Olfactory responses of the variegated fruit fly, Phortica variegata, an emerging vector of the zoonotic eyeworm Thelazia callipaeda, to ecologically relevant volatiles

Phortica variegata exhibits sexual dimorphism in olfactory responsivity, with males showing greater responsiveness to volatiles associated with host-seeking in other zoophilic dipterans, potentially guiding them to mammalian hosts for tear-feeding. Compared to D. melanogaster, P. variegata is more responsive to microbial and yeast-related volatiles and less responsive to plant-derived terpenoids, suggesting a foraging ecology linked to microbial substrates. The antennally detected volatiles identified in this study can be used as candidates for further behavioral studies to develop lures for vector management.