Drosophila funebris (Fabricius)

Grimaldi, David A., 2022, The Drosophila funebris Species Group in North America (Diptera: Drosophilidae), American Museum Novitates 2022 (3988), pp. 1-28 : 4-5

Drosophila funebris (Fabricius)

Figure 9A

Musca funebris Fabricius 1787: 345 .

Drosophila funebris (Fabricius) : Type species of genus Drosophila . Patterson, 1943 (redescription, internal reproductive organs, immature stages, chromosomes, North America distribution); Bächli et al., 2004 (redescription, European distribution); Miller et al., 2017 (redescription, genitalia, eastern North America distribution); Werner et al., 2020a, 2020b (identification, biology).

DIAGNOSIS: Easily distinguished from other Nearctic species of the funebris group by the numerous spines, ~12, on the male cercus along the mesal margin (vs. 4–6 in native Nearctic species), and by the short, thornlike setae on the epandrial lobe (vs. slender, spinelike setae); female with oviscapt having dorsal knob (vs. without) (fig. 9A).

DESCRIPTION: A detailed description was provided by Bächli et al. (2004) and others (above).

DISTRIBUTION: A worldwide species found in close association with humans and their domestic animals, and distinct from native North American species by its tolerance of cold; funebris is absent from hot, lowland tropics. The species is present in Iceland and Greenland, and is widespead in Scandinavia, occurring as far north as Longyearbyen, Spitzbergen Island, Norway, 66°19′9.8″ N, no doubt surviving the coldest months within human dwellings ( Bächli et al., 2004). It occurs throughout North America, including Texas and northern Mexico, but is more prevalent in cooler climates and higher altitudes ( Patterson and Wagner, 1943). Northern limits of its distribution in North America are not well explored, especially the western portion, including Alaska. In the east D. funebris is recorded from southern Québec, Nova Scotia , eastern Newfoundland, and generally in southern Ontario to ~ 200 km SW of James Bay at about 52° N ( Miller et al., 2017), although it probably occurs even farther north.

Figures

FIG. 9. Female terminalia (oviscapts, spermathecal capsules, and minutely scaled oviprovector membrane [internal]) of North American species of the D.funebris group (all to same scale).A. D. funebris (introduced). B. D.limpiensis. C. D. macrospina (spermatheca of limpiensis and macrospina is identical). D. D. subfunebris. E. D. trispina.