OBSERVATIONS ON THE LEK BEHAVIOR OF DROSOPHILA-IMPARISETAE (DIPTERA, DROSOPHILIDAE) IN HAWAII

Field data on male abundance, aggression, and female visitation were collected at a lek of Drosophila imparisetae in Hawaii. The lek was located at a single tree, and males defended individual leaves as mating territories. Male abundance was greatest during midday when 9-12 individuals were usually present. Aggressive interactions were infrequent (1.46/h/territory) and involved only brief chases without escalation to grapples. Only one female arrival was noted in 26 h of monitoring, and this resulted in courtship but no copulation. The present findings are compared with data recently collected for two other species of lek-forming Drosophila in Hawaii.