title: Phenotypic plasticity and reaction norms of abdominal bristle number in Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: The phenotypic plasticity of abdominal bristle number (segments 3 and 4 in females) was investigated in 10 isofemale lines from a French population, grown at 7 constant temperatures, ranging from 12 to 31 degrees C. Overall concave reaction norms were obtained with a maximum around 20-21 degrees C. Intraclass correlation (isofemale line heritability) was not affected by temperature. Correlations between segments 3 and 4 strongly contrasted a low within-line phenotypic correlation (r=0.39+/-0.04) and a high, between-line genetic correlation (r=0.89+/-0.03). A significant decrease of the genetic correlation was observed when comparing more different temperatures. Finally, among 7 other morphometrical traits which were measured on the same set of lines, 3 provided a significant positive genetic correlation with abdominal bristles: thoracic bristles, abdomen pigmentation and thoracic pigmentation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Genetique, Populations et Evolution, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 91190 Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moreteau
authors.forename: Jean R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: David
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D010641:Phenotype; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013696:Temperature