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First published online March 8, 2005
Journal of Experimental Biology 208, 891-898 (2005)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2005
doi: 10.1242/jeb.01454

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Social experience and pheromonal perception can change male–male interactions in Drosophila melanogaster

Nicolas Svetec and Jean-François Ferveur^*

Unité de Recherche 5548 Associée au Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Bourgogne, 6, Bd Gabriel, 21 000 Dijon, France

View larger version (12K): [in a new window]   Fig. 1. The strength and directionality of male–male interaction varies with male social experience. In each test, two tester males of similar age (5 days old) and genotype (B42/Di2) were paired, and their reciprocal behavioural interaction noted during 10 min. For each test, the duration and nature of social experience of each of the two males is shown above the histograms (the `experience line', which is shown as a bar). Each experience line is divided into five segments representing the 5 days of adult life (from eclosion to the test); a black-filled bar represents grouping with four other same-age and genotype siblings; an open bar represents the period during which the tester male was kept in isolation. The numbers shown above each experience line indicate the mean of the behavioural index (BI ± S.E.M.) for each treatment, and the statistical significance between treatments is represented above the middle bar (P<0.001; *P<0.05; NS, not significant). The histograms indicate the frequency for pairs of males according to their BI difference: the two bars on the left represent the cases of interactions where the `left' male directed a higher BI (differences >10 and >55) towards the `right' male than the reciprocal situation; and vice versa for the two bars shown on the right (see also Materials and methods). The middle bar (difference <10) represents the cases with low or no male–male interaction. N=30–54 except in (C) (120).

View larger version (12K): [in a new window]   Fig. 2. The effect of social experience is not affected by the number of siblings, but changes with exposure during the days preceding the test. Four same-age siblings were grouped with the tester male during social exposure unless noted x2 (with one sibling; A–D), or x10 (with nine siblings; C,D). All tested flies were 5 days old B42/Di2 males. N=22–35, except B (76), C (73) and F (16). For all other parameters, refer to Fig. 1. P<0.01.

View larger version (12K): [in a new window]   Fig. 3. The isolation period, but not the duration of social exposure, influences the strengh of male–male interaction. All tester males were grouped for different periods of their imaginal development with four other same-age siblings. All flies were 5 days old B42/Di2 males. N=56–82, except C (101), and D (35). For all other parameters, refer to Fig. 1.

View larger version (14K): [in a new window]   Fig. 4. Male genotype influences the effect of social experience. All tester males were 5 days old, and were from (A) the Canton-S strain (Cs), (B) the Dijon2000 (Di2) strain, or (C,D) from the cross between a B42 female and either a Cs male (B42/Cs; C,D left), or a Di2 male (B42/Di2; D, right). N=28–57. For all other parameters, refer to Fig. 1. P<0.01.