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Related Concept Videos

Mate Choice01:20

Mate Choice

8.3K
Mate choice—the decision about whom to mate with—is a type of natural selection, since animals must reproduce to pass down their genes. Mate choice is also called intersexual selection because the behavior occurs between the sexes.
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Position-effect Variegation02:32

Position-effect Variegation

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In 1928, a German botanist Emil Heitz observed the moss nuclei with a DNA binding dye. He observed that while some chromatin regions decondense and spread out in the interphase nucleus, others do not. He termed them euchromatin and heterochromatin, respectively. He proposed that the heterochromatin regions reflect a functionally inactive state of the genome. It was later confirmed that heterochromatin is transcriptionally repressed, and euchromatin is transcriptionally active chromatin.
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Background and Environment Affect Phenotype02:27

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype

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Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
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The Ratio of X Chromosome to Autosomes02:45

The Ratio of X Chromosome to Autosomes

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In most organisms, sex is determined by the ratio of X and Y chromosomes. However, in some organisms, such as Drosophila and C.elegans, sex is determined by the ratio of the number of X chromosomes to the number of sets of autosomes. The Y chromosome in Drosophila is active but does not determine sex. It contains genes responsible for the production of sperms in adult flies.  
Normal male Drosophila has a ratio of one X chromosome to two sets of autosomes. In contrast, normal female...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 6, 2026

Assessing Differences in Sperm Competitive Ability in Drosophila
09:34

Assessing Differences in Sperm Competitive Ability in Drosophila

Published on: August 22, 2013

14.2K

Pigmentation and mate choice in Drosophila.

Anna Llopart1, Susannah Elwyn, Jerry A Coyne

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.

Nature
|September 28, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Sexual selection may not drive fruit fly abdominal pigmentation differences. The observed mate discrimination in Drosophila could stem from experimental strain variations, not natural mate choice behaviors.

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genetics
  • Animal behavior

Background:

  • Drosophila fruit flies exhibit varied abdominal pigmentation, with some species showing sexual dimorphism and others sexual monomorphism.
  • The bric-à-brac (bab) gene is known to repress male-specific pigmentation in female Drosophila melanogaster.
  • A previous study suggested sexual selection altered bab gene regulation, leading to sexual dichromatism in Drosophila.

Discussion:

  • The authors challenge the hypothesis that sexual selection drives Drosophila sexual dichromatism.
  • They propose that observed mate discrimination by males might be an artifact of experimental design.
  • This suggests the role of bab gene regulation in sexual selection may be overstated.

Key Insights:

  • Mate discrimination observed in Drosophila melanogaster may not reflect natural mate choice.

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Quantifying Abdominal Pigmentation in Drosophila melanogaster
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Quantifying Abdominal Pigmentation in Drosophila melanogaster
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  • Strain-specific differences in experimental setups could explain previously reported correlations.
  • The influence of sexual selection on bab gene regulation in Drosophila pigmentation needs re-evaluation.

    • Outlook:

    • Further research is needed to clarify the precise mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphism in Drosophila pigmentation.
    • Investigating mate choice in natural populations is crucial to validate laboratory findings.
    • Understanding the genetic basis of sexual dichromatism can provide insights into evolutionary processes.