Diversity and distribution pattern of drosophilids (diptera, drosophilidae) along an altitudinal transect in uttarakhand and its implication in cytogenetics & molecular systematics study

Extensive surveys were carried for past two years to assess drosophilid diversity under varied ecological habitats of the state. A final database comprised of 94 species representing 16 genera, species diversity and distribution pattern along altitudinal gradient and different forest zones were assessed. Most species were specialists occupying particular type of habitat; few were cosmopolitan inhabiting highly varied ecological habitats at different altitudes with highly varied temperature regimes and other climatic conditions. Some of these were successfully cultured for pure line and analysed for cytogenetic variations in nucleolus organizer region-nor and nucleolar chromatin threads-ncts. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit II gene (mtcoII) was also amplified for some of the species.