title: A homeotic mutation influences the wing vibration patterns during mating in males of the silkworm moth Bombyx mori.
abstract: An abnormality in the wing vibration pattern in males of the E(Nc) homeotic mutant of Bombyx mori was investigated. The wild-type (+/+) males show a switching of the rhythmic wing vibrations from a sequential pattern to an intermittent pattern during mating, whereas the E(Nc) mutants show a sequential pattern both before and during mating. Wing motions in +/+ males became small during mating, but those in +/E(Nc) males did not. Ablation of the head ganglia of +/+ and +/E(Nc) males during mating caused no change in the motor patterns of wing vibrations. Ablation or cooling of the posterior abdomen in the +/+ males during mating caused sequential wing vibrations, suggesting that the change in wing vibrations is induced by signals from the posterior abdomen. The pterothoracic ganglion in the +/E(Nc) males is separated into two ganglia, in contrast to the complete ganglionic fusion in the +/+ males. The neurons in the pterothoracic ganglion stained from abdominal nerve cords are homologus in +/+ and +/E(Nc) males, but many of these in +/E(Nc) males are elongated along the anteroposterior axis. These results suggest that the wing vibration pattern is restricted by genetic factors through reconstruction of the thoracic nervous system during metamorphosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Bioinformation Science, Kanazawa Institute of Technology, Hakusan, Ishikawa, Japan. sasaki@his.kanazawa-it.ac.jp
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Takehisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Yutarou
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asaoka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000502:physiology*