Work

Taxonomic Revision of D. carlosvilelai Vela and Rafael, 2001, and Updated Record of D. paraguayensis Duda, 1927 Registry in Ecuador

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Drosophila carlosvilelai and D. paraguayensis are species that were collected in the Pasochoa Protected Forest between 1996 and 1997. D. carlosvilelai was described incompletely as a new species from Ecuador. Regarding D. paraguayensis, recent collections have raised doubts about the validity of its records in Ecuador. Specifically, a new species found in the province of Napo fully matches the specimens of D. paraguayensis recorded in the Pasochoa Protective Forest. However, this new species does not match the description of D. paraguayensis by Vilela and Bächli. The collected specimens, preserved in alcohol, were analyzed at the Laboratorio de Genética Evolutiva. D. carlosvilelai was re-described based on the newly collected specimens. The species previously misidentified as D. paraguayensis is described as D. paraloewi sp. nov. and compared with D. paraguayensis, D. loewi, and D. hemiloewi. This analysis revealed that the aedeagus of D. paraloewi shares the dorsal structure of triangular projection on the aedeagus with D. loewi and D. hemiloewi; this morphological similarity suggests a closer phylogenetic relationship between them, rather than D. paraguayensis.

Source: Insects

DOI: 10.3390/insects16090944

Authors: Coraima Elizabeth Suárez, Ana Peñafiel-Vinueza, Violeta Rafael, María Isabel Tamayo, Doris Vela

Institution: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador

Language: English

Topic: Diptera species taxonomy and behavior

Subfield: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137

Funder: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador