Drosophila melanogaster species subgroup explained

The Drosophila melanogaster species subgroup contains 9 species of flies, including the best known species Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans. The subgroup belongs to the Drosophila melanogaster species group within the subgenus Sophophora.

Males can discriminate between females of different species, in part, by detecting differences in the hydrocarbon pheromones coating their bodies.^[1] Females can discriminate between males of different species, in part, by detecting species-specific differences in the male's courtship behavior.^[2] When copulation does occur between different species, the hybrid progeny are often non-viable, sterile or fertile with lower fitness.

Phylogeny

The phylogeny of the melanogaster complex

• D. (S.) melanogaster Meigen, 1830

simulans complex

• D. (S.) simulans Sturtevant, 1919
• D. (S.) mauritiana Tsacas and David, 1974
• D. (S.) sechellia Tsacas and Bächli, 1981

yakuba complex^{[3] [4]}

• D. (S.) yakuba Burla, 1954
• D. (S.) santomea
• D. (S.) teissieri Tsacas, 1971

erecta complex

• D. (S.) erecta Tsacas and Lachaise, 1974
• D. (S.) orena Tsacas and David, 1978

The species of the simulans complex form a hard polytomy. Most likely, the island species D. (S.) mauritiana (Mauritius) and D. (S.) sechellia (Seychelles) branched off from the mainland species D. (S.) simulans in such a narrow time frame that it is impossible to distinguish which species branched off first and which second.

References

• J. A. Coyne, S. Elwyn, S. Y. Kim & A. Llopart 2004. Genetic studies of two sister species in the Drosophila melanogaster subgroup, D. yakuba and D. santomea. Genetical Research 84: 11-26.
• R. M. Kliman, P. Andolfatto, J. A. Coyne, F. Depaulis, M. Kreitman, A. J. Berry, J. McCarter, J. Wakeley & J. Hey 2000. The population genetics of the origin and divergence of the Drosophila simulans complex species. Genetics 156: 1913-1931.

Notes and References

1. Jallon. Jean-Marc. David. Jean R.. March 1987. Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution. 41. 2. 294–302. 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1987.tb05798.x. 1558-5646. 28568760. Variations in Cuticular Hydrocarbons Among the Eight Species of the Drosophila Melanogaster Subgroup. 39388875. free.
2. Ewing. Arthur W.. Bennet-Clark. H. C.. 1968. The Courtship Songs of Drosophila. Behaviour. 31. 3/4. 288–301. 4533231. 10.1163/156853968X00298.
3. ZHANG. LI. KANG. HAN. JIN. SHAN. ZENG. QING TAO. YANG. YONG. 2016-05-16. Hsp27 gene in Drosophila ananassae subgroup was split by a recently acquired intron. Journal of Genetics. en. 95. 2. 257–262. 10.1007/s12041-016-0629-y. 27350667. 15397411. 0022-1333.
4. Simão. M C. Haudry. A. Granzotto. A. Setta. N. Carareto. C M A. 2018-08-25. Helena and BS: two travellers between the genera Drosophila and Zaprionus. Genome Biology and Evolution. en. 10. 10. 2671–2685. 10.1093/gbe/evy184. 1759-6653. 6179348. 30165545.