'Pregnant' housefly males demonstrate the evolution of sex determination

(University of Zurich) An international team headed up by researchers from the University of Zurich has discovered the gene that determines the male sex in houseflies. Surprisingly, the sex-determining mechanisms are not the same for all houseflies -- they depend on where the insects live. This knowledge not only helps us better understand the evolution of sex determination, but also aids in the control of agricultural pests or carriers of disease.
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news