Fruit fly balance organ. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the balance organ (haltere) of a male fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster). The

---

Fruit fly balance organ. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the balance organ (haltere) of a male fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster). The haltere is the oval structure at lower left. It is a modified and reduced hindwing that helps the insect sense its orientation and remain correctly balanced. Fruit flies are widely used in genetic experiments, particularly in mutation experiments, because they reproduce rapidly and their genetic systems are well understood. Magnification: x258 when printed 10 centimetres wide.

---

Size: 4213px × 4205px
Photo credit: © POWER AND SYRED/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: anatomical, anatomy, animal, balance, biological, biology, close-, coloured, detail, drosophila, entomological, entomology, false-coloured, fauna, fly, fruit, haltere, hindwing, insect, insecta, invertebrate, invertebrates, male, melanogaster, modified, nature, organ, orientation, sem, sense, sensory, spatial, structure, wildlife, zoological, zoology