Olfactory response and resource utilization in Drosophila: interspecific comparisons

Abstract

Olfactory response and resource utilization in Drosophila were compared among three domestic ( D . melanogaster, D. simulans, D. immigranr) and one Australian endemic ( D . lafivittata) species. Olfactory response was measured in a choice type olfactometer (Fuyama, 1976). The following chemicals common in Drosophila resources were used as odourants: acetaldehyde, acetic acid, propionic acid, methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol. Resource status of these chemicals was determined either from the literature or by adult longevity tests.All species were attracted by acetaldehyde, while methanol, isopropanol and n-butanol were unattractive. Ethanol attracted all species except D . immigrans, while only D . lativittata and D . melanogastcr were attracted to n-propanol, propionic acid and acetic acid Methanol and isopropanol were not utilized as resources by any of the species, while D . melanogaster and D . lativitfata showed greater utilization/tolerance of the other chemicals. Some correlation between resource utilization and olfactory response was found at the interspecific level, although not all chemicals utilized as resources are attractants. The adaptive significance of the interspecific variation in olfactory response is discussed, especially in relation to habitats selected. The results provide suggestions for habitat selection studies at the intraspecific level.

Flying the Fly: Long-range Flight Behavior of Drosophila melanogaster to Attractive Odors

“…Our results on the response to methanol agree with a study by Hoffmann and Parsons (1984), showing no attraction of D. melanogaster and three other species of Drosophila to methanol. Comparison between authentic vinegar-and sprayed headspace samples did not show an impact by methanol (Fig.…”

“…Sensitivity to acetic acid is expressed in D. melanogaster adults and larvae (Hoffmann and Parsons 1984;Cobb 1999;Ruebenbauer et al 2008;Joseph et al 2009), supporting the idea that this compound is of ecological relevance. Acetic acid probably serves as a cue for the presence of fermenting fruit and other substrates used as food or oviposition sites.…”

Feeding on ripening and over-ripening fruit: interactions between sugar, ethanol and polyphenol contents in a tropical butterfly

“…the uncoiling of the proboscis after placing the tarsae of butterflies in direct contact with feeding solutions for 30 s) increased with ethanol concentration (range: 0.01-10%) (Dierks and Fischer, 2008;Kehl and Fischer, 2012). Following these results, it was hypothesized that the presence of ethanol in fruit may help butterflies to locate food, as suggested for other insects (Hoffmann and Parsons, 1984;Utrio and Eriksson, 1977) and primates (Dudley, 2004;Levey, 2004). However, in the present study, where butterflies were free to feed by themselves over several hours, we did not detect positive effects of ethanol on feeding latency and duration.…”

Intoxicated Fly Brains: Neurons Mediating Ethanol-Induced Behaviors

“…These results confirmed, in part, previous findings with adult flies tested in an olfactory meter for their ethanol preference. For female flies, low concentration of ethanol elicits an attractive response (0.1Á5%), whereas high concentrations (10%) are aversive (Hoffmann & Parsons, 1984). Pure odors are rarely found in nature, and indeed, under laboratory conditions, blends of several odors, including ethanol, were more attractive to flies (Zhu et al, 2003).…”