Drosophila differens was described by Hardy and Kaneshiro (1975) from specimens first recorded at South Hanalilolilo, Molokai, in 1972. This species is larger than most picture-wings, approximately 0.3 in (7.0 mm) in length, with wings 0.3 in (8.3 mm) long. D. differens has an entirely or predominantly yellow face and characteristic markings extending to the tip of the wings. The picture wing group is divided into four major subgroups based on maps of chromosomal inversions. Drosophila differens is in the plantitibia subgroup (Edwards et al., 2007).