Drosophila appendiculata is a large yellowish fruitfly

Drosophilidae

Drosophilidae is a diverse, cosmopolitan family of flies, which includes fruit flies. Another family of flies called Tephritidae also includes fruit flies. The best known species of Drosophilidae is Drosophila melanogaster, within the genus Drosophila, and this species Is used extensively for...

 found in Southern Chile

Chile

Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

 and neighboring Argentina

Argentina

Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

. The species is placed in its own unique subgenus, Chusqueophila, based on the presence of three partial cross-veins in the wing.

Etymology

The name Chusqueophila is based on the fact that this species is often found in vegetation dominated by the bamboo

Bamboo

Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....

s of the genus Chusquea

Chusquea

Chusquea is a genus of bamboo with about 150 species. Most of them are mountain clumping bamboos native from southern Mexico to southern Chile and Argentina. They are sometimes referred to as South American mountain bamboos. Unlike most other bamboos, the stems of these species are solid, not hollow...

.

Taxonomy

This species is placed in its own subgenus (Chusqueophila) in the genus Drosophila based on the unique wing characteristics but further affinities are poorly understood.

Description

Drosophila appendiculata was described by Malloch in 1934 and is distinguished from all other Drosophila species by the three characteristic partial cross-veins on the fourth long vein that intrude into the space between the fourth and fifth long vein. One of these partial cross veins is between the posterior cross vein and the tip of the wing while the other two partial cross veins originate from the forth long vein between the posterior and anterior cross veins. The wing is transparent,with brownish clouding around the cross veins, including the partial cross veins, and the tip/front of the wing. The flies are generally yellowish-brown with a slightly darker thorax

Thorax (insect anatomy)

The thorax is the mid section of the insect body. It holds the head, legs, wings and abdomen. It is also called mesosoma in other arthropods....

 and small black triangle on the tergites of the abdomen

Abdomen

In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...

. With a size of 5 to 5.5 mm, this species is relative large for the genus Drosophila

Drosophila

Drosophila is a genus of small flies, belonging to the family Drosophilidae, whose members are often called "fruit flies" or more appropriately pomace flies, vinegar flies, or wine flies, a reference to the characteristic of many species to linger around overripe or rotting fruit...

. The egg have four filaments.

Distribution

The species is found between La Serena and Aisén

Aisén, Chile

Aisén is a Chilean commune located in Aisén Province, Aisén Region. It is home to the city of Puerto Aisén and to the towns of Villa Mañiguales and Puerto Chacabuco.-Demographics:...

, Chile

Chile

Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

, and neighboring Argentina

Argentina

Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

. This is further south than any other native Chilean species.

Ecology

The species is found in vegetation along rivers and lakes, especially when the vegetation is rich in bamboo species of the genus Chusquea

Chusquea

Chusquea is a genus of bamboo with about 150 species. Most of them are mountain clumping bamboos native from southern Mexico to southern Chile and Argentina. They are sometimes referred to as South American mountain bamboos. Unlike most other bamboos, the stems of these species are solid, not hollow...

. Wild-caught females will lay eggs on standard laboratory food, but rearing the species in the laboratory has been unsuccessful.