What is the Drosophilidae family?
Q: What is the Drosophilidae family?
A: The Drosophilidae is a huge, widespread family of flies that includes the famous fruit flies. It has over 4000 species in 75 genera.
Q: What species is best known from this family?
A: The best known species of the Drosophilidae is Drosophila melanogaster.
Q: How are these insects studied?
A: These species and their relatives are often used for studies on genetics, development, physiology, and behaviour. They are mostly studied in laboratories rather than in natural environments.
Q: Who conducted research on Drosophila pseudoobscura in a natural environment?
A: The best-known studies of Drosophila in a natural environment was done by Dobzhansky and colleagues from the early 1930s to 1970. Reprints and discussions are in Lewontin et al 2003, and theoretical discussions in Dobzhansky, 1970.
Q: How long do fruit fly cells usually divide after hatching?
A: Fruit fly cells usually do not divide after the imago (adult) is hatched; they are mostly composed of post-mitotic cells.
Q: What affects the life history of these animals?
A: Temperature influences the life history of fruit flies; they live longer in colder weather. Several genes can be manipulated to extend their lifespan as well.
Q: How many subfamilies does the Drosophilidae have?
A: The Drosophilidae has two subfamilies -the Drosophilinae and Steganinae-.
