VARIATIONS IN THE HEAT-INDUCED PROTEIN PATTERN OF SEVERAL DROSOPHILA-MONTIUM SUBGROUP SPECIES (DIPTERA, DROSOPHILIDAE)

After temperature elevation, the newly synthesized polypeptides from s everal Drosophila montium subgroup species, of the melanogaster specie s group, were analyzed in denaturing acrylamide gels, The pattern obta ined is characteristic of the heat shock response already documented f or many other Drosophila species, although the relative electrophoreti c mobility of the ''small'' heat shock proteins exhibits a species-spe cific pattern. Based on the above pattern, the montium species are pla ced in three distinct groups. The present data is consistent with that previously used to propose a northeast to southwest evolutionary mode of expansion for the montium subgroup species.