ANALYSIS OF MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA IN 2 SPECIES OF THE BIPECTINATA SPECIESCOMPLEX OF DROSOPHILA

Drosophila bipectinata and D. malerkotliana are members of the bipecti nata species complex of the ananassae subgroup in the melanogaster spe cies group of Drosophila. The mtDNA from 18 isofemale strains of these species was analyzed, using 13 restriction endonucleases. Altogether, eight mtDNA haplotypes were detected, of which the haplotype 1B was s hared by the two species. Restriction cleavage map of mtDNA of these s pecies was constructed. The net nucleotide substitutions per site calc ulated between these species was found to be 0.0002. This value appear ed to be relatively much lower than expected at the interspecific leve l, even lower than that reported between two subspecies of Drosophila despite both being good species. This extreme closeness of their mtDNA s is discussed in the light of recent findings.