DIFFERENCES IN MALE COURTSHIP SONG AMONG THE SPECIES OF THE QUINARIA GROUP OF DROSOPHILA

Courtship song is known to vary among several groups of closely relate d species of Drosophila. The present study investigates differences in song among four members of the quinaria group of fungal-breeding Dros ophila which are known to coexist in Britain and the near-continent. R esults show that the species can be distinguished by several song para meters including interpulse interval. D. phalerata is very different f rom the other three species, while there is considerable overlap betwe en D. kuntzei and D. limbata in several characters. D. transversa appe ars to be more similar to the latter species than it is to D. phalerat a. The question of mate choice and the potential for reproductive char acter displacement are discussed.