Genetics of Hermaphroditism in Drosophila virilis

Abstract

The 3rd chromosome recessive gene, called intersex (ix), was found to cause reversion of homozygous [female][female] into [male][male], which are sterile. The incomplete reversion brought about by modifying factors results in production of hermaphrodites. It is assumed that these modifiers determine the time of activity of the ix gene and thus determine the degree of hermaphroditism.