Ecological cues orchestrate concerted courtship in a <i>Drosophila</i> host specialist.

ABSTRACT: Mating decisions are often attributed to the sensory signaling between prospective sexual partners. Yet these interactions are also shaped by the broader environmental context in which they unfold, to appropriately align sexual arousal with reproductive opportunities. Here we show that in the host specialist Drosophila erecta mating is strictly contingent on the ecological and social environment generated as flies densely aggregate in groups on a food patch. We find that food volatiles directly promote male sexual arousal, triggering individuals to sample and pursue potential mates, giving rise to dynamic interactions across the group. The ensuing visual motion transforms each male's visual field, which in turn further amplifies his arousal, generating a multisensory feedback loop t

SUBMITTER: Brand P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12632825 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature