The general body color varies across species from yellowish to dark brown.

[4] In the simplest form, the white stripes are caused by an absence of the pigment in the cuticle.

[4] The absence of pigmentation also occurs in the species of the subgenus Zaprionus, probably complemented by a separate mechanism.

In these species, the white stripes contain many long and bent trichomes (fine outgrowths) that have a groove and contain two cavities, polarizing the light.

[7][8] Zaprionus species are found in a wide array of habitats from semi-deserts to the tropical rain forest.

[16] Recent molecular studies have shown that this subdivision of the Zaprionus subgenus is incorrect.

immigrans-tripunctata radiation D. quadrilineata species group Samoaia Zaprionus D. tumiditarsus species group Liodrosophila Dichaetophora, Hirtodrosophila, Mycodrosophila and Paramycodrosophila virilis-repleta radiation and subgenus Siphlodora Hawaiian Drosophilidae D. polychaeta species group Dorsilopha Sophophora and included groups The genus Zaprionus consists of the following species:[1][4] Subgenus Anaprionus: odd number of whites stripes Subgenus Zaprionus: even number of white stripes