Involvement of cuticular hydrocarbons in the mating success of Drosophila melanogaster females.
The role of Drosophila melanogaster female pheromones in mating success was investigated in parallel with female receptivity. Lines selected for high and low female receptivity showed no changes in the patterns of cuticular hydrocarbons despite the occurrence of large variation for these aphrodisiac compounds in the base population. Female mating success was clearly related to receptivity level but not to pheromone-mediated attractiveness. The role of female pheromones in sexual selection is questioned.
Casares
Pelayo
P
Area de Genetica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, 33011, Spain. pcg@uniovi.es
D000818:Animals; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D010675:Pheromones / Q000502:physiology; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*
D006838:Hydrocarbons; D019476:Insect Proteins; D010675:Pheromones; C047663:cuticle proteins, insects