1. Insects are one of the most abundant and diversegroups of animals with biologists estimating that there are about 5million species with many of them not yet described.Describe three reasons why insects such as the fruit fly havebecome an important model system along with snails, worms, seaurchins, frogs, chickens, zebrafish, and mice.
2. Even though the fruit fly is “just” an insect, it isan important model system for understanding human disease anddevelopment.
Describe one example of how the fruit fly has contributed to ourunderstanding of a specific disease or aspect of development basedon a quick search of the scientific literature. Limit yourresponse to six sentences.
