Genotype, Phenotype and Mating Behavior of Drosophila melanogaster

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Abstract
By utilization of X-ray induced mutations of Drosophila melanogaster from white-apricot to white, an intermediate reversal, and a near wild-type reversal, it was possible to show that the success of males in mating competition in an alternating light-dark environment parallels the degree of eye pigmentation; whereas, mating in a dark environment is random. This establishes that in D. melanogaster a visual stimulus is an important factor in the mating activity of males and suggests that non-random mating can be important in influencing the genic composition of populations.