Drosophila Under the Microscope
Drosophila (Whole Mount), Drosophila melanogaster
This is a whole adult fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, mounted on its side. Fruit flies are the famous model organism of genetics, so students often learn their body parts before doing crosses.
This is a whole mount of an adult fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), seen from the side. The body has three parts: the head, the thorax with the legs and wing, and the striped abdomen. Stiff dark bristles stick out from the thorax and legs. The clear wing shows a pattern of veins, the thin lines that support it, and its edge is lined with tiny hairs. Fruit flies are used in genetics because they breed fast and have easy-to-see traits like wing shape.
What to look for
- Compound eyes: Large rounded eyes on the sides of the head, made of many small units.
- Bristles: Stiff dark hairs on the thorax and head, arranged in a regular pattern.
- Wings: Clear wings with a simple pattern of veins.
- Legs: Six jointed legs attached to the thorax.
- Abdomen: The rear section, with visible bands where segments meet.
Questions and answers
How do you tell male and female fruit flies apart under a microscope?
Males are usually smaller, with a darker, rounded tip on the abdomen and a small row of dark bristles called a sex comb on each front leg. Females are larger, with a more pointed abdomen and lighter striping.
Why are fruit flies used in genetics?
Fruit flies breed quickly, are easy to keep, and have many visible traits like eye color and wing shape. Scientists have studied their genes for more than a century, so much is known about them.
- Category
- Invertebrates
- Scan magnification
- 20x
Viewing this slide in class
This is a scan of a real prepared slide, not a simulation or a drawing. On StudyScope you can pan from the whole slide down to individual structures, always in focus, and measure them in real micrometers with the calibrated ruler. Present it live and every student screen follows your view and annotations. Students join with a room code on Chromebooks, iPads, or any browser, with no accounts.