Data from: 2-D sex images elicit mate copying in fruit flies

Although the environment is three-dimensional (3-D), humans are able to
extract subtle information from two-dimensional (2-D) images, particularly
in the domain of sex. However, whether animals with simpler nervous
systems are capable of such information extraction remains to be
demonstrated, as this ability would suggest a functional generalisation
capacity. Here, we performed mate-copying experiments
in Drosophila melanogaster using 2-D artificial stimuli.
Mate copying occurs when naïve females observe the mating success of
potential mates and use that social information to build their own mating
preference. By replacing live demonstrations with (i) photos or (ii)
simplified images of copulating pairs, we found that even crudely
simplified images of sexual intercourse still elicit mate copying,
suggesting that Drosophila is able to extract
sex-related information even from a degraded image. This new
method constitutes a powerful tool to further investigate mate
copying in that species and sexual preferences in general.