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What is the characteristics of Drosophila melanogaster?
It has a rounded head with large, red, compound eyes; three smaller simple eyes, and short antennae. Its mouth has developed for sopping up liquids (Patterson and Stone 1952). The female is slightly larger than the male (Patterson, et al 1943).
Are female Drosophila bigger than males?
Drosophila females are larger than males. In the presence of two sets of X-chromosome signal elements (XSEs), Sex-lethal (Sxl) is activated in female (XX) but not male (XY) animals. Sxl activates transformer (tra), a gene that encodes a splicing factor essential for female-specific development.
What are the differences between male and female fruit flies quizlet?
What is the difference between a male and female fruit fly? The male fruit fly is smaller than the female, the amount of pigment in the tip of the male abdomen is greater than the one in the females, the male has fewer abdominal segments than females, and male have sex combs.
Are male fruit flies smaller?
Male fruit flies are the slightly smaller of the fruit flies. Also, a significant feature of them is the distinct dark patch at the bottom. However, the abdomen of the male fruit fly is shorter in contrast to that of the female fruit fly. Therefore, the male fly has fewer bands on its abdomen.
Why are Drosophila melanogaster used in genetics?
Drosophila melanogaster, known colloquially as the fruit fly, remains one of the most commonly used model organisms for biomedical science. These tools allow researchers to maintain complex stocks with multiple mutations on single chromosomes over generations, an advance that made flies the premier genetic system [4].
How many chromosomes does Drosophila melanogaster have?
melanogaster contain eight chromosomes (2n=8) that can be seen most easily in squash preparations of the third instar larval CNS (see Fig. 1 ). The autosomal complement consists of two pairs of large metacentric chromosomes, designated 2 and 3, and a pair of tiny, spherical fourth chromosomes.
What makes a Drosophila male and what makes it a female?
Normally, flies have either one or two X chromosomes and two sets of autosomes. If there is but one X chromosome in a diploid cell (1X:2A), the fly is male. If there are two X chromosomes in a diploid cell (2X:2A), the fly is female (Bridges 1921, 1925). Thus, XO Drosophila are sterile males.
Why are female Drosophila larger than males?
An intriguing hypothesis therefore, is that female Drosophila are larger than males because elevated levels of insulin signaling increases growth rate.
What are three ways you can distinguish between male and female Drosophila?
The most simple characteristic to use to differentiate the two is to look at the genitalia of the flies. Males have dark, rounded genitalia at the tip of their abdomen, whereas females have light, pointed genitalia.
Why is it important to be able to differentiate between male and female flies?
Why is it important to be able to differentiate between male and female flies? To ensure that you have the appropriate mix of male and female flies in your cross. If you are unable to correctly separate male and female flies, your cross may only contain a single sex or have the incorrect genotype.
Why do female fruit flies have to be virgins?
Virgin flies are needed to make sure that that the crosses are being appropriately made with the females using the desired sperms to fertilize their eggs. Female Drosophila are considered virgin eight to ten hours after they hatch from their pupa because during that time they are not receptive to male companionship and …
Are all flies male?
Fly genders mirror those of more advanced species. When they mate, the males introduce sperm into female bodies, and females develop and lay eggs to create the next generation of flies.
What are the sex differences in Drosophila melanogaster?
Lateral view of Drosophila melanogaster showing gender differences. The arrow points to the male sex comb. The anatomy of male and female D. melanogaster varies in several ways. Generally, the abdomens of males tend to be stubbier and more darkly pigmented than females (Fig. 3).
How to tell the difference between male and female D.melanogaster?
The anatomy of male and female D. melanogaster varies in several ways. Generally, the abdomens of males tend to be stubbier and more darkly pigmented than females (Fig. 3). However, this is NOT a reliable way to distinguish between the two genders, since all newly eclosed flies tend to have lighter pigmentation and elongated abdomens.
What’s the difference between a male and female fruit fly?
Furthermore, the abdomen of the male fruit fly is rounded at the bottom while the abdomen of the female fruit fly is pointed at the bottom. Moreover, the last two strips of the abdomen of the male fruit fly are much darker while the female fruit fly has one thicker band at the bottom of the abdomen with a lighter band on top of that.
What are the sex chromosomes of fruit flies?
The sex chromosomes of male fruit flies are X and Y chromosomes while female fruit flies take two X chromosomes Male fruit flies have sex comb whereas female fruit flies lack sex comb Male fruit flies have round bottom abdomen whereas female fruit flies have pointed bottom abdomen