Is there ethological isolation among Drosophila melanogaster strains reared for more than 35 generations on different food?

Abstract

Ethological isolation among three strains of D. melanogaster reared for more than 35 generations on different food (standard cornmeal-agar-yeast medium, banana, and tomato) was tested in a series of multiple choice tests. Long-term maintenance on different substrates did not contribute to sexual isolation among three 'nutritional strains', as degrees of ethological isolation (Malogolowkin-Cohen's isolation indices) were not statistically significant. Males and females reared on different nutritional resources were equally successful in matings, i.e., significant differences in the number of copulations achieved by males and females from various lines were not observed.

Keywords

• Drosophila melanogaster
• nutrition
• ethological isolation
• mating success
• homogamic matings
• heterogamic matings
• multiple choice