Mating speed differences between Australian populations ofDrosophila melanogaster

Mating speeds have been studied for two natural populations ofDrosophila melanogaster collected in Victoria, Australia, about 100 miles apart. Significant differences in mating speed were found and hybrids between the populations gave intermediate mating speeds. A small difference between strains in duration of copulation was found.The differences in mating speeds were controlled by the strain of the male, the strain of the female having little effect. No appreciable behavioural interactions were found between strains.