Racial divergence in body weight: A study in the four members of newly evolved nasuta-albomicans complex of Drosophila

Abstract

In the laboratory, we have generated various Cytoraces as the newly evolved products of interracial hybridization between Drosophila nasuta nasuta and Drosophila nasuta albomicans. These races showed divergence from their parents in many features, including reduced body size and increased fertility. Here we present data on racial divergence in body weight in two of the hybrid Cytoraces and the two parental races. Analysis reveals that Cytorace 2 has the highest body weight and D. n. nasuta has the lowest body weight. The results suggest that body size and body weight may not be correlated because Cytorace 2 has higher fitness, maximum weight but reduced body size.