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Gender differences in species recognition and the evolution of asymmetric sexual isolation

Svensson, Erik LU orcid ; Karlsson, Kristina LU ; Friberg, Magne LU and Eroukhmanoff, Fabrice LU (2007) In Current Biology 17(22). p.1943-1947
Abstract
Closely related sympatric species are expected to evolve strong species discrimination because of the reinforcement of mate preferences [1-4]. Fitness costs of heterospecific matings are thought to be higher in females than in males, and females are therefore expected to show stronger species discrimination than males [5, 6]. Here, we investigated gender and species differences in sexual isolation in a sympatric species pair of Calopteryx damselflies. The genus Calopteryx is one of the classic examples of reproductive character displacement in evolutionary biology, with exaggerated interspecific differences in the amount of dark wing coloration when species become sympatric [7-9]. Experimental manipulation of the extent of dark wing... (More)
Closely related sympatric species are expected to evolve strong species discrimination because of the reinforcement of mate preferences [1-4]. Fitness costs of heterospecific matings are thought to be higher in females than in males, and females are therefore expected to show stronger species discrimination than males [5, 6]. Here, we investigated gender and species differences in sexual isolation in a sympatric species pair of Calopteryx damselflies. The genus Calopteryx is one of the classic examples of reproductive character displacement in evolutionary biology, with exaggerated interspecific differences in the amount of dark wing coloration when species become sympatric [7-9]. Experimental manipulation of the extent of dark wing coloration revealed that sexual isolation results from both female and male mate discrimination and that wing melanization functions as a species recognition character. Female choice of conspecific males is entirely based on wing coloration, whereas males in one species also use other species recognition cues in addition to wing color. Stronger species discrimination ability in males is presumably an evolutionary response to an elevated male predation risk caused by conspicuous wing coloration [10]. Gender differences in species discrimination and fitness costs of male courtship can thus shed new light on the evolution of asymmetric sexual isolation and the reinforcement of mate preferences [2-4, 11]. (Less)
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author
; ; and
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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
MALES, SPECIATION, SELECTION, LABORATORY POPULATIONS, MATING FREQUENCIES, MALE MATE CHOICE, INTERSPECIFIC AGGRESSION, DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER, REINFORCEMENT, CHARACTER DISPLACEMENT
in
Current Biology
volume
17
issue
22
pages
1943 - 1947
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000251274300027
  • scopus:36049024399
ISSN
1879-0445
DOI
10.1016/j.cub.2007.09.038
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
acefee54-2f84-4d5c-9154-2759fc055b15 (old id 807098)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:48:12
date last changed
2023-01-02 23:39:51
@article{acefee54-2f84-4d5c-9154-2759fc055b15,
  abstract     = {{Closely related sympatric species are expected to evolve strong species discrimination because of the reinforcement of mate preferences [1-4]. Fitness costs of heterospecific matings are thought to be higher in females than in males, and females are therefore expected to show stronger species discrimination than males [5, 6]. Here, we investigated gender and species differences in sexual isolation in a sympatric species pair of Calopteryx damselflies. The genus Calopteryx is one of the classic examples of reproductive character displacement in evolutionary biology, with exaggerated interspecific differences in the amount of dark wing coloration when species become sympatric [7-9]. Experimental manipulation of the extent of dark wing coloration revealed that sexual isolation results from both female and male mate discrimination and that wing melanization functions as a species recognition character. Female choice of conspecific males is entirely based on wing coloration, whereas males in one species also use other species recognition cues in addition to wing color. Stronger species discrimination ability in males is presumably an evolutionary response to an elevated male predation risk caused by conspicuous wing coloration [10]. Gender differences in species discrimination and fitness costs of male courtship can thus shed new light on the evolution of asymmetric sexual isolation and the reinforcement of mate preferences [2-4, 11].}},
  author       = {{Svensson, Erik and Karlsson, Kristina and Friberg, Magne and Eroukhmanoff, Fabrice}},
  issn         = {{1879-0445}},
  keywords     = {{MALES; SPECIATION; SELECTION; LABORATORY POPULATIONS; MATING FREQUENCIES; MALE MATE CHOICE; INTERSPECIFIC AGGRESSION; DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER; REINFORCEMENT; CHARACTER DISPLACEMENT}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{22}},
  pages        = {{1943--1947}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Current Biology}},
  title        = {{Gender differences in species recognition and the evolution of asymmetric sexual isolation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2007.09.038}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.cub.2007.09.038}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}