Drosophilidae (Diptera) of the Cook Islands—dataset

In 2017 a survey was conducted of the Drosophilidae on the remote Cook Islands: Rarotonga, Aitutaki and Mangaia in the Tropical South Pacific. A diverse range of collecting methods was implemented, at different elevations and in domestic, rural, and montane-forest habitats. Only two widespread species Drosophila ananassae and D. simulans have previously been reported from Cook Islands. Among the 8036 specimens collected, 12 species were found, one of which—Drosophila rarotongae—is treated as a new species (McEvey & Polak, 2021); it is endemic to Rarotonga and found only in montane forest. Drosophila suzukii was absent. An unusual form of Drosophila funebris was collected (one female). Drosophila pallidifrons was found among D. sulfurigaster in very low frequency (1%). This dataset lists all the collection localities (Table S1), all the dates and methods used at each of those localities: the events (Table S2), and a complete list of all specimens recorded at each of those events: the records (Table S3). All specimens are held in the Australian Museum, Sydney.