drosophila

/drɔ'sɔfilə/

Thân thiện

A student observes drosophila under a microscope in the biology lab.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small fruit fly, specifically of the genus Drosophila, especially Drosophila melanogaster, widely used as a model organism in genetic and biological research due to its simple genetics, short life cycle, and ease of breeding.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The scientist studied mutations in the drosophila.
  • Thomas Hunt Morgan's pioneering experiments with drosophila provided key evidence for chromosomal inheritance.
  • Many fundamental principles of genetics were discovered using drosophila.

Advanced Usage

• "Drosophila research": Refers to the vast field of scientific study utilizing these flies.

  • Modern drosophila research continues to reveal insights into neurobiology and development.

• As a model organism: The term is often used in this specific scientific context.

  • Due to its fully sequenced genome, drosophila remains a cornerstone model organism.

Variants and Related Words

• Drosophilidae (n): The biological family to which drosophila belongs.
• Drosophila melanogaster (n): The most common and studied species within the genus.

Synonyms

• Fruit fly (common name, though this can refer to other species).
• Vinegar fly (another common name).

Related Terms (Scientific Context)

• Model organism: An organism used to study broad biological principles.
• Genetics: The study of heredity and gene function, for which drosophila is a classic tool.

Học thuật

Noun

1. small fruit fly used by Thomas Hunt Morgan in studying basic mechanisms of inheritance

Từ đồng nghĩa

• drosophila melanogaster