Zaprionus indianus. After almost two months, the invasive species were removed and the
Drosophila were monitored for another two months, according to the study.
In four months, the
Drosophila flies rapidly adapted new traits in approximately nine generations, according to the study.
After nine generations, the flies were larger, laid fewer eggs and developed faster than flies that were not exposed to the invasive species, said Tess Grainger, lead author and postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia.
“It’s another demonstration that evolution can happen within just a few generations, kind of substantial evolution, Grainger said. “That gives more evidence in favor of this idea that species could potentially rapidly adapt to changing climates.”