Studies of male fleshflies, Sarcophaga bullata, have led researchers to better understand the male specific neurons in the lobula. The axons of these neurons project into the origin of pre motor channels supplying flight motor neurons. Dendrites from these male specific neurons visit the retina's acute zone, which is used by males to keep the image of a female centered during aerial pursuit. Because only the males engage in high speed acrobatic chases, the male specific neurons are thought to underlie this behavior. Additionally, the males are more sensitive to visual motion and motion of small images. These neurons are an excellent example of sexual dimorphism.

Sexual dimorphism in the flies relating to the flight and tracking patterns is a result of the male lobula giants (MLG's) and the male specific columnar neurons (Mcol's). Four of the MLG's respond preferentially, while two are directionally selective. The preferential neurons only respond to movement in certain directions, while the directionally selective neurons respond to movement in any direction. The males rely on non-positional response to the direction of the targets they pursue. This involves a reaction to the target's angular velocity, which generally increases the velocity of the pursuer. Another system which differentiates the male from the female, is the ability of the male to keep the target centered in the acute zone, or the mid-sagital plane. The male's body responds by adjusting the yaw torque as the target moves out of the acute zone, and it makes the necessary directional changes in order to keep the target centered. This can also be traced to the binocular vision in the males, and to the fact that the males respond to flickering targets, such as a fast moving female. Furthermore, the relation between target range and forward velocity is a male specific behavior. When the male increases its forward speed to intercept a target, it is making use of these male specific neurons.

The function of the male specific neurons can be explained by using the revised Land-Collett circuitry. The arrows at the top of the figure refer to directional movements to which the specific neuron will refer. If a fly sees something in its acute zone, and that object exits to the right, the first and second neurons (MLG 2 and 4) will detect that movement. They will then send an impulse through the axons and dendrites that will eventually reach the bilateral power motor neurons (PM). Furthermore, this holds true for an object that moves left from the acute zone. However, the object is instead detected by MLG 1 and MLG 4. MLG 4 is not directionally selective. It detects objects regardless of their direction of movement. The PM reacts to the impulses from the MLG's by controlling the thrust in the direction that the target moves. Additionally, the ipsilateral neck muscle (NM) and the steering flight muscle motor neurons (SM) also react to the impulses from the MLG's. These move the ipsilateral neck muscles and the flight muscles which control the head yaw (HT) and body yaw (BT) in the directions indicated. All of these systems discussed here are present only in the males; therefore, they are likely to be mediated by the male specific neurons.