THE DROSOPHILIDAE ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL AFRICAN FIGS

In the tropical African region the entire drosophilid genus Lissoceplzala and Drosophila $mu species group have evolved a close association with endemic figs (Ficus spp., Moraceae). We previously described the biology of a few of these figdependent drosophilids (Lachaise, 1977). We report here on a further investigation in evergreen rainforests, mainly in western Africa, that has yielded information bearing on 19 fig species harboring 35 figbreeding drosophilids. The information shows that these fig-dependent drosophilids represent a major evolutionary pathway of the tropical African drosophilid