Morphometric analysis of wild-caught flies of Drosophila (Diptera: Drosophilidae) species: Altitudinal pattern of body size traits, wing morphology and sexual dimorphism

Year 2017, Volume: 41 Issue: 4, 367 - 382, 23.12.2017

Rajendra Singh Fartyal , Manisha Sarswat Saurabh Dewan Prachi Fartyal

https://doi.org/10.16970/entoted.331102

Cited By: 4

Abstract

Literature
concerning phenotypic variation among wild-caught drosophilids inhabiting
varied ecological habitats is relatively rare. The present study explores
pattern of body size traits along altitudinal gradients, and compensation to
colder environments and reduced air pressure via adjustment of wing morphology
at higher altitudes. Wild adult flies were collected in two extensive surveys
during September-October 2014 and April-May 2015. All traits were measured for
both the sexes to obtain data on sexual dimorphism. It was found that though
these populations differed significantly in their size, as already known, they
deviated from the expected reaction norms of size increase along altitudinal
gradients as observed in several previous studies. This deviation from normal
clinal trend can be attributed to variation in growth rates and development
times at different altitudes which has important implications in overall
reproductive success. Also, a significant increase in wing area of flies at
higher altitude was recorded with dramatically lower wing loadings than flies
that developed in comparatively warmer habitats, giving them an aerodynamic
advantage at cold temperatures. Thorax width was also analyzed, possibly for
the first time in wild-caught flies of Indian populations, revealing sexual
dimorphism. The ratio of thorax length to width was greater than one for all
species indicating that the thorax is more elongated in females, which may also
influence the flight capacity of the sexes.

Keywords

Bergmann rule, Diptera, Drosophilidae, morphometric traits, plasticity

Doğadan yakalanan Drosophila (Diptera: Drosophilidae) türlerinin morfometrik analizi: Vücut büyüklüğü özelliklerinin yüksekliğe bağlı değişimi, kanat morfolojisi ve eşeysel dimorfizmi

Abstract

Çeşitli ekolojik habitatlarda
yaşayan doğadan toplanmış Drosophila türleri arasındaki fenotipik çeşitlilik
ile ilgili literatür sayısı nispeten azdır. Bu çalışmada vücut boyutu
özelliklerinin yükseklik eğrileri boyunca olan uyumu ve daha yüksek yerlerde
kanat morfolojisinin değişimiyle daha soğuk ortamlara ve daha düşük hava
basıncına uyum sağlanması incelenmiştir. Doğadan ergin sinekler, Eylül-Ekim
2014 ve Nisan-Mayıs 2015 tarihlerinde iki kapsamlı sürvey ile toplanmıştır. Eşeysel
dimorfizmi hakkında bilgi edinmek için her iki cinste de tüm özellikler
ölçülmüştür. Bilindiği gibi, bu popülasyonların boyutlarında önemli
farklılıklar olmasına rağmen, daha önceki birçok çalışmada gözlemlendiği gibi, yükseklik
eğrileri boyunca boyut artışının beklenen reaksiyon normlarından sapmış
oldukları bulunmuştur. Normal klinal eğimindeki bu sapma, genel üreme
başarısında önemli etkileri olan farklı yüksekliklerde büyüme hızlarındaki ve
gelişim zamanlarındaki farklılıklara bağlanabilir. Ayrıca, yüksek irtifadaki
sineklerin kanat alanlarındaki önemli bir artış, karşılaştırmalı olarak daha
sıcak habitatlarda gelişen sineklerden dramatik olarak çok daha düşük kanat
yükleri ile rekor kırmış olmaları sayesinde onlara soğuk hava koşullarında
aerodinamik bir avantaj sağlamıştır. Bu arada, muhtemelen Hint
popülasyonlarının doğadan yakalanmış sineklerinde ilk kez, Thoraks genişliği, cinsel
dimorfizmi açığa çıkararak analiz edilmiştir. Thoraks uzunluğunun genişliğe
oranı tüm türler için birden fazla olup; bu da eşeylerin uçuş kapasitesini
etkileyebilen thoraksın dişilerde daha uzun olduğunu göstermektedir.

Keywords

Bergmann kuralı, Diptera, Drosophilidae, morfometrik özellikler, plastisite

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