▁an ▁African ▁species , ▁with ▁all ▁non - A fr ican ▁line ages ▁having ▁a ▁common ▁origin . ▁Its ▁ge ographic ▁range ▁includes ▁all ▁contin ents , ▁including ▁islands . ▁D . ▁mel an og aster ▁is ▁a ▁common ▁p est ▁in ▁homes , ▁restaur ants , ▁and ▁other ▁places ▁where ▁food ▁is ▁served . ▁ ▁F lies ▁belonging ▁to ▁the ▁family ▁Te ph rit idae ▁are ▁also ▁called ▁" f ruit ▁f lies ". ▁This ▁can ▁cause ▁confusion , ▁especially ▁in ▁the ▁Mediter rane an , ▁Australia , ▁and ▁South ▁Africa , ▁where ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁fruit ▁fly ▁Cer at itis ▁capit ata ▁is ▁an ▁economic ▁p est . ▁ ▁Phys ical ▁appearance ▁▁ ▁Wild ▁type ▁fruit ▁f lies ▁are ▁yellow - b rown , ▁with ▁brick - red ▁eyes ▁and ▁trans verse ▁black ▁rings ▁across ▁the ▁ab d omen . ▁They ▁exhib it ▁sexual ▁dim orphism ; ▁females ▁are ▁about ▁ ▁long ; ▁males ▁are ▁slightly ▁smaller ▁with ▁dark er ▁back s . ▁M ales ▁are ▁easily ▁distinguished ▁from ▁females ▁based ▁on ▁colour ▁differences , ▁with ▁a ▁distinct ▁black ▁patch ▁at ▁the ▁ab d omen , ▁less ▁notice able ▁in ▁recently ▁emer ged ▁f lies , ▁and ▁the ▁sex com bs ▁( a ▁row ▁of ▁dark ▁br ist les ▁on ▁the ▁t ars us ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁leg ). ▁Furthermore , ▁males ▁have ▁a ▁cluster ▁of ▁sp ik y ▁hair s ▁( cl asp ers ) ▁surrounding ▁the ▁reprodu cing ▁parts ▁used ▁to ▁attach ▁to ▁the ▁female ▁during ▁m ating