Courtship and Sensory Preferences in Inbred Lines of Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Inbred and outbred strains of D. melanogaster were studied for courtship behavior. Inbred D. melanogaster males showed significant preference towards its own female when placed in a small clean vial with two females (one from its own inbred strain and one from an outbred Oregon strain of the same species). However, the outbred males of D. melanogaster Oregon, were indiscriminate in their choice. Therefore, sensorial preferences when analyzed were found to be present only in the inbred strains of D. melanogaster. The authors discussed the evolutionary significance of intra-species courtship preferences.