High-throughput ethomics in large groups of Drosophila.

ABSTRACT: We present a camera-based method for automatically quantifying the individual and social behaviors of fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster, interacting in a planar arena. Our system includes machine-vision algorithms that accurately track many individuals without swapping identities and classification algorithms that detect behaviors. The data may be represented as an ethogram that plots the time course of behaviors exhibited by each fly or as a vector that concisely captures the statistical properties of all behaviors displayed in a given period. We found that behavioral differences between individuals were consistent over time and were sufficient to accurately predict gender and genotype. In addition, we found that the relative positions of flies during social interactions vary according

SUBMITTER: Branson K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2734963 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature