A proposal to change the formal name of Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly, has significant implications for research in the life sciences.. Even if you haven’t worked directly with Drosophila melanogaster in a biology course or a research laboratory, you’ve probably seen it first-hand. D. Melanogaster, the common fruit fly, can be seen near almost any trash can or bowl of fruit that has been sitting in sunlight too long. Most scientists refer to the species simply as Drosophila, even though technically there are about 1,450 species in the Drosophila genus.

The 2.5-millimeter-long insect rose to fame in the early 20th century after the biologist Thomas Hunt Morgan used it to show that genetic variations in all organisms are conveyed via the chromosomes contained in cells. Morgan’s work with Drosophila eventually earned him a Nobel Prize, and his student H. J. Muller followed suit. Today Drosophila remains a workhorse in biology labs around the world. The same qualities that