This rare fly is part of the Hawaiian Drosophila lineage, and is only found in mesic and wet forests on the island of Hawaii.

[2] Male D. heteroneura flies have large, wide heads that give them a hammerhead appearance.

[2] These flies are predominantly yellow with black stripes, and characteristic brown spots at the base and tips of the wings.

[5] This species is closely related to D. silvestris, with which they are known to produce fertile hybrid offspring in the wild.

[8] However, these studies also show that, while the wide head of D. heteroneura appears to be a sexually selected trait, it is likely not the primary mechanism for female species recognition.