Dataset Information

Early events in speciation: Cryptic species of Drosophila aldrichi.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the earliest events in speciation remains a major challenge in evolutionary biology. Thus identifying species whose populations are beginning to diverge can provide useful systems to study the process of speciation. Drosophila aldrichi, a cactophilic fruit fly species with a broad distribution in North America, has long been assumed to be a single species owing to its morphological uniformity. While previous reports either of genetic divergence or reproductive isolation among different D. aldrichi strains have hinted at the existence of cryptic species, the evolutionary relationships of this species across its range have not been thoroughly investigated. Here we show that D. aldrichi actually is paraphyletic with respect to its closest relative, Drosophila wheeleri, and that divergent D. aldrichi lineages show complete hybrid male sterility when crossed. Our data support the interpretation that there are at least two species of D. aldrichi, making these flies particularly attractive for studies of speciation in an ecological and geographical context.

SUBMITTER: Castro Vargas C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5478054 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Early events in speciation: Cryptic species of <i>Drosophila aldrichi</i>.

Castro Vargas Cynthia C Richmond Maxi Polihronakis MP Ramirez Loustalot Laclette Mariana M Markow Therese Ann TA

Ecology and evolution 20170503 12

Understanding the earliest events in speciation remains a major challenge in evolutionary biology. Thus identifying species whose populations are beginning to diverge can provide useful systems to study the process of speciation. <i>Drosophila aldrichi</i>, a cactophilic fruit fly species with a broad distribution in North America, has long been assumed to be a single species owing to its morphological uniformity. While previous reports either of genetic divergence or reproductive isolation amon ...[more]

PMID: 28649335

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Project description:Bumble bees (Bombus Latrielle) are significant pollinators of flowering plants due to their large body size, abundant setae, and generalist foraging strategies. However, shared setal coloration patterns among closely and distantly related bumble bee species makes identification notoriously difficult. The advent of molecular genetic techniques has increased our understanding of bumble bee evolution and taxonomy, and enables effective conservation policy and management. Individuals belonging to the North American Bombus fervidus species-complex (SC) are homogenous in body structure but exhibit significant body color phenotype variation across their geographic distribution. Given the uncertainty of the genealogical boundaries within the SC, some authors have synonymized all members of the B. fervidus SC within a single taxon, while others propose an alternative two taxa hypothesis. Operating under the phylogenetic species concept, our analysis supports the hypothesis that there are two independent lineages of bumble bees within the B. fervidus SC. With the current evidence, however, it is not possible to assign valid names to either of them, because both lineages include the color phenotypes found in the original species descriptions of B. fervidus and B. californicus. Cryptic speciation does not seem to be the product of Müllerian mimicry between the clades, because diverging coloration patterns are observed when the distribution of the clades overlaps. Furthermore, within each lineage there is evidence for strong population differentiation that is correlated with geographic distribution rather than color phenotype. In our study, we demonstrate the importance of obtaining a broad sample of multiple populations when conducting lower-level phylogenetic analyses. In addition to improving our knowledge of bumble bee diversification patterns, characterizing the evolutionary history of these pollinators provides the foundation needed to guide contemporary conservation assessments and management strategies.

Dataset Information

Early events in speciation: Cryptic species of Drosophila aldrichi.

Publications

Early events in speciation: Cryptic species of <i>Drosophila aldrichi</i>.

Similar Datasets

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