Effect of Temperature and Density on Larval Pupation Site Preference in Sibling Species of Drosophila (drosophilidae: Diptera)

Larval pupation site preference (PSP) has been studied in sibling species of D. melanogaster and D. simulans at different density and temperature. It revealed significant variation between altered and controlled experiments. D. melanogaster larvae prefer to pupate less on glass and more in media when temperature and density altered than control. D. simulans larvae prefers glass lesser than control at 30oC and higher than control at 200 and 250 larvae/vial at 15, 20 and 25oC, whereas the media pupation is contrasts to the glass pupation in D. simulans. The media pupation is more at 30oC and less at other temperature at all type of density compared to control. D. melanogaster larvae does not prefer to pupate on cotton at 30oC, the larvae of D. simulans does not prefer o pupate on cotton at all density and temperatures. Two-way ANOVA revealed that variation of PSP in both the species at varied temperature and density at different sites was found to be significant.