Molecular phylogeny of the Drosophila virilis section (Diptera: Drosophilidae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear sequences

Regardless of the well-documented virilis species group, most groups of the Drosophila virilis section have not been completely studied at molecular level since it was suggested. Therefore, phylogenetic relationships among and within species groups of the virilis section are generally unknown. In present paper, the complete mitochondrial ND2 gene and fragment of COI gene in combination with a nuclear gene, Adh coding region, were used to derive the most extensive molecular phylogeny to date for the Drosophila virilis section. A total of 111 individuals covering 61 species were sampled in this study. Novel phylogenetic findings included (1) support for the paraphyly of the melanica and robusta species group and at least two subgroups of the robusta species group, the lacertosa and okadai subgroups, were distinguished as paraphyletic taxa. In addition, (2) present results revealed the sister relationship between D. moriwakii and the robusta subgroup, conflicting with current taxonomy regarding D. moriwakii, which was shifted from the robusta species group to the melanica group. (3) In contrast to the robusta and melanica species groups, monophyly of the polychaeta species group, the angor group and the virilis group was confirmed, respectively. However, the monophyletic quadrisetata species group was resolved with uncertainty. (4) Our analyses of combined data set suggested close relationship between the quadrisetata species group and the unpublished clefta group, and the okadai subgroup is sister to the clade comprising of the quadrisetata and clefta species groups. Within the virilis section, D. fluvialis and three tropical species groups, the polychaeta group, the angor group and the repleta group, are found to branch off earlier than other ingroup taxa. This suggests that the virilis section might have originated in the Old World tropics. Besides, the derived status of the close affinities of the quadrisetata group, the clefta group, and the melanica and robusta groups is probably the result of their adaptation to forests between subtropical and cool-temperate climate. Based on the consideration of the phylogenetic placement of the species of the virilis section, we suggest that at least five independent migrations occurred from the Old World to the New World.