Effects of Larval Biotic Residues on Viability in Four Species of Drosophila

In experiments with larvae of the species Drosophila pavani, D. melanogaster, D. simulans and D. willistoni, raised in culture media that had previously been used for the growth of larvae of the same or a different species ('conditioned' medium), it was observed that three species of the s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Evolution 1975-12, Vol.29 (4), p.777-780
Main Authors: Budnik, Myriam, Brncic, Danko
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological competition
Drosophila
Ecological genetics
Eggs
Endemic species
Insect larvae
Larval development
Metabolic wastes
Notes and Comments
Species
Viability
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Summary:In experiments with larvae of the species Drosophila pavani, D. melanogaster, D. simulans and D. willistoni, raised in culture media that had previously been used for the growth of larvae of the same or a different species ('conditioned' medium), it was observed that three species of the subgenus Sophophora, D. melanogaster, D. simulans and D. willistoni do not decrease their viability when in the presence of their own metabolic waste products, but these same species are affected by the wastes of D. pavani. On the other hand, D. pavani larvae are strongly inhibited by their own metabolic residues as well as by those of D. melanogaster. These results may help to explain why D. pavani can coexist in nature with some of the species mentioned, such as D. simulans, but not with others. They also suggest a regulatory mechanism for the relative abundance of the species based on the accumulation of biotic waste products.
ISSN:0014-3820
1558-5646
DOI:10.1111/j.1558-5646.1975.tb00872.x