Drosophila obscura Fallén, 1823
(a fruit fly)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesDrosophila obscura (a fruit fly)
GenusDrosophila (vinegar flies)
FamilyDROSOPHILIDAE (fruit or vinegar flies)
SuperfamilyEPHYDROIDEA (fruit and shore flies)
InfraorderSchizophora - Acalyptratae (an infraorder of flies)
OrderDIPTERA (two-winged flies)
Division Endopterygota (bees, beetles, flies, moths and other insects with wings developing internally)
InfraclassNeoptera (bees, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other advanced insects)
SubclassPTERYGOTA (bees, beetles, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other winged insects)
ClassINSECTA (true insects)
SubphylumHEXAPODA (insects and other 6-legged organisms)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Drosophila obscura (a fruit fly) :
1: Drosophila obscura (a fruit fly)
6 Jul 1997 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
2 males baited with pineapple
Image 1: Dark coloured fruit-flies - enlargedImage 2: Male - fore-parts - lateral view - magnified - grey backgroundImage 3: Male - lateral view - magnified - grey backgroundImage 4: Male - terminalia - magnified - grey backgroundImage 5: Wing - magnified - grey backgroundImage 6: Arista (in front of eye) - magnifiedImage 7: Arrista - magnified - white backgroundImage 8: Head - microscope low magnification - white backgroundImage 9: Male - clasper - magnified - white backgroundImage 10: Male - claspers - magnified - white backgroundImage 11: Male - head - microscope low magnification - white backgroundImage 12: Male - tarsal combs - magnified - white backgroundImage 13: Male - terminalia - microscope low magnification - white backgroundImage 14: Maxillary palp - magnifiedImage 15: Wing - microscope low magnification - white background
2: Drosophila obscura (a fruit fly)
5 Jul 1997 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
male, on pineapple bait
Image 1: Head - anterior view - magnifiedImage 2: Male - lateral view - enlargedImage 3: Male - lateral view - enlarged (2)Image 4: Male - lateral view - enlarged (3)Image 5: Male - clasper teeth - magnifiedImage 6: Male - fore-leg - magnifiedImage 7: Male - tarsal combs - microscope low magnificationImage 8: Male - tarsus I-III - microscope low magnificationImage 9: Maxillary palp - microscope low magnificationImage 10: Mouthparts - microscope low magnificationImage 11: Wing - magnifiedImage 12: Wing tip - microscope low magnification
3: Drosophila obscura (a fruit fly)
5 Jul 1997 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
female, on pineapple bait
Image 1: Female - lateral view - enlargedImage 2: Female - lateral view - enlarged (2)Image 3: Female - genitalia - microscope low magnificationImage 4: Female - genitalia - microscope low magnification (2)Image 5: Female - genitalia - ovipositor guide - microscope low magnificationImage 6: Female - genitalia - ovipositor guide - microscope low magnification (2)Image 7: Female - ovipositor guide - microscope low magnificationImage 8: Labial palp - microscope low magnificationImage 9: Mouthparts - microscope low magnification
4: Drosophila obscura (a fruit fly)
15 Mar 1997 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
on fermenting Birch sap run
Image 1: Male - terminalia - microscope low magnification
5: Drosophila obscura (a fruit fly)
9 Mar 1997 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Displaying on fermenting sap run
Image 1: Male - lateral view - enlargedImage 2: Clasper - microscope low magnificationImage 3: Clasper - microscope low magnification (2)Image 4: Genitalia - side view - microscope low magnification
6: Drosophila obscura (a fruit fly)
9 Mar 1997 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Male, in group displaying on fermenting sap run
Image 1: Male - lateral view - enlargedImage 2: Male - clasper - magnifiedImage 3: Male - foreleg - magnifiedImage 4: Male - foreleg - tarsus - microscope low magnificationImage 5: Male - genital arch and clasper - microscope low magnificationImage 6: Male - genitalia - microscope low magnificationImage 7: Male - genitalia - microscope low magnification (2)Image 8: Male - genitalia - microscope low magnification (3)Image 9: Male tarsal combs - microscope low magnificationImage 10: Maxillary palp - microscope low magnification

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
() Cain, A.J., Collin, J.E. & Demerec, V.R. 1952 Correct application of the name Drosophila obscura Fallén and notes on the type of D. tristis Fallén (Dipt. Drosophilidae) EMM Ent. Mon. Mag.: 193-196.

Drosophila obscura (a fruit fly) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Drosophila obscura (a fruit fly)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 4 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Drosophila obscura (a fruit fly)
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