Photobehavioral differentiation in natural populations ofDrosophila: Changes of photoresponse over time inDrosophila pseudoobscura andDrosophila persimilis

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Abstract
The photobehavior of a sympatric assemblage ofDrosophila pseudoobscura andD. persimilis from California was examined over a 13-month period. During that time, certain aspects of the behavior remained constant (e.g., the mean resting photoresponse), while other aspects changed (e.g., the level of genotypic variation of the resting photoresponse ofD. persimilis). The data support the contention of Rockwellet al. [Rockwell, R. F., Cooke, F., and Harmsen, R. (1975).Behav. Genet. 5:189–202] that genotypic variation and phenotypic plasticity are central features of photobehavior in natural populations of these species. The evolutionary importance of such genotypic variation and phenotypic plasticity is discussed.