Three new Drosophilidae species records for South Africa

Liana I De Araujo,Minette Karsten,John S Terblanche

doi:10.4102/abc.v49i1.2429

Liana I De Araujo, Minette Karsten + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4102/abc.v49i1.2429

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Abstract

Background: Data on the current species diversity from the Drosophilidae family in South Africa is limited or outdated.Objectives: Using haphazard, limited trapping for a different study, we serendipitously report on and document Drosophilidae species in two distinct regions (representing a sub-tropical and a Mediterranean climate region) of South Africa.Method: Drosophilidae were trapped using mixed fruit and mushroom traps around urban areas in two climatically distinct regions of South Africa. The flies were identified using standard barcoding (Cytochrome c Oxidase Subunit I [COI] gene sequence) and, in some cases, additional identification from a taxonomical expert using morphological traits. Species were checked against literature, online resources and a previously compiled library of South African Drosophilidae to determine whether they were new records.Results: Thirteen species were readily collected and identified. Of these, three species (Drosophila ananassae, Drosophila nasuta and Zaprionus taronus) have not been reported previously in South Africa. One of the species (Z. taronus) was captured in a home garden, while the other two species were captured in an urban-agricultural region with a sub-tropical climate.Conclusions: From our limited serendipitous sampling, three new species records have been found in sub-tropical climates in South Africa. With more comprehensive, systematic sampling, a better understanding of the South African Drosophilidae composition, and thus the detection of alien or invasive species, can be pursued. Baseline data for understanding spatio-temporal patterns of native biodiversity, or for informing management actions in the case of alien or invasive species, are currently inadequate for this group in the region.

Highlights

Data on the current species diversity from the Drosophilidae family in South Africa is limited or outdated
South African Drosophilidae are a case in point: there is surprisingly poor current knowledge of Drosophilidae species diversity, geographic range extent of common or rare species or how dynamic population abundances are in this group (McEvey, Potts & Rogers 1988; Tsacas 1990)
The resulting trees were similar, and we only show the tree based on maximum likelihood (ML) (Figure 1)

Summary

Introduction

Data on the current species diversity from the Drosophilidae family in South Africa is limited or outdated. The most recent, scattered records show 76 species in the country documented between 1900 and 2013 in an unpublished document updated in 2016 and provided by Dr Shane McEvey (Australian Museum Research Institute), while the most recent accessible published data indicate 70 known species from South Africa (Tsacas 1990). An invasive drosophilid species, D. flavohirta (1983), has been recorded in South Africa previously, no recent information regarding this species’ abundance or its potential impacts on native biodiversity is available (Tsacas 1990)

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