Asymmetric response to directional selection for licking behavior of Drosophila melanogaster males.
Selection for high and low licking rate was carried out on courting males of a cage-population of Drosophila melanogaster for 21 generations. The males were tested against a standard female tester genotype in every generation. The low-scoring line responded linearly to selection, reaching a plateau after eight generations. The attempt to raise the licking rate above the level of the base population was not effective. The realized heritability of the L and H line over the first seven generations was 41.0 and 0.4%, respectively. From the fourth generation onward, the two lines differed significantly. Reciprocal crossing between the two lines indicated the absence of X-chromosome and maternal effects. There was no significant dominance. The selection for licking in males had no discernible effect on female sexual activity. H-line males mated significantly faster with standard females than L-line males.
Welbergen
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Biometrics and Population Genetics, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Federal Republic of Germany.
van Dijken
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D000818:Animals; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D008297:Male; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D014960:X Chromosome