Drosophila guttifera

Drosophila guttifera is a species of vinegar fly in the Drosophila quinaria species group. Like many quinaria group species, D. guttifera feeds on rotting mushrooms.

In 2015, the genome of Drosophila guttifera was sequenced by the laboratory of Sean B. Carroll providing an answer on how different wing patterns emerge in this species, relying on genetic switches called enhancers that drive the polka-dot pattern on the wings of D. guttifera. These enhancers are cis-regulatory elements, which can promote new wing patterns by modifying gene expression, rather than the actual protein being expressed.