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I am trying to generate some candidate traits to measure in a fitness assay of wildtype outbred (lab population) flies. The key trait I will measure is lifespan.

I am looking for some additional traits which can be measured from the same flies as those in the lifespan assay without harming or killing the fly in the process. For example, I could measure wings using a technique devised by the Houle Lab called WingMachine. I think I could also do some other measures with the same equipment, leg length etc.

The traits should also be present in both sexes (can be monomorphic or dimorphic) and quick to measure; I'm aiming for 200-250 measures/collections/images a day. Traits that can be measured properly in a fly which has died of old age would also work. Traits can be morphological, behavioral etc..

What other traits can be done like this?

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You could do negative geotaxis (climbing) assay, (larval or adult) locomotion assays, % brain vacuolisation (after the flies die), maze tests. There are probably much more but these are all I can think of that are no-lethal and can be applied to males and females and some larval work too.

You could maybe consider doing starvation assays and longevity in some of your populations.

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