First Records of the Invading Species Drosophila Nasuta (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in the Amazon

Invading species pose a growing threat to biodiversity, ecosystemic systems, regional economies, and public health. In recent decades, South America has received five exotic drosophilids species, some of which have invaded natural ecosystems and caused harm to agriculture. The most recent case is the Asian fly Drosophila nasuta Lamb. In the present study, we record D. nasuta in the Amazon, which is the largest and most biodiverse tropical rainforest in the world. Sampling of drosophilids was carried out between 2012 and 2017 in the Brazilian state of Para. Drosophila nasuta was first detected on 1(st) July 2017, with 145 individuals of this species sampled among the 11,496 drosophilids caught. Although at low abundance, D. nasuta was recorded in forest fragments, anthropized fields, and urban environment. The records of the species occurred in the six municipalities of the state of Para investigated at locations separated by approximately 700 km. In less than 10 years, D. nasuta has occupied approximately 2.5 million km(2) in South America. The present findings assist in understanding the susceptibility of tropical forests to biological invasions.

Automated summary

Invading species, such as the Asian fly Drosophila nasuta, pose a growing threat to biodiversity and economies in South America. This study reports the invasion of D. nasuta in the Amazon, the world's largest and most biodiverse tropical rainforest. The findings highlight the vulnerability of tropical forests to biological invasions.