Selection for Canalization of the Scute Phenotype. II

This experiment was designed to show whether selection for progeny groups with low phenotypic variance could breed a population in which a variable character was converted into one with a very constant phenotype. The original population chosen was a homozygous scute stock of Drosophila melanogaster....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American naturalist 1966-01, Vol.100 (910), p.13-31
Main Authors: Rendel, J. M., Sheldon, B. L., Finlay, D. E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alleles
Chromosomes
Drosophila
Evolution
Genotypes
Inbreeding
Low temperature
Phenotypes
Sex chromosomes
X chromosome
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Summary:This experiment was designed to show whether selection for progeny groups with low phenotypic variance could breed a population in which a variable character was converted into one with a very constant phenotype. The original population chosen was a homozygous scute stock of Drosophila melanogaster. Before selection the mean scutellar bristle number was approximately 2 in females and 1 in males with a standard deviation of 1 bristle. Fifty generations of selection for progeny groups with low variance of scutellar bristle number and a mean of 2 bristles resulted in a population approximately 95% of which had 2 bristles. Selection for progeny groups of low variance and selection for a mean of 2 bristles both contributed. Both forms of selection pressure reduced sensitivity of scutellar bristle number to temperature change. The distinction between the two selection pressures is discussed. If the phenotype, x, is related to the sum, m, of all influences working on a developmental process so that x = f(m), then selection for progeny groups with a low variance operates mostly through f and selection for a mean of 2 bristles mostly through the standard deviation of m. f and m are under multigenic control which responds to selection.
ISSN:0003-0147
1537-5323
DOI:10.1086/282397