Taxonomic and evolutionary analysis of Zaprionus indianus and its colonization of Palearctic and Neotropical regions

Abstract

Zaprionus indianus is a dipteran (Drosophilidae) with a wide distribution throughout the tropics and temperate Palearctic and Nearctic regions. There have been proposals to reclassify the genus Zaprionus as a subgenus or group of the genus Drosophila because various molecular markers have indicated a close relationship between Zaprionus species and the immigrans-Hirtodrosophila radiation within Drosophila. These markers, together with alloenzymes and quantitative traits, have been used to describe the probable scenario for the expansion of Zaprionus indianus from its center of dispersal (Africa) to regions of Asia (ancient dispersal) and the Americas (recent dispersal). The introduction of Z. indianus into Brazil was first reported in 1999 and the current consensus is that the introduced flies came from high-latitude African populations through the importation of fruit. Once in Brazil, Z. indianus spread rapidly throughout the Southeast and then to the rest of the country, in association with highway-based fruit commerce. These and other aspects of the evolutionary biology of Z. indianus are addressed in this review, including a description of a probable route for this species’ dispersal during its recent expansion.

PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIP OF AN INVASIVE DROSOPHILID, Zaprionus indianus AND CLOSELY RELATED SPECIES OF DROSOPHILIDAE (DIPTERA) BASED ON ESTERASE PATTERNS

“…There have been proposals to reclassify the genus Zaprionus as a subgenus or group of the genus Drosophila because various molecular markers have indicated a close relationship between Zaprionus species and the immigrans-Hirtodrosophila radiation within Drosophila. These markers, together with alloenzymes and quantitative traits, have been used to describe the probable scenario for the expansion of Z. indianus from its center of dispersal (Africa) to regions of Asia (ancient dispersal) and the Americas (recent dispersal) (Commar et al, 2012). Due to its evolutionary history, ecological and morphological diversity, the Zaprionus genus seems to be a good model for comparative studies with the melanogaster subgroup.…”

“…Commar et al (2012) mentioned that various molecular markers with alloenzymes and quantitative traits have indicated a close relationship between Zaprionus species and the immigrans-Hirtodrosophila radiation within Drosophila.…”

Ocorrência da mosca-do-figo no Rio Grande do Sul e sua emergência em diferentes frutas

“…Com distribuição por grande parte do território brasileiro (Commar et al, 2012), inicialmente a mosca-do-figo foi observada em São Paulo e outros registros foram feitos em Minas Gerais, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul; neste último Estado, observou-se a mosca-do-figo em três municípios: Agudo, Porto Alegre e Santa Maria, situados na Região Fisiográfica da Depressão Central (De Toni et al, 2001;Link, 2012).…”

First record of Eucoilinae (Hymenoptera: Figitidae), parasitoids of African fig fly Zaprionus indianus Gupta (Diptera: Drosophilidae), in the Caatinga biome

“…Most of the studies about diversity and distribution of Eucoilinae are concentrated in the Southeast region of Brazil (GUIMARÃES et al, 2004); thus, there is a lack of knowledge on Eucoilinae in the other regions and biomes of Brazil. (COMMAR et al, 2012). Zaprionus indianus is a polyphagous species, and studies show that its distribution is rapidly expanding in Brazil, including the Caatinga biome (FERNANDES; ARAUJO, 2011).…”

“…The association between Z. indianus and its parasitoids was confirmed because in the samples with eucoilines, only Z. indianus emerged. The parasitoids and flies were identified following Guimarães et al (2003) and Commar et al (2012), respectively.…”