The small heat shock protein Hsp20.8 imparts tolerance to high temperatures in the leafminer fly, (Diptera: Agtomyzidae).

As an environmental factor, temperature impacts the distribution of species and influences interspecific competition. The molecular chaperones encoded by small heat shock proteins (sHsps) are essential for rapid, appropriate responses to environmental stress. This study focuses on , which encodes a temperature-responsive in , an insect pest that infests both agricultural and ornamental crops. expression was highest at 39℃ in pupae and adults, and expression levels were greater in pupae than in adults. Recombinant was expressed in and conferred a higher survival rate than the empty vector to bacterial cells exposed to heat stress. RNA interference experiments were conducted using adults and prepupae and the knockdown of expression increased mortality in during heat stress. The results expand our understanding of function in spp. and the ongoing adaptation of this pest to climate change. In addition, this study is also important for predicting the distribution of invasive species and proposing new prevention and control strategies based on temperature adaptation.