Courtship and mating behaviour of interspecific Nasonia hybrids (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae): a grandfather effect

Behav Genet. 2001 Mar;31(2):167-77. doi: 10.1023/a:1010201427204.

Abstract

Nasonia courtship behaviour includes easily quantifiable, stereotyped components. We analysed displays of N. vitripennis x N. longicornis hybrid males. Most of them performed well-organised displays that were intermediate between the parental species. However, in both reciprocal crosses, a significant bias towards the behaviour of the grandpaternal species was observed. Possible explanations for this effect are a biased recovery of genotypes, either due to nucleo-cytoplasmic interaction or non-mendelian transmission, or differential activation of genes in hybrid females. This study is a first step towards unravelling the genetic architecture of courtship behaviour of Nasonia, which may provide information about factors responsible for species isolation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Crosses, Genetic
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Hybridization, Genetic*
  • Hymenoptera / genetics*
  • Male
  • Models, Genetic
  • Phenotype
  • Sexual Behavior, Animal / physiology*
  • Species Specificity