Data from: Behavioral elements and sensory cues involved in sexual isolation between Drosophila melanogaster strains

Sensory cues exchanged during courtship are crucial for mate choice: if they show intraspecific divergence this may cause or reinforce sexual isolation between strains, ultimately leading to speciation. There is a strong asymmetric sexual isolation between Drosophila melanogaster females from Zimbabwe (Z) and males from all other populations (M). While M and Z flies of both sexes show different cuticular pheromones, this variation is only partly responsible for the intraspecific isolation effect. Male acoustic signals are also partly involved in sexual isolation. We examined strain-specific courtship behaviour sequences to determine which body parts and sensory appendages may be involved in sexual isolation. Using two strains representative of the Z- and M-types, we manipulated sensory cues and the social context; we then measured the consequence of these manipulations on courtship and copulation. Our data suggest that Z females mated best with males whose sensory characteristics matched those of Z males in both quantity and quality. M females were less choosy and much less influenced by the sensory and social contexts. Differences in emission and reception of sensory signals seen between Z and M flies may lead to the concerted evolution of multiple sensory channel, thereby shaping a population-specific mate recognition system.

求偶过程中交换的感觉线索（sensory cues）对于配偶选择至关重要：若此类线索发生种内分化，可能引发或强化不同品系间的性隔离（sexual isolation），最终推动物种形成（speciation）。黑腹果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster）中，来自津巴布韦的雌性品系（Z）与其他所有种群的雄性品系（M）之间存在强烈的不对称性隔离。尽管两性的M和Z品系果蝇表皮信息素（cuticular pheromones）存在差异，但该变异仅能部分解释种内性隔离效应，雄性声学信号（acoustic signals）同样参与了性隔离的形成。本研究通过考察品系特异性的求偶行为序列，以明确哪些躯体部位与感觉附肢（sensory appendages）可能参与了性隔离过程。我们采用代表Z型与M型的两个品系，对感觉线索与社会情境（social context）进行操控，并量化这些操控对求偶与交配（copulation）行为的影响。数据结果显示，Z雌性果蝇更偏好与感觉特征在数量与质量上均契合Z雄性的雄性个体交配。M雌性果蝇的择偶倾向性更弱，且受感觉线索与社会情境的影响程度更低。Z与M品系果蝇在感觉信号的产生与接收上存在差异，这可能推动多感觉通道的协同进化（concerted evolution），进而形成种群特异性的配偶识别系统（mate recognition system）。