Factors affecting male song evolution in Drosophila montana

D. montana (a species of the D. virilis group) has spread over the northern hemisphere, populations from different areas showing both genetic and phenotypic divergence. The males of this species produce an elaborate courtship song, which plays a major role both in species recognition and in intraspecific mate choice. The genetic architecture and physical constraints, as well as the importance of the signal for species recognition, set boundaries within which this signal can vary. Within these limits, courtship song parameters may change, depending on the males' physical condition and on the environment they inhabit. Females are likely to affect song evolution by exerting directional selection toward higher carrier frequencies. Given this complexity, only a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach, starting with traditional field observation and combining controlled behavioral experiments, biometric measurements, and sophisticated molecular techniques, has the potential of shedding light on the past history and the evolution of this signal, and, eventually, adding to our understanding of the mechanisms, functions, and outcomes of sexual selection in acoustic communication systems. (c) 2005, Elsevier Inc.