Mating success and courtship ritual in strains of Drosophila melanogaster carrying mutation flamenco

Mating success was examined in groups of Drosophila melanogaster. carrying mutation flam(MS) (SS, MSn1-2, and MSn1-3) and in wild-type flies. The prop ortion of normally copulating males was significantly lower in the mutant s trains. The reduction in mating efficiency was caused by changes in male be havior rather than in female attractiveness. Individual analyses showed tha t male mating behavior in strains carrying flam(MS) was qualitatively and q uantitatively different from that in the wild-type strain Canton S. The pro portion of males that performed consecutive courtship stages was significan tly lower in the mutant strains. The sequence and duration of some courtshi p stages (in particular, orientation and wing vibration) in mutant flies wa s shown to be altered. The significance of the flamenco locus in regulation of processes occurring at the organismal level are discussed.