1. Welcome to the World of
Fruit Fly Genetics

3. This is a *female* fruit fly
Notice the tiger-striped abdomen and the
simple tag-like tip on the abdomen.

4. The tip at the end of the female abdomen is the excretory opening.
Just proximal to this opening is the female genital opening.
Female
Genitalia

5. This is a mature male fruit fly
Mature males have a prominent black abdominal end.
Males also have tiny “sex combs” on their front pair of legs.

6. Here’s a close up of the male genital region.
Notice the metallic sheen of the genitals.

7. Find their distinguishing features.
One male and one female
Find their distinguishing features.

8. Ventral view of a male and female Find their distinguishing features

9. Female laying
an egg

10. Notice the relatively larger size and lighter pigmentation of the
virgin female as compared with the
mature female

11. and girth. The maximum size of the larval stage is called
Tiny fly eggs hatch into tiny worm-like larvae. The larvae eat and grow in length
and girth. The maximum size
of the larval stage is called
the third instar.
This larval stage
becomes a pupa.
Anus
This is a third instar larva
prior to pupation
Mouth

12. Larva to Pupa Stages Larvae are mobile Pupal stages
With the onset of pupation the worm-like larva contracts and a
parchment-like pupa case hardens around the metamorphosing fly.

13. Fly metamorphosis in pupa
When the fly emerges from the
pupal case the wings are still
wet and folded.

14. When flies are newly hatched their wings are still damp and folded.
Is this a male
or a female?
This is a male.
Pigmentation has not developed.