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Linking intra- and interspecific assortative mating : Consequences for asymmetric sexual isolation

Svensson, Erik I. LU orcid ; Nordén, Anna LU ; Waller, John T. LU and Runemark, Anna LU (2016) In Evolution 70(6). p.1165-1179
Abstract

Assortative mating is of interest because of its role in speciation and the maintenance of species boundaries. However, we know little about how within-species assortment is related to interspecific sexual isolation. Most previous studies of assortative mating have focused on a single trait in males and females, rather than utilizing multivariate trait information. Here, we investigate how intraspecific assortative mating relates to sexual isolation in two sympatric and congeneric damselfly species (genus Calopteryx). We connect intraspecific assortment to interspecific sexual isolation by combining field observations, mate preference experiments, and enforced copulation experiments. Using canonical correlation analysis, we demonstrate... (More)

Assortative mating is of interest because of its role in speciation and the maintenance of species boundaries. However, we know little about how within-species assortment is related to interspecific sexual isolation. Most previous studies of assortative mating have focused on a single trait in males and females, rather than utilizing multivariate trait information. Here, we investigate how intraspecific assortative mating relates to sexual isolation in two sympatric and congeneric damselfly species (genus Calopteryx). We connect intraspecific assortment to interspecific sexual isolation by combining field observations, mate preference experiments, and enforced copulation experiments. Using canonical correlation analysis, we demonstrate multivariate intraspecific assortment for body size and body shape. Males of the smaller species mate more frequently with heterospecific females than males of the larger species, which showed less attraction to small heterospecific females. Field experiments suggest that sexual isolation asymmetry is caused by male preferences for large heterospecific females, rather than by mechanical isolation due to interspecific size differences or female preferences for large males. Male preferences for large females and male–male competition for high quality females can therefore counteract sexual isolation. This sexual isolation asymmetry indicates that sexual selection currently opposes a species boundary.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Behavior, competition, hybridization, reproductive isolation, selection, sexual, speciation
in
Evolution
volume
70
issue
6
pages
15 pages
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • pmid:27151764
  • wos:000379268200001
  • scopus:85027922798
ISSN
0014-3820
DOI
10.1111/evo.12939
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e87cb029-0d77-41ad-931c-cf8707d67285
date added to LUP
2017-01-25 14:26:38
date last changed
2023-04-07 07:48:18
@article{e87cb029-0d77-41ad-931c-cf8707d67285,
  abstract     = {{<p>Assortative mating is of interest because of its role in speciation and the maintenance of species boundaries. However, we know little about how within-species assortment is related to interspecific sexual isolation. Most previous studies of assortative mating have focused on a single trait in males and females, rather than utilizing multivariate trait information. Here, we investigate how intraspecific assortative mating relates to sexual isolation in two sympatric and congeneric damselfly species (genus Calopteryx). We connect intraspecific assortment to interspecific sexual isolation by combining field observations, mate preference experiments, and enforced copulation experiments. Using canonical correlation analysis, we demonstrate multivariate intraspecific assortment for body size and body shape. Males of the smaller species mate more frequently with heterospecific females than males of the larger species, which showed less attraction to small heterospecific females. Field experiments suggest that sexual isolation asymmetry is caused by male preferences for large heterospecific females, rather than by mechanical isolation due to interspecific size differences or female preferences for large males. Male preferences for large females and male–male competition for high quality females can therefore counteract sexual isolation. This sexual isolation asymmetry indicates that sexual selection currently opposes a species boundary.</p>}},
  author       = {{Svensson, Erik I. and Nordén, Anna and Waller, John T. and Runemark, Anna}},
  issn         = {{0014-3820}},
  keywords     = {{Behavior; competition; hybridization; reproductive isolation; selection; sexual; speciation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{1165--1179}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Evolution}},
  title        = {{Linking intra- and interspecific assortative mating : Consequences for asymmetric sexual isolation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/evo.12939}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/evo.12939}},
  volume       = {{70}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}