Assortative mating between two sympatric closely-related specialists: inferred from molecular phylogenetic analysis and behavioral data.
Sci Rep, 2014/6/25;4:5436.
Xue HJ[1], Li WZ[1], Yang XK[1]
Affiliations
PMID: 24961567DOI: 10.1038/srep05436
Impact factor: 4.996
Abstract
Host plant shifting of phytophagous insects can lead to the formation of host associated differentiation and ultimately speciation. In some cases, host plant specificity alone acts as a nearly complete pre-mating isolating barrier among insect populations. We here test whether effective pre-mating isolation and host-independent behavioral isolation have evolved under the condition of extreme host specilization using two sympatric flea beetles with incomplete post-mating isolation under laboratory conditions. Phylogenetic analysis and coalescent simulation results showed that there is a limited interspecific gene flow, indicating effctive isolation between these species. Three types of mating tests in the absence of host plant cues showed that strong host-independent behavioral isolation has evolved between them. We conclude that almost perfect assortative mating between these two extreme host specialists results from a combination of reduced encounter rates due to differential host preference and strong sexual isolation.
MeSH terms
Animals; Biological Evolution; China; Coleoptera; DNA, Mitochondrial; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; Electron Transport Complex IV; Female; Genetic Speciation; Genetic Variation; Geography; Haplotypes; Host Specificity; Insect Proteins; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; Peptide Elongation Factor 1; Phylogeny; Plants; Population Dynamics; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sexual Behavior, Animal; Species Specificity
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