Optimization of wrMTrck to monitor Drosophila larval locomotor activity

•An efficient, low-cost method for examining larval locomotion is needed.•wrMTrck has been optimized for monitoring Drosophila larval locomotion.•A reduction in tn or parkin function results in locomotor deficits.•Adult Drosophila or Tribolium locomotor behavior can also be tracked with wrMTrck.

An efficient and low-cost method of examining larval movement in Drosophila melanogaster is needed to study how mutations and/or alterations in the muscular, neural, and olfactory systems affect locomotor behavior. Here, we describe the implementation of wrMTrck, a freely available ImageJ plugin originally developed for examining multiple behavioral parameters in the nematode C. elegans. Our optimized method is rapid, reproducible and does not require automated microscope setups or the purchase of proprietary software. To demonstrate the utility of this method, we analyzed the velocity and crawling paths of two Drosophila mutants that affect muscle structure and/or function. Additionally, we show that this approach is useful for tracking the behavior of adult insects, including Tribolium castaneum and Drosophila melanogaster.

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