Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Science 1 October 1982:
Vol. 218. no. 4567, pp. 68 - 70
DOI: 10.1126/science.218.4567.68
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Decay of Female Sexual Behavior Under Parthenogenesis

HAMPTON L. CARSON 1, LINDA S. CHANG 1, and TERRENCE W. LYTTLE 1

1 Department of Genetics, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu 96822

A laboratory strain of Drosophila mercatorum has existed for 20 years without males and therefore without natural selection operating to maintain the genetic basis of female mating behavior. The females of this strain have recently experienced a genetic impairment of mating capacity. This observation exemplifies the mode of evolution of vestigial characters and supports Muller's theory that random mutation will tend to destroy the genetic basis of a character from which selection has been removed.

Submitted on April 5, 1982
Revised on May 14, 1982


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
The Genetic Basis of Male Fertility in Relation to Haplodiploid Reproduction in Leptopilina clavipes (Hymenoptera: Figitidae).
B. A. Pannebakker, L. W. Beukeboom, J. J. M. van Alphen, P. M. Brakefield, and B. J. Zwaan (2004)
Genetics 168, 341-349
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Evolution of mechanisms controlling mating behavior.
D Crews and M. Moore (1986)
Science 231, 121-125
   Abstract »    PDF »
Behavioral facilitation of reproduction in sexual and parthenogenetic Drosophila.
D Crews, L. Teramoto, and H. Carson (1985)
Science 227, 77-78
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)