Rating: Very Good
Platform: iPhone/iPad
Cost: $1.99
Strong Points: Easy to to make crosses and follow generations.
Weak Points: Information provided in the app could be more in-depth.
Drosophila X is a great resource for students or researchers who are just getting started with fly genetics. In the app, users start by setting up an initial parent cross of two flies. Users can choose several different features for parent flies to exhibit, such as red versus white eyes or straight versus vestigial wings. After crossing the parent flies, the app presents a large F1 generation from which users can choose two more flies to cross to continue building new generations. In addition to generating crosses, users can also find more information on the app about a few topics related to fly genetics, such as the difference between a monohybrid and dihybrid cross or more information about sex-linked heredity. The information within the app is fairly limited, but it’s easy to use and a great introduction to breeding Drosophila for students and researchers who haven’t worked with flies before.