Delayed male maturity is a cost of producing large sperm in Drosophila.

AUTOR(ES)

Pitnick, S

RESUMO

Among fruit-fly species of the genus Drosophila there is remarkable variation in sperm length, with some species producing gigantic sperm (e.g., > 10 times total male body length). These flies are also unusual in that males of some species exhibit a prolonged adult nonreproductive phase. We document sperm length, body size, and sex-specific ages of reproductive maturity for 42 species of Drosophila and, after controlling for phylogeny, test hypotheses to explain the variation in rates of sexual maturation. Results suggest that delayed male maturity is a cost of producing long sperm. A possible physiological mechanism to explain the observed relationship is discussed.

Documentos Relacionados

• Large-male advantages associated with costs of sperm production in Drosophila hydei, a species with giant sperm.
• Wolbachia-mediated sperm modification is dependent on the host genotype in Drosophila.
• Misexpression of the white (w) gene triggers male-male courtship in Drosophila.
• Incomplete Y chromosomes promote magnification in male and female Drosophila.
• Mitochondrial large ribosomal RNA: an abundant polyadenylated sequence in Drosophila.