Sex-specific selection on time to remate in Drosophila melanogaster

Female Drosophila melanogaster were artificially selected for fast and slow time to remate (denoted 'high' and 'low' selection regimes, respectively). Both selection regimes and a control were replicated three times. Correlated responses to selection in females and in males were measured. A significant direct response to selection for time to remating was found in females from both selection regimes. Remating frequency of females showed a correlated response only in the females from the lines selected for faster time to remating. Time to first mating of virgin females showed no correlated response in either selection regime. No correlated response was found in males for time to remate, remating frequency or time to first mating of virgins, indicating that genetic correlations between the sexes do not influence the evolution of these traits in this population of D. melanogaster. There was no direct response to artificial selection for the ability of first males to deter females from remating. However, we found that the genotype of the first male to mate with a female could influence her time to remate; base stock males were better at deterring females from remating than were males from any of the selection lines. Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.