| Title: | Substrate-borne vibratory communication during courtship in Drosophila melanogaster |
| Author(s): | Fabre CC; Hedwig B; Conduit G; Lawrence PA; Goodwin SF; Casal J; |
| Address: | "Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 2EJ, UK. c.c.g.fabre.03@cantab.net" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.cub.2012.09.042 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1879-0445 (Electronic) 0960-9822 (Print) 0960-9822 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Courtship in Drosophila melanogaster has become an iconic example of an innate and interactive series of behaviors. The female signals her acceptance of copulation by becoming immobile in response to a male's display of stereotyped actions. The male and female communicate via vision, air-borne sounds, and pheromones, but what triggers the female's immobility is undetermined. Here, we describe an overlooked and important component of Drosophila courtship. Video recordings and laser vibrometry show that the male abdomen shakes ('quivers'), generating substrate-borne vibrations at about six pulses per second. We present evidence that the female becomes receptive and stops walking because she senses these vibrations, rather than as a response to air-borne songs produced by the male fluttering the wings. We also present evidence that the neural circuits expressing the sex-determination genes fruitless and doublesex drive quivering behavior. These abdominal quivers and associated vibrations, as well as their effect on female receptivity, are conserved in other Drosophila species. Substrate-borne vibrations are an ancient form of communication that is widespread in animals. Our findings in Drosophila open a door to study the neuromuscular circuitry responsible for these signals and the sensory systems needed for their reception" |
| Keywords: | "*Animal Communication Animals Drosophila melanogaster/*physiology Female Male Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physiology Vibration;Animals;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineFabre, Caroline C G Hedwig, Berthold Conduit, Graham Lawrence, Peter A Goodwin, Stephen F Casal, Jose eng WT082987/WT_/Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom WT086986MA/WT_/Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom 096645/WT_/Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom WT085521/WT_/Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom RG54425/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2012/10/30 Curr Biol. 2012 Nov 20; 22(22):2180-5. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2012.09.042. Epub 2012 Oct 25" |
