Wing Shape Fluctuating Asymmetry in Flies: Insights into Environmental and Public Health Risk

Abstract

The widespread but often poorly regulated use of pesticides has triggered urgent debates on their hidden effects beyond resistance in target pests. This study investigates the morphological effects of pesticide exposure, specifically the organophosphate chlorpyrifos, using geometric morphometrics to assess fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in wing shapes of houseflies. Developmental stability (DS), the capacity of an organism to maintain an optimal phenotype under stress, serves as a key indicator of environmental and genetic stress. Flies collected from pesticide-exposed areas in rural areas in Chile (Arbolillo) exhibited significantly higher wing asymmetry than those from less exposed zones, reflecting developmental disturbances caused by chlorpyrifos. These findings emphasize the potential of FA as a biomarker for pesticide-related environmental stress. By linking pesticide exposure to measurable phenotypic disruption, this study calls for urgent integration of morphometric and genomic tools to better understand resistance mechanisms, while also promoting sustainable pest management practices. Our findings demonstrate that even a common insect like the housefly can serve as a biological sentinel, warning of broader ecological and public health risks in pesticide-dominated landscapes.