Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Musca domestica and Drosophila melanogaster origin in nature

Posted by Urmas Tartes on 11-04-2013 11:30
#1

Both these species, Musca domestica and Drosophila melanogaster are living worldwide thanks to humans. However I have difficulties finding information about their original distribution in nature, where they come from.

University of Florida homepage states, that Musca domestica originated on the steppes of central Asia (http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/flies/house_fly.htm).
For Drosophila the origin is localised to tropics of Africa and Asia.

Are these places correct? And if so, we can consider these species actually as alien species for the other parts of the world? Although, their worldwide distribution has happened long ago and nobody actually cares about their origin.