Low frequency of inversion-carrying chromosomes in a population of Drosophila melanogaster from a cellar habitat

Abstract

SummaryThe inversions of the 3rd chromosome are studied in 2 neighbouring populations of Drosophila melanogaster, one from a cellar habitat, and the other from a vineyard outside.The cellar population shows a lower frequency of chromosomes with inversions than the outside population. In the cellar, the average homozygote viability for inversion-carrying chromosomes is smaller than for inversion-free chromosomes. In the vineyard population there are no differences between the 2 types of chromosomes.