Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Assessing Differences in Sperm Competitive Ability in Drosophila
Published on: August 22, 2013
Similar mating and sperm displacement patterns in two highly divergent D. simulans populations from Africa and Europe
Christian Schlötterer1, Martina Reiss, Angelika Schneider
1Institut für Tierzucht und Genetik, Josef Baumann Gasse 1, 1210 Wien, Austria. christian.schloetterer@vu-wein.ac.at
Abstract:
The frequency of remating in Drosophila melanogaster is affected by both genetic and ecological factors. We studied the remating behaviour in one European (Italy) and one African (Uganda) Drosophila simulans population using six highly polymorphic microsatellite markers. Despite that the populations were genetically distinct (F(ST) = 0.18) and originated from very dissimilar ecological settings with different population densities, we inferred a very similar mating pattern. The remating parameter alpha was similar in both populations (a = 1.3-1.4). No more than two distinct paternal genotypes per family were detected in each population.
Related Concept Videos
Understanding Species and Reproductive Barriers
Hybrid Zones
Mate Choice
Gene Flow
Frequency-dependent Selection
Formation of Species

