<![CDATA[Adult survival is an important life-history trait in fruit flies and can be influenced by dietary factors, including antioxidant nutrients. This study evaluated whether dietary L-ascorbic acid supplementation at 0.5% affects adult survival and lifespan of the pumpkin fruit fly, Zeugodacus tau, and whether the response differs between sexes. Newly emerged males and females were maintained on a control diet of yeast hydrolysate and sugar or the same diet supplemented with 0.5% L-ascorbic acid. Three replicate cages of 20 flies were used for each sex-by-treatment group, and survival was monitored for 51 days. Survival probabilities were compared with Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test. Restricted mean survival time was calculated, and Cox proportional hazards regression with robust standard errors clustered by replicate cage was used to estimate mortality risk. L-ascorbic acid significantly improved male survival by the log-rank test (p = 0.0422). Restricted mean survival time was 49.40 days in supplemented males and 47.63 days in control males. The mortality hazard was lower in supplemented males (hazard ratio = 0.449; 95% confidence interval = 0.251-0.804; p = 0.007). Female survival did not differ significantly between diets by the log-rank test (p = 0.4912), and the mortality hazard was not significantly associated with supplementation. Dietary L-ascorbic acid was associated with improved survival in male Zeugodacus tau under laboratory conditions, whereas a statistically significant survival response was not detected in females.]]>
