Mating success of photoreceptor mutants of Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

The compound eye of Drosophila contains 700–800 individual ommatidia, each made up of six outer retinula cells (R 1–6 ), and two central retinula cells (R 7 and R 8 ). Each retinula cell contains a rhabdomere which is the location of the visual pigment. Mutants have been recovered which specifically eliminate function in R 1–6 or in R 7 . Other mutants, such as norp AP 24 , result in a loss of the receptor potential for the entire eye. In a series of “female choice” experiments, the relative importance of the outer and inner retinula cells for male courtship success was investigated. The results suggest that in D. melanogaster an intact visual system, expecially R 1–6 , is important for male mating behavior. In the absence of functional R 1–6 , a small but significant role for R 7 was detectable.