The Drosophilidae are a diverse, cosmopolitan family of flies, which includes species called fruit flies, although they are more accurately referred to as vinegar or pomace flies. Another distantly related family of flies, Tephritidae, are true fruit flies because they are frugivorous, and include apple maggot flies and many pests. The best known species of the Drosophilidae is Drosophila melanogaster, within the genus Drosophila, also called the "fruit fly." 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 fruit fly is mostly composed 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. Additionally, Drosophila subobscura, also within the genus Drosophila, 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.
The Drosophilinae are the largest subfamily in the Drosophilidae. The other subfamily is the Steganinae.
The paraphyletic subgenus Sophophora of the genus Drosophila was first described by Alfred Sturtevant in 1939. It contains the best-known drosophilid species, Drosophila melanogaster. Sophophora translates as carrier (phora) of wisdom (sophos). The subgenus is paraphyletic because the genus Lordiphosa and the species Hirtodrosophila duncani are also placed within this subgenus.
The subgenus Dorsilopha belongs to genus Drosophila and consists of four species. The phylogenetic position of this group has been unclear for a long time, but recent studies have shown that the subgenus is positioned ancestral to the subgenus Drosophila.
The genus Zaprionus belongs to the family fruit fly Drosophilidae and is positioned within the paraphyletic genus Drosophila. All species are easily recognized by the white longitudinal stripes across the head and thorax. The genus is subdivided in two subgenera, based on the presence of an even or odd number of white stripes. The species of the genus can be found in Africa and Southern Asia. One species, Zaprionus indianus, has invaded the New World.
Drosophila appendiculata is a large yellowish fruitfly found in Southern Chile and neighboring Argentina. The species is placed in its own unique subgenus, Chusqueophila, based on the presence of three partial cross-veins in the wing.
Drosophila putrida is a species of fruit fly in the family Drosophilidae. It is found throughout the temperate central-eastern United States. Like other members of the Drosophila testacea species group, D. putrida breeds exclusively on mushrooms.
Drosophila repleta is a species of vinegar fly in the family Drosophilidae.
Chymomyza is a genus of vinegar flies.
Drosophila tripunctata is a species of vinegar fly in the Immigrans-tripunctata radiation of the subgenus Drosophila.
Drosophila guttifera is a species of vinegar fly in the Drosophila quinaria species group. Like many quinaria group species, D. guttifera feeds on rotting mushrooms.
Scaptomyza is a genus of vinegar flies, insects in the family Drosophilidae. As of 2022, there are 273 described species of Scaptomyza. Of those, 148 are endemic to the Hawaiian archipelago. This genus is part of the species-rich lineage of Hawaiian Drosophilidae, and is the sister lineage to the endemic Hawaiian Drosophila. The genus Scaptomyza is one of several nested within the paraphyletic genus Drosophila.
Drosophila immigrans is a species of vinegar fly in the family Drosophilidae. Drosophila immigrans is a member of the Immigrans-tripunctata radiation of the subgenus Drosophila. It is related to the Drosophila quinaria and Drosophila testacea species groups, and the fellow Immigrans species group member Drosophila albomicans. Drosophila immigrans has been used in evolutionary studies to understand how viruses evolve with their hosts.
Drosophila quinaria is a species of fruit fly in the Drosophila quinaria species group. Most Quinaria group species feed largely on mushrooms. However D. quinaria instead eats decaying vegetative matter, a trait it evolved independently.
Drosophila cardini is a species of fruit fly in the Drosophila cardini species group.
Drosophila deflecta is a species of fruit fly in the Drosophila quinaria species group.
Lordiphosa is a genus of fly in the family Drosophilidae.
Drosophila albomicans is a species of vinegar fly in the family Drosophilidae. Drosophila albomicans is a member of the Immigrans-tripunctata radiation of the subgenus Drosophila. The D. albomicans genome was first sequenced in 2012 to study the evolution of novel sex chromosomes, a characteristic this species is best known for. One commonly accepted definition of the biological species concept is that individuals or populations are members of different species if they are incapable of successful interbreeding. While D. albomicans and Drosophila nasuta are commonly referred to as distinct species, there appears to be little to no sexual isolation between these two Drosophila species. Instead, behavioural differences appear to reproductively isolate these two species.
Drosophila prolongata is a fly of the family Drosophilidae. This species is endemic to southeast Asia. Males of this species express one of most extreme reversed sexual size dimorphism in the Drosophilidae, making this species an interesting model organism for the study of sexual selection. Males also display remarkable copulation courtship behaviour.
The Hawaiian Drosophilidae are a lineage of flies within the genus Drosophila. This monophyletic clade includes all of the endemic Hawaiian Drosophila and all members of the genus Scaptomyza, which contains both Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian species. The Hawaiian Drosophilidae are descended from a common ancestor estimated to have lived 25 million years ago. Species of Hawaiian Drosophilidae flies have been studied as models of speciation and behavioral evolution. Along with other members of the native Hawaiian ecosystem, the conservations status of many species of Hawaiian Drosophilidae is threatened by habitat loss and introduced predators, among other factors.
