistena convicta
tumbling flower beetle, gall-boring beetle, inquiline beetle
Mordellistena convicta is a gall-boring beetle in the family Mordellidae, described by LeConte in 1862. The species is an inquiline that inhabits galls induced by the goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis) on goldenrod plants (Solidago spp.). It has been studied as a model system for sequential radiation and host-associated speciation, with populations showing differentiation corresponding to the host races of their gall fly associates. Adults use olfactory cues from gall tissues to locate suitable host plants for mating and oviposition.
Phortica variegata
variegated fruit fly
Phortica variegata is a small vinegar fly in the family Drosophilidae, distinguished by its unusual zoophilic behavior. Unlike most drosophilids, adult males feed on the lacrimal secretions (tears) of mammals, including humans, dogs, foxes, and other carnivores. This lachryphagous behavior makes it the primary European vector of Thelazia callipaeda, a zoonotic eyeworm that causes ocular infections in mammals. The species is native to Europe and has been introduced to the United States, where it has demonstrated vector competence for the parasite. Climate change is projected to alter its distribution significantly, with suitable habitats shifting toward Mediterranean coastal regions while declining in central-southern-eastern European transitional areas.