Drosophila - Systematics

Systematics

The genus Drosophila as currently defined is paraphyletic (see below) and contains 1,450 described species, while the estimated total number of species is estimated at thousands. The majority of the species are members of two subgenera: Drosophila (~1,100 species) and Sophophora (including D. (S.) melanogaster; ~330 species). The Hawaiian species of Drosophila (estimated to be more than 500, with ~380 species described) are sometimes recognized as a separate genus or subgenus, Idiomyia, but this is not widely accepted. About 250 species are part of the genus Scaptomyza, which arose from the Hawaiian Drosophila and later re-colonized continental areas.

Evidence from phylogenetic studies suggests that the following genera arose from within the genus Drosophila:

• Liodrosophila
• Mycodrosophila
• Samoaia
• Scaptomyza
• Zaprionus
• Zygothrica
• Hirtodrosophila (position uncertain)

Several of the subgeneric and generic names are based on anagrams of Drosophila, including Dorsilopha, Lordiphosa, Siphlodora, Phloridosa and Psilodorha.

Further information: List of Drosophila species