Neural basis for evolution of mating preference

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H02488
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 45020:Evolutionary biology-related
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Ishikawa Yuki 名古屋大学, 理学研究科, 講師 (70722940)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: ショウジョウバエ / 求愛歌 / 行動進化 / 聴覚

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To unravel the neural basis of the evolution of mate preference, we aimed to elucidate the neural basis of the interspecific differences in the preference for courtship songs in Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans. We found that the morphological characteristics of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd order neurons and courtship command neurons are well conserved between the two species. We also compared the song preference of the neural activity of auditory 1st and 2nd order neurons between species and showed that there are slight interspecific differences in the neural response of 2nd order neurons. The results show that the interspecies differences in auditory information processing already exist at the level of neural activity of second-order neurons.

Free Research Field

進化生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、同種を交配相手として選択するための情報処理を行う神経機構が、どのように種間で分化してきたのかを解明することを目的とした。本研究によって、情報処理のかなり早い段階を担う神経機構においても、種間の分化が存在していることが初めて明らかになった。