THE TEMPERATURE-EFFECTIVE PERIODS AND THE GROWTH CURVES FOR LENGTH AND AREA OF THE VESTIGIAL WINGS OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Abstract

OBERTS (1918) first reported increase in size of wings of R vestigial mutant of D. melanogaster when reared at high temperatures and showed that effect was more pronounced in males than in females. STANLEY (1928) stated that the length of vestigial wing varies directly with temperature, but not in direct proportion. I have shown (1930a) that there is a critical temperature for increase in length of vestigial wings and that marked change occurs in females at a temperature 1 higher than in males, a response showing sexual dimorphism. The curves for total development at one temperature of STANLEY (1931) and mine (1930a) were similar over temperature range examined (17 to 31). In preliminary reports (1930b, 1932, 1933) I have indicated that temperature-effective period for increasing size of vestigial wings a t 30°, 31, 32, and 33' C. is during larval period commencing a t approximately 60 hours and extending for various intervals with different maximum rates depending upon sex of individuals and temperature experienced by larvae. STANLEY (1931) found entirely different temperature-effective periods a t 17 and 27 but in his recent paper (1935) he reports intervals at 30 and 31 easily harmonized with periods reported here.