Sophophora

The paraphyletic subgenus Sophophora of the genus Drosophila was first described by Alfred Sturtevant in 1939. It contains the best-known drosophilid species, Drosophila melanogaster. Sophophora translates as carrier (phora) of wisdom (sophos). The subgenus is paraphyletic because the genus Lordiphosa and the species Hirtodrosophila duncani are also placed within this subgenus.

Phylogeny

Sophophora Old World melanogaster species group montium species group ananassae species group fima species group obscura species group New World willistoni species group saltans species group Lordiphosa Hirtodrosophila duncani
Sophophora	Old World melanogaster species group montium species group ananassae species group fima species group obscura species group New World willistoni species group saltans species group Lordiphosa Hirtodrosophila duncani
Old World	melanogaster species group montium species group ananassae species group fima species group obscura species group
	melanogaster species group montium species group ananassae species group fima species group
	melanogaster species group montium species group
	melanogaster species group

	montium species group


	ananassae species group fima species group
	ananassae species group

	fima species group



	obscura species group


New World	willistoni species group saltans species group Lordiphosa Hirtodrosophila duncani
	willistoni species group saltans species group
	willistoni species group

	saltans species group


	Lordiphosa

	Hirtodrosophila duncani

Currently, 10 species groups are recognized, in two main groups, the New World and the Old World

Old World:

melanogaster species group (65 species, including D. melanogaster and D. simulans)
montium species group (88)
ananassae species group (24)
obscura species group (44)
dentissima species group (17)
fima species group (23)
dispar species group (2)
settifemur species group (2)

New World:

Unknown: