Five new species of Drosophila tripunctata group (Diptera, Drosophilidae) in Guajalito Scientific Station

Abstract

Cloud forests are characteristic of the foothills of the Andes Mountain range and have a high diversity of flora an fauna species. This study was conducted at the Río Guajalito scientific station, located in the settlement of Las Palmeras, province of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. Specimens were collected using traps baited with yeast-fermented banana and directly from inflorescences of plants of the genera Anthurium sp. and Xanthosoma sp., with the help of an entomological aspirator. Five new species of Drosophila tripunctata group are described: Drosophila neobandeirantorum sp. nov., which would be related to D. bandeirantorum; Drosophila bitrilobada sp. nov., which would be related to D. greerae; Drosophila amarillis sp. nov., which would be related to D. triangula; Drosophila pseudoloewi sp. nov., which could be considered a sister species of D. loewi; and Drosophila camacho sp. nov., which would be associated with the flower genera analyzed.