Drosophila digressa is an endangered species of fly from Hawaii, in the species-rich lineage of Hawaiian Drosophilidae. It is only found on the Big island of Hawaii.[2] It was historically known from sites throughout the islands, but is now restricted to the Manuka and Ola'a reserves.

Drosophila digressa

Critically Imperiled  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Drosophilidae
Genus: Drosophila
Species:
D. digressa
Binomial name
Drosophila digressa
(Hardy and Kaneshiro, 1968)

Description

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Drosophila digressa was described by D. Elmo Hardy and Kenneth Y. Kaneshiro in 1968.[4] This fly is yellow with two brown spots and three stripes on the thorax (the center stripe is fainter than each side). The wings have brown markings on crossveins and at the apex that are characteristic for the species.

D. digressa was originally difficult to place within the picture-wing clade,[4] but phylogenetic studies indicate that it is part of lanaiensis subgroup, along with D. hexachaetae, D. moli, and D. lanaiensis.[5] This clade follows the island progression rule, with speciation events following the age of formation of each island.

This species has been recorded breeding in rotting stems of Charpentiera and Pisonia species.

Conservation

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Drosophila digressa was listed as a federally endangered species in 2013.[3] Threats to the conservation of D. digressa include loss of breeding habitat, and predation from introduced insects such as yellowjacket wasps.

References

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  1. ^ NatureServe (7 April 2023). "Drosophila digressa". NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  2. ^ a b "ECOS: Species Profile". ecos.fws.gov. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Determination of Endangered Species Status for 15 Species on Hawaii Island". Federal Register. Fish and Wildlife Service. 29 November 2013. pp. 64637–64690. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  4. ^ a b Hardy, D. Elmo; Kaneshiro, Kenneth Y. (1968). "New picture-winged Drosophila from Hawaii". Studies in Genetics. 4: 171–262.
  5. ^ Magnacca, Karl N.; Price, Donald K. (2015-11-01). "Rapid adaptive radiation and host plant conservation in the Hawaiian picture wing Drosophila (Diptera: Drosophilidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 92: 226–242. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2015.06.014. ISSN 1055-7903. PMID 26151218.