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LIFE HISTORY VARIATION IN AN ARTIFICIALLY SELECTED POPULATION OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER : PLEIOTROPY, SUPERFLIES, AND AGE‐SPECIFIC ADAPTATION
Author(s) -
Khazaeli Aziz A.,
Curtsinger James W.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.84
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1558-5646
pISSN - 0014-3820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2010.01139.x
Subject(s) - fecundity , biology , pleiotropy , drosophila melanogaster , adaptation (eye) , drosophila (subgenus) , evolutionary biology , reproduction , zoology , population , selection (genetic algorithm) , longevity , experimental evolution , life history theory , genetics , demography , life history , phenotype , ecology , gene , neuroscience , artificial intelligence , sociology , computer science
We measured age‐specific fecundity and survival in recombinant inbred lines of Drosophila melanogaster that were derived from an artificial selection experiment for delayed reproduction. Age at peak oviposition is highly heritable ( h 2 B = 0.55). We find three qualitative categories of peak oviposition: early‐, midlife‐, and bimodal. Genetic correlations between life span and early fecundity are not significantly different from zero, but correlations with midlife fecundity are positive and statistically significant. Long‐lived genotypes exhibit a midlife fecundity peak. There is no evidence for a shift of reproductive effort from early to later stages. The existence of qualitatively recombinant phenotypes, including “superflies” that exhibit both enhanced survival and high levels of early fecundity, argues against the widespread idea that life history evolution in Drosophila is dominated by negative pleiotropy. There is clear evidence of age‐specific adaptation in the timing of oviposition.