Attraction of Larvae of Drosophila-Buzzatii and Drosophila-Aldrichi to Yeast Species Isolated From Their Natural-Environment

Abstract

The nine most common yeast species isolated from rots in cactus in Australia were shown to be differentially attractive to larvae, with relative attractiveness very similar for the two Drosophila species. To the extent that relative attractiveness measures larval feeding prefere~ces, there is no evidence for partitioning of the larval food resource between D. buzzatii and D. aldrichi. For D. buzzatii, the yeasts most attractive to larvae are also those preferred by adult females for feeding and oviposition.