Radiation of the ,,Drosophila“ subgenus (Drosophilidae, Diptera) in the Neotropics

Abstract

We present a phylogenetic hypothesis for 72 '' Drosophila'' species, constructed through analysis from the paralogous alpha methyldopa (amd) and dopa decarboxylase (ddc) nuclear genes (encompassing a total of 2015 base pairs). Our data support the subdivision of the paraphyletic subgenus ''Drosophila'' into three main radiations (the immigrans-tripunctata, the virilis-repleta and the Hawaiian Drosophilidae), each of which is further subdivided to originate monophyletic Ôsub-radiationsÕ. Moreover, this study raises the possibility that the Zaprionus⁄Liodrosophila species encompass a fourth radiation within the subgenus '' Drosophila'' phylogeny and provides temporal estimates for each of the postulated divergence events.

Phylogenetic relationships and macro-evolutionary patterns within the Drosophila tripunctata “radiation” (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

“…Our TET recovered the immigrans group as the immigrans-tripunctata clade early offshoot (PP = 1.00) in agreement with previous studies (Hatadani et al 2009;Remsen and O'Grady 2002;Robe et al 2005Robe et al , 2010Yotoko et al 2003). The clade encompassing the funebris and quinaria sister groups (PP = 1.00) was the next to branch off, leaving a monophyletic and derived tripunctata ''radiation'' (PP = 1.00).…”

“…Throckmorton (1975) also suggested an evolutionary hypothesis for the immigrans-tripunctata clade, where these species originated and diversified from the Old World Tropics. This hypothesis agrees with the historical biogeographical scenario recently described by Robe et al (2010) for the immigrans-tripunctata clade, in which Asian species groups were the first to split off (e.g. the immigrans group), being followed by the intermediate branching of mainly Holartic species groups (e.g.…”

“…Later, Throckmorton (1975) recognized it as a paraphyletic taxon, and named it the immigrans-Hirtodrosophila ''radiation'' stating that it forms the basis ''out of which, at different times and levels, other groups arose''. Subsequent studies supported the scenario first envisioned by Throckmorton (1975) of an immigranstripunctata clade closely related to other genera in Drosophilidae (DaLage et al 2007; Kwiatowski and Ayala 1999;Robe et al 2005;Robe et al 2010;Tatarenkov et al 2001; van der Linde and Houle 2008), although its phylogenetic affinity to the Hirtodrosophila genus was not so thoroughly recovered (Remsen and O'Grady 2002;Robe et al 2010). Furthermore, the different phylogenetic hypotheses suggested for the immigrans-tripunctata clade usually involve topologically intermingling of many of its groups and subgroups (Hatadani et al 2009;Robe et al 2005Robe et al , 2010Yotoko et al 2003), with most agreement concerning ''brushy'' phylogenies, with deep nodes and/or Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10709-010-9453-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.…”

“…Zaprionus indianus and Z. tuberculatus were used as outgroups, as there is ample evidence that this genus is an early offshoot with respect to the immigrans-tripunctata clade (Robe et al 2005(Robe et al , 2010Throckmorton 1975;van der Linde and Houle 2008) or at least with respect to the subgenus Drosophila (DaLage et al 2007;Kwiatowski and Ayala 1999;Remsen and DeSalle 1998;Remsen and O'Grady 2002;Russo et al 1995;Tatarenkov et al 1999Tatarenkov et al , 2001Yotoko et al 2003).…”

“…Currently, the immigrans-tripunctata clade encompasses 17 species groups (bizonata, calloptera, cardini, funebris, guarani, guaramunu, guttifera, histrio, immigrans, macroptera, pallidipennis, pinicola, quinaria, rubrifrons, sticta, testacea and tripunctata) [joint data of Katoh et al (2007), Perlman et al (2003), Remsen and O'Grady (2002) and Robe et al (2010)], with a total of 308 described species (Bächli 2009). Thus, it represents a large component of Drosophila diversity with branches in both the New and Old Worlds (Throckmorton 1975).…”