Further Study on the Esterase Patterns of Sibling Species in the Drosophila saltans Subgroup (saltans Group): Intraspecific and Interspecific Variations in the Development

Abstract

Twenty of the 32 esterase bands previously detected in the adults of D. prosaltans, D. saltans and D. austrosaltans were found in larvae and pupae studied in this work. The results showed that, in addition to expressing the highest number of esterase bands, the adult stage of the three species exhibited the highest degree of expression (amount of synthesis) for most of the bands. Differences between larval and pupal stages were detected in the degree of expression (amount of synthesis) of the bands and in the frequency of samples expressing them. The frequencies of expression of the bands corresponding to genes in loci 1-3 were greater in pupae than in larvae while the frequencies of expression of the bands corresponding to genes in loci 4-9 were predominantly expressed in larvae or were equal in both developmental stages. Like the adults, larvae, pupae and empty pupal cases (which were also studied in this work) showed specific esterases. Taken together, the observations showed that, in the species studied, every developmental stage is characterized by specific bands and by specific frequency and degree of expression of the bands shared with other stages.

Scanning Electron Microscopy of Male Terminalia and Its Application to Species Recognition and Phylogenetic Reconstruction in the Drosophila saltans Group

“…In general, phylogenetic relationships within the saltans group based on different markers have been found to be incongruent, but monophyly of the group has always been recovered [4], [7], [17]. The same occurred in the present study.…”

“…The markers used in these evolutionary studies include morphological characters [3], [4], chromosomal polymorphisms [5], esterase patterns [6], [7], [8], degree of reproductive isolation [5], [9], gene sequence variation [10], [11] and transposable elements [12], [13], [14], [15], [16].…”

Variability of esterase patterns in adult flies of the saltans species group of Drosophila (subgenus Sophophora)

“…In addition to specific expression variation between sexes and in parts of the body, detected in the present study, variation of esterase expression during development of species in the saltans group were also described, showing that, besides the presence of stage-specific bands, the expression of the bands from loci 1 to 3 predominated in pupae, while, in larvae, bands from loci 4 to 9 were predominantly produced, with some variation among strains and species (Nascimento and Bicudo 2006). Taken together, the observations on the esterases of species from the saltans group may be considered a good tool for further studies on gene structure divergence in the evolutionary process and corresponding functional changes.…”

“…Nascimento and Bicudo (2006) had already suggested its involvement in the physiology of the nervous system.…”

Saltational episodes of reticulate evolution in theDrosophila saltansspecies group

“…Although the monophyly of the subgroups has been confirmed by different phylogenetic methods, the relationships among and within them are not. Hypothesis for their evolutionary relationships have been proposed using different methods and different morphological characters (Magalhães and Björnberg 1957; Throckmorton 1962; Throckmorton and Magalhães 1962; O’Grady et al 1998; Yassin 2009; Souza et al 2014; Roman et al 2022), chromosome polymorphism (Bicudo 1973a), reproductive isolation (Bicudo 1973b; Bicudo and Prioli 1978; Bicudo 1979), protein polymorphism (Nascimento and Bicudo 2002) and gene sequences (Pélandakis and Solignac 1993; O’Grady et al 1998; Rodríguez-Trelles et al 1999; de Castro and Carareto 2004; de Setta et al 2007; Roman et al 2022). The evolutionary relationships proposed are summarized in Supplementary Table S1.…”