THE GENETIC BASIS OF INTERSPECIFIC FEMALE PREFERENCE IN DROSOPHILA SIMULANS

Behavioral differences between species have a genetic basis and contribute to species isolation. Genomic regions have been identified that influence female rejection of heterospecific males on the right arm of the third chromosome in Drosophila, however, no individual loci have been identified. Here, I used deficiency mapping to locate regions that influence the rejection of D. melanogaster males by D. simulans females. First, I tested two genes that have been previously shown to affect female within-species mate choice: neither of these genes was found to contribute to between-species female preference. Next, 1identified five small significant regions that contain candidate genes contributing to behavioral isolation, which were all located in areas of low interspecific recombination. Furthermore, I identified the first candidate gene for behavioural isolation in Drosophila. I also provided a list of candidate gene. Identification of genes that influence behavioural isolation will provide understanding of the genetic influence on biodiversity