Cladochaeta Coquillett, 1990(Diptera: Drosophilidae: Drosophilinae) taxonomy and morphology in Brazil

Abstract

The family Drosophilidae has 4.177 described species present in 75 gênera under two subfamilies, having worldwide distribution. They are acalyptrate brachicerans belonging to the superfamily Ephydroidea, They ar mostly from 1 to 6 mm long, and diagnostic features for the family are the presence of a couple of breaks on the costal vein, convergent post-verticals and three pairs of fronto-orbital bristles, one proclinate and two reclinate. The biology and morphology of the drosophilids are extremely variable, but there are important gaps in the knowledge of the fauna na the biology in the Neotropical region. This Project intends to study a fraction of this fauna - the genus Cladochaeta - in a family of taxonomic importance in one of the megadiverse orders of insects. There is a great knowledge about the genus Drosophila, especially about genetics, including a vast number of described species. The remaining of the family, however, has received scarce attention from taxonomists in the country. This Project intends not only to result in technical taxonomic information for the genus, but also training in systematics for a specialist at the Graduate level. The genus Cladochaeta Coquillett hás some published revision, with 124 described species for the Neotropical Region, but only two species known for Brazil. This Project includes a detailed study of the external morphology and the male and female terminalia morphology of species of the genus in Brazil, with the description of new species available in collections in hands. This will result in the development of the taxonomical knowledge of the genus in the country, but also in carachters that may be later used in a phylogenetic study of the genus in the country, but also in characters that may bel ater used in a phylogenetic study of the genus. The material to be used i this study includes specimens collected in the project "Diversidade e endemismo de Diptera (Insecta) em um fragmento de Floresta Atlântica Semidecídua, em Sertãozinho, SP." (Proc. FAPESP 2009/54.497-8), as well as specimens in the drosphilid collections of the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo (MZUSP), Departamento de zoologia da Universidade Federal do Paraná (DZUFPR), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA) e Museu Nacional /UFRJ (MNFRJ), Brazil, The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) and National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Washington, D.C. Dr David Grimaldi, one of the most important specialists in non-Drosophila drosophilids in the world, was contacted suggested this genus for the study and offered space in his lab for the visit f the applicant. (AU)