Abstract

Drosophila males were fumigated with gaseous hydrogen fluoride in two series of experiments. In Series I, wild type Oregon-R males were treated by continuous flow of HF for 10 hours. In Series II, dp+/+b males were treated at a steady state level of HF for 9 hours. Treated and control males were crossed individually to virgin females of the genotype Pm dp b/Cy. The genetic analyses of the test generations of both series showed that homozygosity for one of the second chromosomes from a treated male resulted in a reduction in viability of the individuals which ranged from subvital to complete lethality. The viability of the controls and the heterozygous sibs was normal. These individuals of abnormal phenotypes were observed in the segregating generations. None of the crosses conducted to determine the mode of inheritance of these abnormal flies were successful. These limited studies indicate that HF may act as a mutagenic agent.