ISSN:
1573-3297
Keywords:
sympatric populations
;
Drosophila melanogaster
;
Drosophila simulans
;
olfaction
;
alcohols
;
methanol
;
ethanol
;
propanol
;
iso-propanol
;
butanol
;
hexanol
;
octanol
;
“threshold response model.”
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Psychology
Notes:
Abstract Alcohol preference by adults (1–2 days old) of sympatric populations ofDrosophila melanogaster andD. simulans were studied in a T-shaped glass maze. Concentrations for ethanol, methanol, propanol, and hexanol alcohols (group I) were 10, 25, 35, and 50%; for iso-propanol, butanol, and octanol alcohols (group II), they were 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, and 10%.D. simulans preferred the four alcohols in group I, more thanD. melanogaster. While moreD. melanogaster thanD. simulans preferred iso-propanol, moreD. simulans thanD. melanogaster preferred butanol. The two species had a similar preference for octanol. Regardless of the position of alcohol in the maze,D. melanogaster preferred to turn right in the presence of all alcohols, whileD. simulans preferred to turn right in the presence of group I alcohols only. At 10% concentration, males of both species preferred to turn right and females preferred to turn left. More females than males ofD. simulans preferred group II alcohols. There was no significant difference among concentrations for all alcohols in group I forD. melanogaster. Highly significant differences among concentrations were detected for group I alcohols forD. simulans and group II alcohols for both species.D. simulans was more dependent on ethanol concentration thanD. melanogaster. There was also an alcohol by concentration interaction forD. simulans group I andD. melanogaster group II. At the common concentration (10%) there was no difference between the two species in their preference for any alcohol, with the following ranking order in attractiveness: methanol〉ethanol〉propanol 〉hexanol〉octanol〉butanol〉iso-propanol. There was a negative correlation between some physical properties of alcohols and their attractiveness. In general, the results are consistent with the “threshold response model.”
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01065548
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