Egg Viability, Mating Frequency and Male Mating Ability Evolve in Populations of Drosophila melanogaster Selected for Resistance to Cold Shock

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129992
• Publication Date: 2015-06-11T18:06:32Z
• Authors: Karan Singh; Ekta Kochar; N. G. Prasad
• Keywords: Male; 0106 biological sciences; Life Cycle Stages; Science; Reproduction; Q; R; Adaptation, Physiological; Biological Evolution; 01 natural sciences; Cold Temperature; Sexual Behavior, Animal; Drosophila melanogaster; Stress, Physiological; Larva; Copulation; Medicine; Animals; Female; Selection, Genetic; Research Article; Ovum

Background Ability to resist temperature shock is an important component of fitness insects and other ectotherms. Increased resistance known affect life-history traits. Temperature also reproductive traits such as mating ability viability gametes. Therefore selection for increased can the evolution Methods We selected replicate populations Drosophila melanogaster cold shock. then investigated behavior along with components fitness- larval survivorship, adult mortality, fecundity, egg in these populations. Results found that mortality fecundity post were not significantly different between control However, compared populations, laid higher percentage fertile eggs (egg viability) 24 hours The had frequency both without After being subjected shock, males from successfully mated more non-virgin females sired progeny males. Conclusions A number studies have reported survivorship response resistance. Our results clearly indicate adaptation involve changes fitness. implications our understanding how evolve thermal stress.