Drosophila silvestris

Drosophila silvestris is a large species of fly in the family Drosophilidae that are primarily black with yellow spots. As a rare species of fruit fly endemic to Hawaii (“the Big Island”), the fly often experiences reproductive isolation. Despite barriers in nature, D. silvestris is able to breed with D. heteroneura to create hybrid flies in the laboratory.

Male D. silvestris demonstrate many elaborate courtship displays like wing waving and courtship songs to attract females to their territories. To defend these territories, males behave aggressively and fight with one another. This species demonstrates sexual selection through female choice, as indicated by an evolutionary enhancement of extra tibia bristles occurring in certain D. silvestris populations in the last 700,000 years.