Original Article

Heredity (1996) 77, 378–382; doi:10.1038/hdy.1996.156

Polygenic control of a mating signal in Drosophila

Adrian R G Pugh1 and Michael G Ritchie1

1Biological and Medical Sciences, Bute Medical Building, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TS, UK

Correspondence: Michael G Ritchie, Biological and Medical Sciences, Bute Medical Building, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TS, U.K.

Received 9 October 1995.

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Abstract

Recent findings show that traits which influence speciation in the melanogaster subgroup of Drosophila can be determined by relatively few loci and/ or be sex-linked. Using backcrosses between D. simulans and D. mauritiana, we show that an acoustic mating signal which plays an important role in courtship (the interpulse interval of the 'lovesong') has a polygenic determination. There is no evidence of single genes of large effect, a disproportionate contribution of the sex chromosome or epistasis. The probability of finding single genes with a large effect on sexual isolation may vary with the mode of signalling involved.

Keywords:

courtship song, Drosophila, interpulse interval, speciation

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