A new genome sequence resource for five invasive fruit flies of agricultural concern: , , , and (Diptera, Tephritidae).

Here, we present novel high quality genome assemblies for five invasive tephritid species of agricultural concern: , , , and (read depths between 65 and 78x). Three assemblies ( , and ) were scaffolded with chromosome conformation data and annotated using RNAseq reads. For some species this is the first reference genome available ( , and ), for others we have published improved annotated genomes ( and ).

Deterministic and stochastic effects drive the gut microbial diversity in cucurbit-feeding fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae).

Insect diversity is closely linked to the evolution of phytophagy, with most phytophagous insects showing a strong degree of specialisation for specific host plants. Recent studies suggest that the insect gut microbiome might be crucial in facilitating the dietary (host plant) range. This requires the formation of stable insect-microbiome associations, but it remains largely unclear which processes govern the assembly of insect microbiomes.

Anna Karenina as a promoter of microbial diversity in the cosmopolitan agricultural pest Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Diptera, Tephritidae).

Gut microbial communities are critical in determining the evolutive success of fruit fly phytophagous pests (Diptera, Tephritidae), facilitating their adaptation to suboptimal environmental conditions and to plant allelochemical defences. An important source of variation for the microbial diversity of fruit flies is represented by the crop on which larvae are feeding. However, a "crop effect" is not always the main driver of microbial patterns, and it is often observed in combination with other and less obvious processes.