Variation in Male Mate Choice in Drosophila melanogaster

摘要: Male mate choice has been reported in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, even though males of this species were previously thought to maximise their fitness by mating with all available females. To understand evolution male it is important variation preferences. Two studies, using different stock populations and methods, have contrasting patterns D. melanogaster. possible explanations are that there evolved differences each population or methods used measure could biased results. We investigated these hypotheses here repeating one study which variable was found, from other not variable. The results showed a significant resource-independent preference for less fecund, smaller females, contrasts previous observations choice. This indicates selection pressures between resulted expression It also reveals phenotypic plasticity response cues encountered environment. highlight importance choice, identifying mechanisms order under varying ecological conditions.