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Drosophila facts for kids

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Drosophila
Drosophila.jpg
Drosophila sp.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Suborder:
Brachycera
Family:
Subfamily:
Genus:
Drosophila

Fallén, 1823
Drosophila egg
Egg
Fruit fly larva 01
Larva
Fruit fly pupae 01
Pupae (brown examples are older than the white ones)
Drosophila melanogaster - side (aka)
Adult Drosophila melanogaster

Drosophila is a genus of small flies, belonging to the family Drosophilidae, whose members are often called "fruit flies".

There are many species in this genus. Some do prefer places where there is rotting fruit. The adults may feed on nectar, and may lay their eggs on or near decaying fruit. The details differ greatly from species to species. The largest number of species is in the Hawaiian Islands.

One species of Drosophila in particular, D. melanogaster, has been heavily used in research in genetics and is a common model organism in developmental biology. The genus has more than 1,500 species, and has varied appearance, behaviour, and breeding habitats.

Life cycle

Reproduction

Drosophila vary widely in their reproductive capacity. Those such as D. melanogaster that breed in large, scarce resources have ovaries that mature 10–20 eggs at a time, and can be laid together in one place. Others, which breed in common but less nutritious places (such as leaves), may only lay one egg each day.

The eggs have one or more respiratory filaments near the front end; the tips of these extend above the surface and allow oxygen to reach the embryo. Larvae feed not on vegetable matter but on the yeasts and microorganisms present on the decaying surface of leaves or fruits. Development time varies widely between species (between seven and more than 60 days) and depends on factors such as temperature, breeding substrate, and crowding.

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Drosophila para niños

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