1941/11/26 by Hans Kalmus, H. Kalmus
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Environmental Science · #Animal Behavior and Reproduction #Insect behavior and control techniques #Physiological and biochemical adaptations
paper · doi:10.1098/rspb.1941.0011
openalex publication_date 1941/11/26 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Abstract The offspring of a y/y+ x y cross in Drosophila melanogaster, simulans, subobscura and pseudoobscura race A showing phenotypically yellow body colour die earlier when starving in dry air (0% relative humidity and 25°C) than flies of wild type body colour which differ in respect of one gene. The yellow flies also lose more weight. In D. melanogasterF2 flies of black or ebony body colour survive longer and lose less weight under these conditions than their wild type sibs. These differences are smaller at 70% relative humidity, and disappear at 100% moisture. In the presence of drinking water, yellow females of all four species frequently survive longer than wild type females. It is suggested that most of these differences in survival time and loss in weight may be due to differences in the resistance to evaporation, which can be assumed to vary with the body colour. This assumption is supported by recent results of Fraenkel and Rudall (1940). Secondary differences due to differences in melanogenesis are discussed. The ecological meaning of these findings is under investigation.