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SUMMARY:Seismic communication in courting Drosophila - Caroline Fabre (Dep
 artment of Zoology)
DTSTART:20160427T163000Z
DTEND:20160427T183000Z
UID:TALK65451@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Clara Sidor
DESCRIPTION:Individuals of many species communicate by means of seismic vi
 brations that are conveyed through the substrate: examples are elephants\,
  frogs and spiders. However\, none of these animals were suitable for gene
 tics or neurobiology. I discovered that seismic vibratory signalling is cr
 ucial to courtship in Drosophila melanogaster\; surprisingly\, this had be
 en missed over decades of research. During courtship\, males rapidly quive
 r their abdomens and produce seismic vibrations in the substrate that are 
 perceived by females. Females respond by remaining stationary and allowing
  the males to copulate. Drosophila is the ideal model to investigate the g
 enetic and neuronal bases of both signalling and reception of these vibrat
 ions. Using a combination of behavioural assays\, laser vibrometry\, laser
  ablation and neuroanatomy\, I am now investigating the neuromuscular circ
 uitry responsible for the generation of these seismic signals and the sens
 ory systems needed for their reception.
LOCATION:Gurdon Institute Tea Room
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