Quantitative genetic study on sexual difference in emigration behavior of Drosophila melanogaster in a natural population.

A quantitative genetic analysis was conducted on emigration response behavior using 140 second chromosome lines of Drosophila melanogaster. Fourteen sets of 5 x 5 partial diallel cross experiments were made in the parental generation. The emigration activity per batch of 50 male and 50 female F1 progeny was scored with Sakai's population system. Sexual difference did not appear in the emigration activity in these experiments. A significant genotype x sex x set interaction was detected. The genetic variance components of emigration activity differed between sexes: In males, additive genetic variance of emigration activity was 0.0497 +/- 0.0092 and dominance variance, 0.0018 +/- 0.0046; in females, additive, 0.0373 +/- 0.0076 and dominance, 0.0169 +/- 0.0044. Additive genetic correlation between sexes for the emigration activity was 0.685 +/- 0.150, deviating significantly from unity. These results suggested that the genes affecting emigration activity would operate differently between sexes of D. melanogaster in natural populations.