Chromosomal analysis of initial retention capacity in virgin Drosophila melanogaster females.

In natural temperate populations, virgin Drosophila melanogaster females present highly variable periods of preoviposition duration (from 2 to 25 days). Strains were selected for long and short initial retention capacity. Chromosome substitution between two of these lines produced, by appropriate mating procedures, every possible homozygous chromosomal combinations of the X, II and III chromosomes. Analyses of these lines demonstrate that both X and III chromosomes are involved in this egg-laying control, and have complementary effects.