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Genetic manipulation of the circadian clock's timing of sexual behaviour in the Queensland fruit flies, Dacus tryoni and Dacus neohumeralis
Author(s) -
SMITH PETER H.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
physiological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1365-3032
pISSN - 0307-6962
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3032.1979.tb00179.x
Subject(s) - dacus , biology , mating , light intensity , circadian rhythm , circadian clock , zoology , genetics , botany , tephritidae , endocrinology , pest analysis , physics , optics
ABSTRACT. Mating in Dacus tryoni is restricted to dusk, whereas that of a sibling species, Dacus neohumeralis , occurs in the middle of the day. The timing of sexual behaviour in both species is determined by an interaction between a circadian clock and light intensity. In D. tryoni peak mating responsiveness is at the time of dusk, and the optimal light intensity for mating is approximately 91x. In D.neohumeralis peak responsiveness is in the middle of the day, and the optimal light intensity for mating is greater than 10 000 lx. The two species were crossed and the time of mating and response to light intensity of F 1 , F 2 and backcross progeny determined. The circadian clock set a mating phase (‘gate’) as narrow in F 1 flies as in their parents, suggesting the circadian timing mechanism to be common between the two species. The results indicate that the genetic mechanism controlling timing is independent of that controlling response to light intensity, and that both genetic mechanisms are complex.