Sophophora Sturtevant, 1939

Hochmüller, Cleverton J. C., Lopes-Da-Silva, Marcelo, Valente, Vera L. S. & Schmitz, Hermes J., 2010, The Drosophilid Fauna (Diptera, Drosophilidae) Of The Transition Between The Pampa And Atlantic Forest Biomes In The State Of Rio Grande Do Sul, Southern Brazil: First Records, Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 50 (19), pp. 285-295 : 293

Subgenus Sophophora Sturtevant

Two groups and five species of this subgenus were found. Although less diverse than the subgenus Drosophila , it comprised 53.9% of the total sample, due to the high abundance of D. simulans .

Drosophila melanogaster group – This Oriental and Afrotropical group comprises some species that reached cosmopolitan status. Two of them were found in Cruz Alta. Drosophila simulans was strikingly the most abundant species in both collection sites (67.1% in Vila Rocha and 44.8% in CEPPA). Between the exotic species, it is the best adapted to different phytogeographic regions ( Perondini et al., 1979). Despite being more common in open areas, it seems that D. simulans can easily invade a forest fragment as CEPPA. The other species of the group found was D. kikkawai , with two individuals in CEPPA.

Drosophila willistoni group – Generally the main Brazilian Neotropical group of Drosophila , it was relatively less well prominent in Cruz Alta. Drosophila willistoni was found at higher abundances in CEPPA, but reached just 1.8% of that sample. Its sibling species, D. paulistorum Dobzhansky & Pavan , was represent- ed by one single individual in Vila Rocha. Another species, D. nebulosa Sturtevant , also occurred in low numbers in CEPPA.

Undetermined Species

Twelve species, referred as D. sp.1, D. sp.2, D. sp.3, D. sp.4, D. sp.5, D. sp.6, D. sp.7, D. sp.8, D. sp.9, D. sp.10, D. sp.11 and D. sp.12 remained undetermined and not assigned to any higher taxa of Drosophila . These species may represent unknown or undescribed species.