Scaptomyza adusta
(Loew, 1862)
Scaptomyza adusta is a of fruit fly in the Drosophilidae. It is native to Europe, with confirmed records from Great Britain and the Canary Islands, and doubtful records from Belgium and France. The species was originally described as Drosophila adusta by Loew in 1862 and later transferred to the Scaptomyza. Like other members of its genus, it belongs to a lineage of drosophilids that has undergone evolutionary transitions in feeding .
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Scaptomyza adusta: /skæpˈtɒmɪzə əˈdʌstə/
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Identification
Scaptomyza are generally small drosophilid flies that can be distinguished from Drosophila by subtle morphological differences, particularly in male genitalia and wing venation. Specific diagnostic features for S. adusta are not well documented in available sources. Identification to species level typically requires examination of genitalic structures or molecular analysis.
Images
Distribution
Europe: confirmed present in Great Britain and the Canary Islands (Spain); doubtful records from Belgium and France. Additional record from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (BR-RS) in GBIF.
Similar Taxa
- Scaptomyza flavaA well-studied that has been used as a model system for studying the evolution of herbivory in drosophilids; differs in being an obligate leaf-miner of living plants including Arabidopsis thaliana
- Drosophila speciesHistorically classified in the same before transfer to Scaptomyza; differs in genus-level morphological characters and typically has different feeding
More Details
Evolutionary context
The Scaptomyza represents a lineage nested within the Drosophila radiation that has undergone evolutionary transitions in diet, with some like S. flava having become obligate herbivores. The ancestral state for Drosophilidae is likely microbe-feeding.