A meristic trait in Drosophila melanogaster x simulans hybrids

Abstract

A quantitative trait, abdominal bristle number, is described in a number of stocks of the two sibling species Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophda simulans and in interspecific hybrids obtained from these stocks. Coefficients of variation for the trait in the parental species and the hybrids are compared, and in the case of the latter are found to fall in the same range as those of the pure species. The results are discussed in the light of previous findings on other bristle systems.