Researchers Add Two New Drosophila Species To Mexico’s Fauna

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - A University of Arkansas researcher and his colleagues have discovered two new species of Drosphila, or fruit fly, that inhabit a small area near a medium-sized city in Mexico. These species add new dimension to the study of evolutionary and population genetics, where fruit flies play a starring role.

William Etges, associate professor of biological sciences: Miguel Armella, a biologist at UAM in Mexico: P.M. O’Grady, an entomologist with the American Museum of Natural History: and William Heed, a biologist at the University of Arizona, Tucson report their findings in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America.

"Even in seemingly obvious places, there’s still a chance to discover new species," Etges said. "We still have no idea how many species are present on earth today."

The researchers used ripe bananas to trap the flies at two sites near San Francisco del Rincon. The flies differ markedly from their nearest relatives in characteristics of the male genitalia, Etges said.

Because fruit flies have diversified into thousands of species, reproduce quickly and create many generations in a short time, scientists use them to study evolution, population genetics and diversification.

"The large question is what drives diversification," Etges said, "And how can we use the answer to that question to do conservation biology more effectively."

Etges and his colleagues study the diversification of Mexican Drosophila in specialized resource niches, like cactus. About half the Drosophila species in North and South America live and die among the prickly thorns and succulent fruits of these plants.

The researchers seek information on how the flies use their host plants to determine if predictable patterns exist.

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