Theinactive mutation leads to abnormal experience-dependent courtship modification in maleDrosophila melanogaster

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Abstract
Flies carrying theinactive mutation ofDrosophila melanogaster have only 15% wildtype titers of the putative neurotransmitter octopamine. With a view to discovering whether theinactive mutation impairs learning, I describe the effect of theinactive mutation on experience-dependent courtship modification (EDCM). Wild-type males rapidly condition to immature males and modify their behaviour toward subsequent target flies. The weaker EDCM phenotype ofinactive males is similar to that ofdunce males. Using time-sampling, habituation is most rapid for wild-type males and slowest fordunce males, withinactive males showing an intermediate phenotype. These results support the notion that octopamine plays a significant role in the manifestation ofDrosophila learning behavior.