Interspecific variation in the response of Drosophila to chemicals and fruit odours in a wind tunnel.

Abstract

To Drosophila melanogaster, D. simulans, D. immigrans and D. lativittata, methanol, isopropanol and butanol were unattractive, but there was interspecific variation for 4 of the 5 chemicals (ethanol, n-propanol, methyl acetate, acetic acid, acetaldehyde) which were attractants. Responses of these species to four fruit odours (apple, plum, peach, lemon) indicated that D. immigrans preferred lemon odours more than did the other species. The relative attraction of D. immigrans to the other fruit odours depended on the combination in which they were presented.-from Author