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As a result of human activities and natural dispersal, exotic species can be brought to new areas, where they become established and spread, becoming invaders. These species are responsible for the loss of biodiversity and cause ecosystemic harm throughout the world. In this paper, we report the rapid, broad geographic expansion of the invasive fly Drosophila nasuta in Brazil. An 84% increase was found in its area of occupation in the country compared to previous studies. The present data reveal its arrival to the Pantanal wetlands in a location more than one thousand kilometers from the closest previous record in the Cerrado biome. We present the first record of D. nasuta in the Atlantic Forest in the states of Paraíba and Bahia. We report its introduction in the Amazon Forest in the state of Amazonas approximately 700 kilometers from previous records. The relative abundance of D. nasuta in this biome increased fivefold in comparison to a previous study. In the first decade of invasion in Brazil, D. nasuta has already colonized more than half of the country. The present data reveal its invasive potential and underscore the importance of following up the possible negative effects of this biological invasion.

Biological invasions are one of the main causes of biodiversity loss, and it is essential to understand the pattern and rate of expansion of invasive species outside their native distribution. In this study, we documented the invasion of the Asian fruit fly, Drosophila nasuta Lamb, in the Caatinga, and measured its geographical distribution in this environment, which covers 11% of the Brazilian territory. We collected drosophilids in eight sites distributed in the north of the Caatinga (in the state of Ceará), in the south (in Bahia), in the east (in Pernambuco), and in the west (in Piauí), as well as in sites in the central area of the biome. Drosophila nasuta occurred in all areas and was one of the most frequently occurring species in half of the sampled sites. We observed greater abundance in areas with arboreal vegetation and a possible preference of this species for areas with higher annual rainfall in the Caatinga. Of all the biomes where D. nasuta is found in Brazil, the area occupied in the Caatinga is the largest documented to date. Our results show D. nasuta's success in invading the Caatinga and the vast area this species has colonized in this biome. The success of this invasion can be explained by the high fertility and short life cycle as well as by the ability of D. nasuta to use different trophic resources., (© 2021. Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil.)