Evolution of cuticular hydrocarbons of hawaiian drosophilidae

Helena Alves, Jacques Deric Rouault, Yasuhiro Kondoh, Yoshiro Nakano, Daisuke Yamamoto, Yong Kyu Kim, Jean Marc Jallon

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    24 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Hawaiian Drosophila offer an excellent model for adaptive evolution. More than 500 species are reported in Hawaiian islands, and there is considerable diversity in behavior and morphology. Such diversity is mainly driven by sexual selection. In this study qualitative and quantitative chemical compositions of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) in 138 flies belonging to 27 Hawaiian Drosophila species, picture-winged and non picture-winged, were analyzed regarding sexual dimorphism, differences in saturation, branching position, and lengths of CHCs. We found significant variation in the CHC patterns. In several subgroups, new species show decreases in unsaturated hydrocarbons, and gradual increases in branched compounds, monomethylalkanes and dimethylalkanes, not commonly found in Drosophila. Moreover, branching positions gradually shifted towards internal carbons, and chain lengths increased in the new species. The long-term evolution of CHCs in the light of the recent evolutionary migration and adaptation history of Hawaiian Drosophila species along the developing archipelago was discussed.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)694-705
    Number of pages12
    JournalBehavior Genetics
    Volume40
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2010 Sept

    Keywords

    • Cuticular hydrocarbons
    • Evolution
    • Hawaiian Drosophila
    • Island speciation

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
    • Genetics
    • Genetics(clinical)

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