Drosophila spiethi

Identification and occurrence discrepancy

Drosophila spiethi belongs to the modified-tarsus assemblage, in which adult leg characters are important for identification. The sources linked to this record contain an island discrepancy: a wing-comparison dataset labels material Kauaʻi, whereas the museum type catalog gives Kīlauea on Hawaiʻi Island for the holotype. The type locality does not exclude later occurrence elsewhere, but an independently verified Kauaʻi voucher is needed before this record can support a Kauaʻi-endemic claim. No local host or breeding claim is inferred from the conflicting labels.

Kauaʻi occurrence under review

Kauaʻi attribution is unresolved: the linked wing dataset and museum type catalog give different islands. The catalog identifies the holotype locality as Kīlauea, Hawaiʻi Island. This account does not establish Kauaʻi endemism or a current Kauaʻi population.

Evidence limits

The cited observations describe the evidence currently available for this account. They do not establish a complete life history or a measured current Kauaʻi population trend.

Names and classification

Scientific name

Drosophila spiethi

Family

Drosophilidae

Order

Diptera

Record type

species

Kauaʻi occurrence and status

Kauaʻi occurrence

Present

Origin

Endemic — Kauaʻi

Conservation status

Not assessed

Process and seasonal context

Seasonal description

Drosophila spiethi belongs to the modified-tarsus assemblage, in which adult leg characters are important for identification.

Sources and further reading

• Hawaiian Drosophila wing-diversity database
• Identification and occurrence discrepancy — species source