Geographic Variation in Components of Mating Success of the Housefly, Musca domestica L., in the United States

Abstract

The Kence-Bryant model of mating success was applied to multiple-choice crosses between geographic strains of the housefly, M. domestica L., from the USA. The magnitude of geographic variation in components of mating success in the housefly was comparable with that for species of Drosophila derived from the literature. Northern populations of the housefly showed greater sexual vigor and faster mating speed than southern ones and eastern and western strains showed greater isolation tendencies with the Texas tester strain than did the midwestern populations. The incipient isolation likely arose as a by-product of other genetic changes. The level of vigor and mating speed were interrelated and both were associated with body size. Mating success may be a function of body size or both traits may be related through a common underlying causal factor.