Selection for high and low pupation height in Drosophila ananassae.

Selection for high and low pupation height in Drosophila ananassae was carried out for 10 generations. Response to selection resulted in rapid divergence in pupation height in replicates of both high and low lines. There was a significant difference in mean pupation height among high, low, and control lines. Regression coefficients for both high and low lines were significantly different from zero. The realized heritability over 10 generations was 45-49 for the high lines and 26-29 for the low lines. The F1 hybrids produced by making reciprocal crosses between high and low lines showed intermediate pupation height. These findings suggest that pupation height in D. ananassae is under polygenic control, with a substantial amount of additive genetic variation.