Male eyespan size is associated with meiotic drive in wild stalk-eyed flies (Teleopsis dalmanni)

This study provides the first direct evidence from wild populations of stalk-eyed flies to support the hypothesis that male eyespan is a signal of meiotic drive. Several stalk-eyed fly species are known to exhibit X-linked meiotic drive. A recent QTL analysis in Teleopsis dalmanni, found a potential link between variation in male eyespan, a sexually selected ornamental trait, and the presence of meiotic drive. This was based on laboratory populations subject to artificial selection for male eyespan. In this study we examined the association between microsatellite markers and levels of sex ratio bias (meiotic drive) in 12 wild T. dalmanni populations. We collected two data sets: a) brood sex ratios of wild-caught males mated to standard laboratory females, and b) variation in a range of phenotypic traits associated with reproductive success of wild- caught males and females. In each case, we typed individuals for 8 X-linked microsatellite markers, including several that previously were s...