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Data from: Limited population structure but signals of recent selection in introduced African Fig Fly (Zaprionus indianus) in North America

Erickson, Priscilla1; Stellwagen, Alexandra1; Bangerter, Alyssa2; Gunter, Ansleigh1; Polizos, Nikolaos3; Bergland, Alan2

Research facility: University of Richmond
Published Aug 14, 2025; Updated Feb 13, 2026 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.q2bvq83v3

Data files

Aug 14, 2025 version files 5.55 GB
Feb 13, 2026 version files 8.38 GB

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Abstract

Invasive species have devastating consequences for human health, food security, and the environment. Many invasive species adapt to new ecological niches following invasion, but little is known about the early steps of adaptation. Here, we examine the population genomics of a recently introduced drosophilid in North America, the African Fig Fly, Zaprionus indianus. This species is likely intolerant of subfreezing temperatures and recolonizes temperate environments yearly. We generated a new chromosome-level genome assembly for Z. indianus. Using resequencing of over 200 North American individuals collected over four years in temperate Virginia, plus a single collection from subtropical Florida, we tested for signatures of population structure and adaptation within invasive populations. We show that founding populations are sometimes small and contain close genetic relatives, yet temporal population structure and differentiation of populations are mostly absent across North America. However, we identify two haplotypes that are differentiated between African and invasive populations and show signatures of selective sweeps. Both haplotypes contain genes in the cytochrome P450 pathway, indicating these sweeps may be related to pesticide resistance. X chromosome evolution in invasive populations is strikingly different from the autosomes, and a haplotype on the X chromosome that is differentiated between Virginia and Florida populations is a candidate for temperate adaptation. These results show that despite limited population structure, populations may rapidly evolve genetic differences early in an invasion. Further uncovering how these genomic regions influence invasive potential and success in new environments will advance our understanding of how organisms evolve in changing environments.