#Drosophila #Advent Day18: #Hirtodrosophila trivittata is another fungus feeder, but this is a very distinctive looking fly and seems to be a specialist on fresh oyster #mushrooms (#Pleurotus) and similar species https://www.jstor.org/stable/2408009, where they can gather in spectacularly large numbers. This species was only added to the UK list in 2008 https://dipterists.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf/Dipterists%20Digest%202008%20Vol%2015%20No%201.pdf and I saw it for the first time in 2020 #Diptera #Fungi

#Drosophila #Advent Day17: On to another genus with Hirtodrosophila confusa. The genus #Hirtodrosophila is paraphyletic https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evab179, but the UK species are all members of single clade. This species lays its eggs in large decaying fungi https://www.jstor.org/stable/2408009, and is often found in large numbers on dryads saddle (Polyporus squamosus). Seemingly very well adapted to the Scottish climate, it is apparently unable to breed above 24°C. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1420-9101.2005.00914.x #Diptera #Fungi