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Effects of gravity on positive phototaxis in fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster

Geotaxis and phototaxis are movements in response to gravity and light, respectively, and are commonly observed in nature. The interactions between these two types of movement have been shown to confer ecological advantages to many taxa. Although several studies have been conducted on phototaxis and geotaxis in various organisms, reports on the interactions between positive phototaxis and negative geotaxis are lacking. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, any direct interactions that exist between positive phototaxis and negative geotaxis are yet to be determined and the ecological significance of such interactions remains unclear. In the present study, the effects of gravity on positive phototaxis in a Y‐maze were investigated using the Canton‐S wild type and gravity‐sensing‐deficient pyx3 mutant fruit flies. Gravity sensing was not necessary for horizontal positive phototaxis, but was required for vertical positive phototaxis. These results suggest that gravitoreception may selectively modulate positive phototaxis depending on the vertical and horizontal movements of the fruit flies.