Mediterranean Fruit Fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephrididae) Journey from South to Northward in Türkiye: as a case study

The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a highly invasive agricultural pest that poses a significant threat to fruit production worldwide. Understanding its dispersal patterns and genetic connectivity is crucial for effective pest management. This study investigates the northward expansion of C. capitata in Türkiye by analyzing gene flow population movement and genetic differentiation between Adana, which has a Mediterranean climate zone, and Ankara, which has a continental climate zone. Over three years (2022–2025), a field study was conducted using cone-type traps, and mitochondrial COI gene sequencing was performed on 50 specimens to assess genetic variation. Trap captures revealed that Medfly populations first appeared in Adana in early April, gradually dispersed northward, and were detected in Ankara by late August. However, population numbers declined significantly after October, suggesting that the Medfly does not establish overwintering populations in Ankara. Genetic analyses did not show moderate differentiation between the Adana and Ankara populations. The presence of shared haplotypes indicates that the Medfly populations in Ankara originate from recurrent introductions rather than forming self-sustaining colonies. These findings confirm that both natural dispersal and human-mediated fruit transport contribute to the movement of the Medfly along this transect.