[Variation of a complex of wing characters in natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster].

Genetic variation of a set of morphometric wing characters in natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster from different regions of the former USSR was examined. It was shown that the proximal-distal ratio of characters of the posterior compartment significantly differs in southern and northern populations. These results suggest the operation of natural selection for wing shape in natural populations of Drosophila. Contributions of different characters into the geographic differentiation is considered.