Drosophila nigrospiracula is a fly species indigenous to the Sonoran Desert, spanning Arizona, Baja California, and part of Sonora, Mexico.

This fly breeds on the decomposing tissues of two species of cacti that are also endemic to the region: cardón (Pachycereus pringlei) and saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea).

[4] D. nigrospiracula are only found in the Sonoran Desert and specifically on cardón (Pachycereus pringlei) and saguaro (Carnegiea gigantean) cacti.

The cytochrome p450 system is found in nearly all life forms and is responsible for processing pheromones and steroids and also metabolizing insecticides, drugs, mutagens, and carcinogens.

The p450 system allows Drosophila to metabolize and detoxify the secondary compounds that the cacti use as a function of herbivore defense in order to viably use the plant as a host.

[5] These flies commute to other saguaro cacti at rates three times higher than any other Drosophila species; they live in short-lived yet widespread habitats, requiring constant relocation to look for resources.

In the final stages of oogenesis, nurse cells dispose of their nuclear components into growing oocytes, providing them resources for embryonic development.

D. nigrospiracula exhibit sexual dimorphism through differing ratios of phosphorus concentration in adult males and females.

Macrocheles subbadius is an ectoparasite also indigenous to the North American region of the Sonoran Desert that inhabits both saguaro and cardón cacti.

Researchers attribute this behavioral characteristic of D. nigrospiracula as an evolutionarily adaptive advantage, as the flies attempt to pass on their genes when lower life expectancy is detected.

Researchers attribute these observations to reduced male-male competitive ability, decreased courtship vigor, and even physical prevention of copulation.

A major difference between these two fly species, however, that serves to limit the amount of competition between them in nesting site selection is more genetically than behaviorally explained.

This particular genetic difference enables both species of desert Drosopholids to use the same host cacti in the same geographic region without competitive pressures.