The Cayman crab fly revisited--phylogeny and biology of Drosophila endobranchia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The majority of all known drosophilid flies feed on microbes. The wide spread of microorganisms consequently mean that drosophilids also can be found on a broad range of substrates. One of the more peculiar types of habitat is shown by three species of flies that have colonized land crabs. In spite of their intriguing lifestyle, the crab flies have remained poorly studied. Perhaps the least investigated of the three crab flies is the Cayman Island endemic Drosophila endobranchia. Apart from its life cycle very little is known about this species, including its phylogenetic position, which has remained unresolved due to a cryptic set of characteristics.

Principal findings

Based on molecular data, corroborated by a re-analysis of the morphological make up, we have re

SUBMITTER: Stensmyr MC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2275792 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature