Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Methods for Staging Pupal Periods and Measurement of Wing Pigmentation of Drosophila guttifera
Published on: January 24, 2018
Population structure and genetic diversity in two species of Hawaiian picture-winged Drosophila
1Biology Department, University of Hawai'i, 200 West Kawili St., Hilo, HI 96720, USA. cmuir@hawaii.edu
Abstract:
Over the last several decades many picture-winged Drosophila have become less common in both geographical distribution and local population size (pers. obs., Foote pers. comm., Montgomerey pers. comm.). Here we report on a study of two Hawaiian Drosophila species, D. engyochracea, and D. hawaiiensis, to determine the impact that changes in population sizes over the past thirty years have had on the genetic diversity of these species. D. engyochracea is known from only two locations on the Island of Hawai'i (Kipuka Ki and Kipuka Pua'ulu), while D. hawaiiensis is currently more wide spread across Hawai'i Island. We collected 65 D. hawaiiensis and 66 D. engyochracea from two forest patches (kipuka) isolated by a 400 year old volcanic ash deposit. DNA sequence data for 515 bases of the mitochondrial gene COII was analyzed for both species to estimate relative total genetic diversity as well as inter-kipuka gene flow. The more wide spread species, D. hawaiiensis, has more genetic diversity (23 vs. 11 unique haplotypes) than the rarer species, D. engyochracea. The distribution of haplotypes in the kipuka is consistent with more gene flow in D. engyochracea than in D. hawaiiensis. Phylogenetic analysis indicates a small number of individuals morphologically identified as one species but have DNA sequence diagnostic for the other species. These results are consistent with these individuals being descendant from hybrids between species.
Related Concept Videos
Gene Flow
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift
Formation of Species
The Ratio of X Chromosome to Autosomes
Normal male Drosophila has a ratio of one X chromosome to two sets of autosomes. In contrast, normal female Drosophila...
Genetics of Speciation

