Female fruit flies use social cues to make egg-clustering decisions.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The ability to respond plastically to environmental variation is a key determinant of fitness. Females may use cues to strategically place their eggs, for example adjusting the number or location of eggs according to whether other females are present and driving the dynamics of local competition or cooperation. The expression of plasticity in egg-laying patterns within individual patches (i.e. in contact clusters or not) represents an additional, under-researched, and potentially important opportunity for fitness gains. Clustered eggs might benefit from increased protection or defence, and clustering could facilitate cooperative feeding. However, increased clustering is also expected to increase the risk of overexploitation through direct competition. These potential ben

SUBMITTER: Churchill ER 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12522869 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature