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

Abstract

Despite previous efforts, the evolutionary history of the immigrans-tripunctata clade remains obscure in part due to its hypothesized origin through a rapid radiation. We performed a supermatrix analysis (3,243 base pairs) coupled with richness patterns, environmental phylogenetic signal and radiation tests in order to address phylogenetic relationships and macro-evolutionary hypotheses within this complex group of species. We propose a well-supported evolutionary scenario for the immigrans-tripunctata clade species, in which the tripunctata "radiation" was monophyletic and subdivided into three main lineages: the first including D. pallidipennis (pallidipennis group) imbedded among members of the tripunctata group; the second clustering the cardini and guarani groups; and the third grouping representatives from the tripunctata, calloptera and guaramunu groups. Therefore, we hypothesize that the tripunctata group encompasses a diphyletic taxon, with one clade including the pallidipennis group and the other showing a close affinity to the calloptera and guaramunu groups. Our results also suggest that niche evolution seems to have played a central role in the evolutionary history of the tripunctata species "radiation" allowing effective dispersion and diversification in the Neotropics, possibly in a southwards direction. Although the data as a whole support the notion that this occurred through rapid and successive speciation events, the radiation hypothesis remains to be further corroborated.

Rapid evolutionary turnover underlies conserved lncRNA–genome interactions

“…1B;van der Linde et al 2010) that diverged ∼40 million years ago, as defined by the Sophophora-Drosophila subgenera divergence (Russo et al 1995;Robe et al 2010). To put this evolutionary distance in perspective, humans and spider monkeys also diverged ∼40 million years ago, as did dogs and bears, although Drosophilids have undergone orders of magnitude more generations during this time.…”

“…D. busckii was selected because of its basal position within the Drosophila subgenus, substantial evolutionary distance from D. melanogaster (diverged ∼40 million years ago) (Russo et al 1995;Robe et al 2010), and low homology with other roX orthologs. Notably, D. busckii roX2 paints the X chromosome in males but not females, and roX1 was not detected in either (Fig.…”

Gene and species trees reveal mitochondrial and nuclear discordance in the Drosophila cardini group (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

“…1) (Throckmorton 1975; Yotoko et al 2003; Robe et al 2005, 2010a,b; DaLage et al 2007; Hatadani et al 2009). Although the precise boundaries between some of these groups are not always clearly established (Frota‐Pessoa 1954), the monophyly of the D. cardini group was recently supported (Hatadani et al 2009; Robe et al 2010a,b).…”

“… Phylogenetic position of the Drosophila cardini group with respect to other Drosophila species groups (according to Robe et al [2010a,b]). …”

The evolutionary history of mariner-like elements in Neotropical drosophilids

“…3a). These cases sometimes involve related species, such as D. mediostriata and D. paramediostriata from the tripunctata group (Robe et al 2010b). The putative HT event between these species could be hypothesized as resulting from interspecific hybridization.…”