Before male Drosophila flies (fruit flies) can become fathers, they must attract mates, and that requires them to produce courtship songs. They don’t sing by using their mouths, but by vibrating their wings. The songs of the various species of these flies have different purposes and convey different types of information to potential mates.
For example, in Drosophila buzzatii, songs are critical for mate recognition. That is, songs allow females to determine that a singing fly belongs to her species rather than to one of the many similar species that it would be a waste of time for her to pay attention to. In a closely related species, Drosophila koepferae, the song is a way for females to assess male quality. The better the song, the more attractive the singing male, and the more likely she is to mate with him. D. koepferae females use chemical cues for mate recognition to make sure they are mating with a member of their own species.
Karen B. London, Ph.D. is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Certified Professional Dog Trainer, and an author of seven books about animals, including Treat Everyone Like a Dog: How a Dog Trainer’s World View Can Improve Your Life.
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