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Studies of the species barrier between Drosophila subobscura and D. madeirensis I. The genetics of male hybrid sterility
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  • Original Article
  • Published: 01 October 1991

Studies of the species barrier between Drosophila subobscura and D. madeirensis I. The genetics of male hybrid sterility

  • Mahnaz Khadem1 &
  • Costas B Krimbas1 

Heredity volume 67, pages 157–165 (1991)Cite this article

  • 824 Accesses

  • 29 Citations

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Abstract

The genetics of hybrid male sterility between Drosophila subobscura and D. madeirensis were studied with the help of 20 markers in backcross males. A major effect resides in the sex chromosomes: backcross males with the X and Y of different origin (mad X-sub Y or sub X-mad Y) have very small and empty testes. In compatible combinations testes are of normal size but males may be sterile or fertile depending on the genetic constitution of their autosomes. Six autosomal factors affecting hybrid male fertility could be postulated. This estimation is based on the assumption of the absence of interaction between viability and fertility. The presence and the mode of such interaction may modify the number of sterility factors.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics, Agricultural University of Athens, lera Odos 75 Athens 118-55, Greece

    Mahnaz Khadem & Costas B Krimbas

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  1. Mahnaz Khadem
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  2. Costas B Krimbas
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Khadem, M., Krimbas, C. Studies of the species barrier between Drosophila subobscura and D. madeirensis I. The genetics of male hybrid sterility. Heredity 67, 157–165 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1991.75

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  • Received: 17 September 1990

  • Issue date: 01 October 1991

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1991.75

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Keywords

  • Drosophila
  • hybrid sterililty
  • sex chromosomes
  • species barrier

This article is cited by

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  • Studies of the species barrier between Drosophila subobscura and D. madeirensis. III. How universal are the rules of speciation?

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    Heredity (1993)

  • Genetics and speciation

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