Evolutionary genetics of Drosophila mediopunctata.
Drosophila mediopunctata belongs to the tripunctata group, which is the second largest Neotropical group of Drosophila with 64 species described. Here I review the work done with this forest dwelling species, and some applications of the methods developed using it as a model organism, to other species. Specifically I look at: the phylogenetic status of the tripunctata group and its relation with other groups in the Hirtodrosophila-immigrans radiation; D. mediopunctata's chromosome inversion polymorphism (altitudinal cline of frequencies and evidences of selection); the morphological variation of the wing and the development and applications of the ellipse method to describe the morphology of the wing; the variation on the number of aristal branches; the genetic basis of the polychromatism present in D. mediopunctata and its association with chromosome inversions; the sex-ratio trait and its use in the demonstration of Fisher's principle; and, finally, the finding of the transposable P-element in this species.
Klaczko
Louis Bernard
LB
Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, UNICAMP, Cx. Postal 6109, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil. lbk@unicamp.br
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics*