Female remating in Drosophila ananassae: Evidence for the effect of density on female remating frequency

Drosophila ananassae, a cosmopolitan and domestic species, is largely circu mtropical in distribution and belongs to the ananassae species complex of t he ananassae subgroup of the melanogaster species group. In the present stu dy, experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of density on fema le remating frequency by employing different wild-type and mutant strains o f D. ananassae. Two experimental designs, i.e., 2-h daily observation and c ontinuous confinement, were used. The results show that there is significan t dependence of remating frequency on density in all strains tested tinder both experimental designs except in a wild-type strain (Bhutan), which show s no dependence of remating frequency on density under 2-h daily observatio n design. This finding provides evidence that density may increase the freq uency of female remating in D. ananassae.