Drosophila tarphytrichia | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Diptera |
Family: | Drosophilidae |
Genus: | Drosophila |
Species: | D. tarphytrichia
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Binomial name | |
Drosophila tarphytrichia (Hardy, 1965)
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Drosophila tarphytrichia is an endangered species of fly from Hawaii, in the species rich lineage of Hawaiian Drosophilidae. It is only found on the island of Oahu.[1] While originally collected near Manoa Falls in 1949, this fly is thought to have been extirpated from the Koʻolau Range and now only found in the Waiʻanae Range.[2] This species is a member of the lanaiensis subgroup in the picture-wing clade.[3]
Drosophila tarphytrichia was described in 1965 by D. Elmo Hardy.[4] The picture-wing markings in this and other closely related species are located in a stripe along the center and at the apex of the wing.[3] It is distinguished from closely related species by a flattened front tarsal segment with a dense clump of hair. These flies are predominantly yellow, with some red and brown coloration on the thorax.[1]
Drosophila tarphytrichia is known to breed in the rotting stems and branches of pāpala plants (Charpentiera).[1]
This species has been variously considered as part of the hawaiensis complex,[1] vesciseta subgroup,[5] and conspicua subgroup,[6] but recent phylogenetic analyses have established it as a member of the lanaiensis subgroup,[3] along with D. digressa, D. hexachetae, D. lanaiensis, and D. moli.
Drosophila tarphytrichia was listed as federally endangered in 2006 along with ten other species of picture-wing Drosophila.[1] Threats to the conservation of D. tarphytrichia include loss-of-habitat, in part due to invasive pigs and goats, as well as introduced predators such as big-headed ants and yellow crazy ants.