bub
Junior Member
Orange County, California
Posts: 21
|
Post by bub on Mar 26, 2022 13:39:36 GMT -8
I found this guy on my work bench. He's only about 2.5mm long. A pretty thing. Any idea what it is? I'm in Southern California. Thanks  |
|
|
|
Post by Adam Cotton on Mar 26, 2022 23:28:14 GMT -8
It looks like a species of fruit fly, maybe even family Drosophilidae, but I am not anywhere near an expert on Diptera.
Adam.
|
|
bub
Junior Member
Orange County, California
Posts: 21
|
Post by bub on Mar 27, 2022 6:53:21 GMT -8
Thanks, Adam.
|
|
|
|
Post by LEPMAN on Apr 2, 2022 14:53:24 GMT -8
Your specimen is definitely as Adam suggested a Drosophila. It is a female since it lacks sex combs on the forelegs and has a lighter hind abdomen. Females can be difficult to identify to species because they lack some of the physical traits that can be used to distinguish species. This one based on what I see may be a Drosophila suzukii or melanogaster. The best way to distinguish between them is by looking at the ovipositor, Suzuki has a barbed ovipositor used to pierce ripe fruit.
|
|
bub
Junior Member
Orange County, California
Posts: 21
|
Post by bub on Apr 3, 2022 11:24:36 GMT -8
Thanks, Lepman.
I'm new to this, and I'm amazed at how pretty some of the tiny ones are.
|
|
