Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T15:31:46.012Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A TECHNIQUE FOR MEASURING AND MARKING LIVE FLIES

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Russell Bonduriansky  and
Ronald J. Brooks
Russell Bonduriansky
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
Ronald J. Brooks
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

We designed a simple device for physically restraining live Diptera for measurement and marking. This new technique does not involve powders, anaesthetics, or handling with fingers or forceps, and can be adapted for use with flies of any size. We tested it on acalyptrate flies of 1.5–3.0 mm body length, and were able to sex, measure, and mark them with individual codes (enamel paint applied to the thoracic notum) in 5–7 min per fly, with a 96% success rate. This technique may be applicable to a range of behavioural and ecological research.

Résumé

Nous avons mis au point une technique simple destinée à immobiliser physiquement les diptères vivants pour les mesurer et les marquer. Cette nouvelle technique n’utilise aucune poudre ou substance anesthésiante et ne suppose aucune manipulation avec les mains ou avec des pinces; elle peut être adaptée à des mouches de toutes les tailles. La technique a été testée sur des acalyptères de longueur totale de 1,5 à 3,0 mm et nous avons pu déterminer le sexe chez chacune des mouches, les mesurer et les marquer de codes individuels (touche d’émail sur le notum thoracique), tout cela en. 5–7 minutes par mouche, avec un taux de succès de 96%. Cette technique est utilisable dans une grande variété de types de recherche comportementale et écologique.

[Traduit par la Rédaction]

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 129 , Issue 5 , October 1997 , pp. 827 - 830
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1997

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bonduriansky, R. 1995. A new Nearctic species of Protopiophila Duda (Diptera: Piophilidae), with notes on its behaviour and comparison with P. latipes (Meigen). The Canadian Entomologist 127: 859–863.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dow, M.A., and von Schilcher, F.. 1975. Aggression and mating success in Drosophila melanogaster. Nature (London) 254: 511–512.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Droney, D.C. 1992. Sexual selection in a lekking Hawaiian Drosophila: the roles of male competition and female choice in male mating success. Animal Behaviour 44: 1007–1020.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jarvis, E.K., and Rutledge, L.C.. 1992. Laboratory observations on mating and leklike aggregations in Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae). Journal of Medical Entomology 29: 171–177.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Partridge, L., and Farquhar, M.. 1983. Lifetime mating success of male fruitflies (Drosophila melanogaster) is related to their size. Animal Behaviour 31: 871–877.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Partridge, L., Hoffman, A., and Jones, J.S.. 1987. Male size and mating success in Drosophila melanogaster and D. pseudoobscura under field conditions. Animal Behaviour 35: 468–476.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilkinson, G.S. 1987. Equilibrium analysis of sexual selection in Drosophila melanogaster. Evolution 41: 11–21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed