Skip to main content
Log in

A comparative study of twoDrosophila learning tasks

  • Published:
Behavior Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Ten wild-type strains ofDrosophila melanogaster were used to compare performance in two different discriminative avoidance tasks, one involving odor as a discriminative stimulus and shock as the aversive stimulus and the other involving colored lights as the discriminative stimulus and vigorous shaking as the aversive stimulus. Significant strain differences were established for performance on both tasks. No significant correlation, however, was observed between performances on the two tasks; this suggests independent genetic control.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Benzer, S. (1967). Behavioral mutants of Drosophila isolated by contercurrent distribution.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 58:1112–1119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bicker, G., and Reichert, H. (1978). Visual learning in a photoreceptor degeneration mutant ofDrosophila melanogaster.J. Comp. Physiol. 127:29–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birley, A. J., and Barnes, B. W. (1973). Genetical variation for enzyme activity in a population ofDrosophila melanogaster. I. Extent of the variation of alcohol dehydrogenase activity.Heredity 31:413–416.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dudai, Y. (1977). Properties of learning and memory inDrosophila melanogaster.J. Comp. Physiol. 114:68–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dudai, Y., and Bicker, G. (1978). Comparison of visual and olfactory learning inDrosophila.Naturwissenshaften 65:494–495.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dudai, Y., Jan, Y.-N., Byers, D., Quinn, W. G., and Benzer, S. (1976).dunce, a mutant ofDrosophila deficient in learning.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 73:1684–1688.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fulker, D. W. (1979). Some implications of biometrical genetical analysis for psychological research. In Royce, J. R., and Mos, L. P. (eds.),Theoretical Advances in Behavior Genetics, Sijthoff and Noordhoff, The Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hay, D. A. (1975). Strain differences in maze-learning ability ofDrosophila melanogaster.Nature 257:44–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hay, D. A. (1979). A genetic validation of aDrosophila learning task.Experientia 35:310–312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hay, D. A. and Crossley, S. A. (1977). The design of mazes to studyDrosophila behavior.Behav. Genet. 7:389–403.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herschberger, W. A., and Smith, M. P. (1967). Conditioning inDrosophila melanogaster.Anim. Behav. 15:259–262.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manning, A. (1967). “Pre-imagined conditioning” inDrosophila.Nature 216:338–340.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGuire, T. R., and Hirsch, J. (1977). Behavior-genetic analysis of Phormia regina: Conditioning, reliable individual differences and selection.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5193–5197.

    Google Scholar 

  • Menne, D., and Spatz, H. Ch. (1977). Color vision inDrosophila melanogaster.J. Comp. Physiol. 114:301–312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphey, R. M. (1967). Instrumental conditioning of the fruit fly,Drosophila melanogaster.Anim. Behav. 15:153–161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Platt, S. A., Holliday, M., and Drudge, O. W. (1980). Discrimination learning of an instrumental response in individualDrosophila melanogaster.J. Exp. Psychol. Anim. Behav. Proc. 6:301–311.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinn, W. G., Harris, W. A., and Benzer, S. (1974). Conditioned behavior inDrosophila melanogaster.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 71:708–712.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinn, W. G., Sziber, P. P., and Booker, R. (1979). TheDrosophila memory mutant,amnesiac.Nature 277:212–214.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reichert, H., and Bicker, G. (1979). A visual learning study of brightness perception in two mutants ofDrosophila melanogaster.J. Comp. Physiol. 133:283–290.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegel, R. W., and Hall, J. C. (1979). Conditioned responses in courtship behavior of normal and mutantDrosophila.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76:3430–3434.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spatz, H. Ch., Emmans, A., and Reichert, H. (1974). Associative learning ofDrosophila melanogaster.Nature 248:359–361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeatman, F. R., and Hirsch, J. (1971). Attempted replication of, and selective breeding for, instrumental conditioning ofDrosophila melanogaster Anim..Behav. 19:454–462.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This study was carried out while MJD was in receipt of a studentship and travel grant from the British Medical Research Council.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Durcan, M.J., Fulker, D.W. A comparative study of twoDrosophila learning tasks. Behav Genet 13, 179–190 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01065666

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01065666

Key Words

Navigation