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A ROLE FOR LEARNING IN POPULATION DIVERGENCE OF MATE PREFERENCES.

Svensson, Erik LU orcid ; Eroukhmanoff, Fabrice LU ; Karlsson, Kristina LU ; Runemark, Anna LU and Brodin, Anders LU (2010) In Evolution 64. p.3101-3113
Abstract
ABSTRACT Learning and other forms of phenotypic plasticity have been suggested to enhance population divergence. Mate preferences can develop by learning, and species recognition might not be entirely genetic. We present data on female mate preferences of the banded demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) that suggest a role for learning in population divergence and species recognition. Populations of this species are either allopatric or sympatric with a phenotypically similar congener (C. virgo). These two species differ mainly in the amount of wing melanisation in males, and wing patches thus mediate sexual isolation. In sympatry, sexually experienced females discriminate against large melanin wing patches in heterospecific males. In... (More)
ABSTRACT Learning and other forms of phenotypic plasticity have been suggested to enhance population divergence. Mate preferences can develop by learning, and species recognition might not be entirely genetic. We present data on female mate preferences of the banded demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) that suggest a role for learning in population divergence and species recognition. Populations of this species are either allopatric or sympatric with a phenotypically similar congener (C. virgo). These two species differ mainly in the amount of wing melanisation in males, and wing patches thus mediate sexual isolation. In sympatry, sexually experienced females discriminate against large melanin wing patches in heterospecific males. In contrast, in allopatric populations within the same geographic region, females show positive ("open-ended") preferences for such large wing patches. Virgin C. splendens females do not discriminate against heterospecific males. Moreover, physical exposure experiments of such virgin females to con- or hetero specific males significantly influences their subsequent mate preferences. Species recognition is thus not entirely genetic and it is partly influenced by interactions with mates. Learning causes pronounced population divergence in mate preferences between these weakly genetically differentiated populations, and results in a highly divergent pattern of species recognition at a small geographic scale. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Evolution
volume
64
pages
3101 - 3113
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000283377500002
  • scopus:77958538457
  • pmid:20629727
ISSN
1558-5646
DOI
10.1111/j.1558-5646.2010.01085.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8bac0236-2843-4544-aeed-7ac6fd5342f1 (old id 1644971)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:27:36
date last changed
2023-01-19 20:23:39
@article{8bac0236-2843-4544-aeed-7ac6fd5342f1,
  abstract     = {{ABSTRACT Learning and other forms of phenotypic plasticity have been suggested to enhance population divergence. Mate preferences can develop by learning, and species recognition might not be entirely genetic. We present data on female mate preferences of the banded demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) that suggest a role for learning in population divergence and species recognition. Populations of this species are either allopatric or sympatric with a phenotypically similar congener (C. virgo). These two species differ mainly in the amount of wing melanisation in males, and wing patches thus mediate sexual isolation. In sympatry, sexually experienced females discriminate against large melanin wing patches in heterospecific males. In contrast, in allopatric populations within the same geographic region, females show positive ("open-ended") preferences for such large wing patches. Virgin C. splendens females do not discriminate against heterospecific males. Moreover, physical exposure experiments of such virgin females to con- or hetero specific males significantly influences their subsequent mate preferences. Species recognition is thus not entirely genetic and it is partly influenced by interactions with mates. Learning causes pronounced population divergence in mate preferences between these weakly genetically differentiated populations, and results in a highly divergent pattern of species recognition at a small geographic scale.}},
  author       = {{Svensson, Erik and Eroukhmanoff, Fabrice and Karlsson, Kristina and Runemark, Anna and Brodin, Anders}},
  issn         = {{1558-5646}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{3101--3113}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Evolution}},
  title        = {{A ROLE FOR LEARNING IN POPULATION DIVERGENCE OF MATE PREFERENCES.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1558-5646.2010.01085.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1558-5646.2010.01085.x}},
  volume       = {{64}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}