Niche separation in a pair of homosequential Drosophila species from the island of Hawaii

Author:

Kaneshiro, K.Y., Carson, H.L., Clayton, F.E., Heed, W.B.

Title:

Niche separation in a pair of homosequential Drosophila species from the island of Hawaii

Periodical:

American Naturalist

Year:

1973

Volume:

107

Pages:

766-774

Subject:

Insects

Summary:

Two closely-related species of Drosophila, (D. Heedi and D. silvarentis), are abundant and coexist in a sparsely vegetated xeric area of sympatry on the island of Hawaii where the Myoporum sandwicense seems to be the only tree that supports the existence of both species. These species are morphologically very similar, are homosequential and chromosomally monomorphic, and are cytologically distinguishable only by a minor heterochromatin difference at metaphase and a puff difference in the polytene chromosomes. The D. heedi is slightly smaller and browner in both sexes than the D. silvarentis, and has a somewhat less prominent white face. However, the arrangement of hairs on the foreleg of the males is distinctly different and serves as the easiest diagnostic character. The Drosophila species are generally polyphagous as feeding adults and this behavior often contrasts with the much greater specificity of the oviposition site. While both feed on Myoporum flux as adults, the D. silvarentis oviposits on the fluxes which wet the truck well above the ground surface while the D. heedi larvae are found exclusively in caked soil that is moistened by flux dripping from above. As a result, implications of this type of niche separation for the evolution of sibling or near-sibling species are discussed.

Label:

Insects

URL:

http://cletus.uhh.hawaii.edu:2075/stable/2459710

Collection:

Periodicals