The Drosophilidae are a diverse, cosmopolitan family of flies.
The best known species of the Drosophilidae is Drosophila melanogaster, within the genus Drosophila, also called the "fruit fly", it is more accurately referred to as vinegar or pomace fly. Another distantly related family of flies, Tephritidae, are true fruit flies because they are frugivorous, and include apple maggot flies and many pests.
Drosophila melanogaster is used extensively for studies concerning genetics, development, physiology, ecology and behaviour. Many fundamental biological mechanisms were discovered first in D. melanogaster. The species is composed mostly of post-mitotic cells, has a very short lifespan, and shows gradual aging. As in other species, temperature influences the life history of the animal. Several genes have been identified that can be manipulated to extend the lifespan of these insects.
Another species, Drosophila subobscura, has been reputed as a model organism for evolutionary-biological studies, along with D. sechellia for the evolution of host specialization on the toxic noni fruit and Scaptomyza flava for the evolution of herbivory and specialist on toxic mustard leaves.
Economic significance Generally, drosophilids are considered to be nuisance flies rather than pests, since most species breed in rotting material. Zaprionus indianus is unusual among Drosophilidae species in being a serious, primary pest of at least one commercial fruit, figs in Brazil. Another species, Drosophila suzukii, infests thin-skinned fruit such as raspberries and cherries and can be a serious agricultural pest. The leaf mining Scaptomyza flava, which is nested in the genus Drosophila phylogenetically, is an obligate leaf miner of mustard plants, including the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and is a major pest of salad brassicas in New Zealand and an emerging pest of canola in the UK. Drosophila repleta larvae inhabit drains and spread bacteria. Fruit flies in general are considered as a common vector in propagating acetic acid bacteria in nature. This often ruins the alcohol fermentation process and can ruin beer or wine by turning it into vinegar. There are sinking traps available on the market for this nuisance, but one quick way to strongly limit the extent of it is to vacuum clean the flies both at rest and in their slow flight.
Identification The diagnostic characteristics for Drosophilidae include the presence of an incomplete subcostal vein, two breaks in the costal vein, a small anal cell in the wing, convergent postocellar bristles; and usually three frontal bristles on each side of the head, one directed forward and the other two directed rearward. More extensive identification characteristics can be found in "Drosophila: A Guide to Species Identification and Use" or "Drosophila: A Laboratory Handbook".
Mutualism There is evidence to support that pathogens living within certain flies are beneficial to the behavior and survival of the host. One such example of this is in the fly Scaptomyza flava, which carries the pathogen Pseudomonas syringae in exchange for the pathogen damaging the anti-herbivore defenses of plants in the family Brassicaceae, which are the main food source for the fly.
Taxonomy The family contains more than 4,000 species classified under 75 genera. Recently, a comprehensive phylogenetic classification of the genera based on both molecular and morphological characters has been published. Subfamily Drosophilinae Rondani, 1856: Tribe Colocasiomyini Okada, 1989: Genus Baeodrosophila Wheeler & Takada, 1964 Genus Balara Bock, 1982 Genus Chymomyza Czerny, 1903 Genus Colocasiomyia de Meijere, 1914 Genus Lissocephala Malloch, 1929 Genus Neotanygastrella Duda, 1925 Genus Phorticella Duda, 1924 Genus Scaptodrosophila Duda, 1923 Genus Protochymomyza Grimaldi, 1987 Tribe Drosophilini Okada, 1989: Genus Arengomyia Yafuso & Toda, 2008 Genus Bialba Bock, 1989 Genus Calodrosophila Wheeler & Takada, 1964 Genus Celidosoma Hardy, 1965 Genus Collessia Bock, 1982 Genus Dettopsomyia Lamb, 1914 Genus Dichaetophora Duda, 1940 Genus Dicladochaeta Malloch, 1932 Genus Drosophila Fallén, 1823 Genus Hirtodrosophila Duda, 1923 Genus Hypselothyrea Okada, 1956 Genus Idiomyia Grimshaw, 1901 (Hawaiian Drosophila) Genus Jeannelopsis Séguy, 1938 Genus Laccodrosophila Duda, 1927 Genus Liodrosophila Duda, 1922 Genus Lordiphosa Basden, 1961 Genus Microdrosophila Malloch, 1921 Genus Miomyia Grimaldi, 1987 Genus Mulgravea Bock, 1982 Genus Mycodrosophila Oldenberg, 1914 Genus Palmomyia Grimaldi, 2003 Genus Paraliodrosophila Duda, 1925 Genus Paramycodrosophila Duda, 1924 Genus Poliocephala Bock, 1989 Genus Samoaia Malloch, 1934 Genus Scaptomyza Hardy, 1849 Genus Sphaerogastrella Duda, 1922 Genus Styloptera Duda, 1924 Genus Tambourella Wheeler, 1957 Genus Zaprionus Coquillett, 1902 Genus Zaropunis Tsacas, 1990 Genus Zapriothrica Wheeler, 1956 Genus Zygothrica Wiedemann, 1830 Incertae sedis: Genus Marquesia Malloch, 1932 Subfamily Steganinae Hendel, 1917: Tribe Gitonini Grimaldi, 1990: Genus Allopygaea Tsacas, 2000 Genus Acletoxenus Frauenfeld, 1868 Genus Amiota Loew, 1862 Genus Apenthecia Tsacas, 1983 Genus Apsiphortica Okada, 1971 Genus Cacoxenus Loew, 1858 Genus Crincosia Bock, 1982 Genus Electrophortica Hennig, 1965 Genus Erima Kertész, 1899 Genus Gitona Meigen, 1830 Genus Hyalistata Wheeler, 1960 Genus Luzonimyia Malloch, 1926 Genus Mayagueza Wheeler, 1960 Genus Paracacoxenus Hardy & Wheeler, 1960 Genus Paraleucophenga Hendel, 1914 Genus Paraphortica Duda, 1934 Genus Phortica Schiner, 1862 Genus Pseudiastata Coquillett, 1901 Genus Pseudocacoxenus Duda, 1925 Genus Rhinoleucophenga Hendel, 1917 Genus Soederbomia Hendel, 1938 Genus Trachyleucophenga Hendel, 1917 Tribe Steganini Okada, 1989: Genus Eostegana Hendel, 1913 Genus Leucophenga Mik, 1866 Genus Pararhinoleucophenga Duda, 1924 Genus Parastegana Okada, 1971 Genus Pseudostegana Okada, 1978 Genus Stegana Meigen, 1830 Incertae sedis: Genus Neorhinoleucophenga Duda, 1924 Genus Pyrgometopa Kertész, 1901
Gallery
References
External links
Diptera.info photo gallery Family Drosophilidae at EOL images