Sexual Communication in the Drosophila Genus

Abstract

In insects, sexual behavior depends on chemical and non-chemical cues that might play an important role in sexual isolation. In this review, we present current knowledge about sexual behavior in the Drosophila genus. We describe courtship and signals involved in sexual communication, with a special focus on sex pheromones. We examine the role of cuticular hydrocarbons as sex pheromones, their implication in sexual isolation, and their evolution. Finally, we discuss the roles of male cuticular non-hydrocarbon pheromones that act after mating: cis-vaccenyl acetate, developing on its controversial role in courtship behavior and long-chain acetyldienylacetates and triacylglycerides, which act as anti-aphrodisiacs in mated females.

Keywords: Drosophila; cis-vaccenyl acetate; courtship; pheromones.

Figure 1

Sequence of sexual courtship ritual in Drosophila (adapted from [9]).

Figure 2

Courtship song of Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans males recorded for 10 s. The original figure (from [23]) has been modified for this review.

Figure 3

Phylogenetic relationship between different Drosophila species cited in the text. Red asterisks show the species that present qualitative sex cuticular hydrocarbon polymorphism.

Figure 4

Typical chromatograms of cuticular hydrocarbons from a male and female cosmopolitan D. melanogaster strain (Canton-S). The main pheromones are indicated on the chromatogram on the left and their chemical structures are shown on the right.

Figure 5

Molecular structure of cis-vaccenyl acetate.