First detection of chromosomal inversions in a natural population of the invasive pest species Drosophila suzukii

Abstract

Drosophila suzukii is native to East and Southeast Asia and spread very fast around the world being considered an invasive pest species. Many demographic, population genetics and genomic studies have been recently developed, but so far no analysis has been carried out regarding the presence of chromosomal inversions in D. suzukii natural populations. In this research, we studied polytene chromosomes of flies collected from the Font Groga (Barcelona) population. The chromosomes and many of their segments were characterized for their similarity with those from D. melanogaster. This is the report of one paracentric inversion (in heterozygous condition) in the right arm of the third chromosome (3R). As far as we know, it is the first time that an inversion has been observed in a D. suzukii natural population. Finally, the evolutionary significance of the finding of inversions in this species is discussed. Keywords. invasive species; polytene chromosomes; chromosomal inversions; adaptation; D. suzukii.Carla Esteve and Clàudia Lagares have contributed equally to this work.