Chemical Inhibition of Pheromones Affecting Oviposition and Egg Development Drosophilas

Drosophila is widely used as model organism to humans because of genetic similarities, especially in disease genes. Studies have concluded that humans do not detect pheromones, because they have color vision, therefore genes with no color vision detect pheromones. Pheromones are a combination of chemicals emitted to attract members of the same species. Purpose: The study aim is determining behavioral stimuli (food colors) effects (reproduction) on D.dunni dunni(DDD)and D.melanogaster(DM). It consists of three groups; D.dunni dunni without the presence of the male (females/males 2:1), D.dunni dunni with the presence of the male (females/males 8:5), and D.melanogaster with the presence of the male during oviposition (females/males 6:5). Methods: In the first group DDD copulated for one week, afterwards the females were placed in a habitat, this allowed the flies to choose oviposition site by environmental influences (chamber with 4 vials, control, blue, yellow, and red substrates). The eggs were counted, later sex ratio was determined. In the second and third group, Drosophila females/males were directly placed in the habitat; egg development was not observed. Results: DDD needs the presence of the male for oviposition stimuli. DDD eggs and sex ratio were not affected by environmental influences. With the male DDD present, female Drosophila oviposited significantly more in blue substrate(p=.014). DM oviposited so much in all substrates, that counting the eggs was imposible. A possible interaction of chemicals (pheromones) and visual stimuli(food colors), improved reproductive performance, oviposition. DDD did not prefer to lay eggs in the area where they had been developed in relation to color. It is probable that genes are associated to the morphology and physiology; this study found that genes are probably responsible for reproductive behavior in DDD and DM. Conclusion: Probably DDD genes are associated to color vision when exposed to pheromone interaction with environmental influences (food colors).