Genetic and molecular analysis of the love song preferences of Drosophila females

The courtship songs of male Drosophila have been studied at the behavioural, genetic and molecular levels. Less attention has been paid to the female's responses to these songs. Playback experiments are described which suggest that courtship songs are an important component of female mate choice. Some of the implications of the behavioural responses of hybrid females between D. melanogaster and D. simulans are examined in the light of theories concerning the mechanisms by which insect communication systems might evolve. The role of the period gene in both male song production and in female song reception is considered, and the neural regions in the female which may be important for song integration are briefly discussed.