Interspecific aggression, not interspecific mating, drives character displacement in the wing coloration of male rubyspot damselflies (
            <i>Hetaerina</i>
            )

Drury, Jonathan P.; Grether, Gregory F.

doi:10.1098/rspb.2014.1737

Cited by 36 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…Identifying and validating the molecules involved in assortative preference may help to better define the concept of species recognition by addressing difficult questions such as: are signals involved in assortative mating between incipient species exclusively used in species recognition contexts, or do they also participate in sexual and/or social communication within species? Does species discrimination during reproductive interference and competitive interference rely on the same signals7172?…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular heterogeneity in major urinary proteins of Mus musculus subspecies: potential candidates involved in speciation

Hurst

Beynon

Armstrong

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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When hybridisation carries a cost, natural selection is predicted to favour evolution of traits that allow assortative mating (reinforcement). Incipient speciation between the two European house mouse subspecies, Mus musculus domesticus and M.m.musculus, sharing a hybrid zone, provides an opportunity to understand evolution of assortative mating at a molecular level. Mouse urine odours allow subspecific mate discrimination, with assortative preferences evident in the hybrid zone but not in allopatry. Here we assess the potential of MUPs (major urinary proteins) as candidates for signal divergence by comparing MUP expression in urine samples from the Danish hybrid zone border (contact) and from allopatric populations. Mass spectrometric characterisation identified novel MUPs in both subspecies involving mostly new combinations of amino acid changes previously observed in M.m.domesticus. The subspecies expressed distinct MUP signatures, with most MUPs expressed by only one subspecies. Expression of at least eight MUPs showed significant subspecies divergence both in allopatry and contact zone. Another seven MUPs showed divergence in expression between the subspecies only in the contact zone, consistent with divergence by reinforcement. These proteins are candidates for the semiochemical barrier to hybridisation, providing an opportunity to characterise the nature and evolution of a putative species recognition signal.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular heterogeneity in major urinary proteins of Mus musculus subspecies: potential candidates involved in speciation

Hurst

Beynon

Armstrong

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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“…The early‐season phenotype of H. titia more closely resembles sympatric congeners and is remarkably distinct from the late‐season phenotype, leading early researchers to classify light and dark variants of H. titia as separate species (Appendix S1). Previous studies on sympatric Hetaerina species have linked species differences in male wing coloration to interspecific fighting (Anderson & Grether, , ; Drury & Grether, ; Grether et al ., ) and species differences in female wing coloration to reproductive interference (i.e. heterospecific clasping; Drury et al ., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal polyphenism in wing coloration affects species recognition in rubyspot damselflies (Hetaerina spp.)

Drury

Anderson

Grether

2015

J of Evolutionary Biology

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Understanding how phenotypic plasticity evolves and in turn affects the course of evolution is a major challenge in modern biology. By definition, biological species are reproductively isolated, but many animals fail to distinguish between conspecifics and closely related heterospecifics. In some cases, phenotypic plasticity may interfere with species recognition. Here, we document a seasonal polyphenism in the degree of dark wing pigmentation in smoky rubyspot damselflies (Hetaerina titia) -a shift so pronounced that it led early researchers to classify different forms of H. titia as separate species. We further show how the seasonal colour shift impacts species recognition with the sympatric congener Hetaerina occisa. Interspecific aggression (territorial fights) and reproductive interference (mating attempts) are much more frequent early in the year, when H. titia more closely resembles H. occisa, compared to later in the year when the dark phase of H. titia predominates. Using wing colour manipulations of tethered damselflies, we show that the seasonal changes in interspecific interactions are caused not only by the seasonal colour shift but also by shifts in discriminatory behaviour in both species. We also experimentally tested and rejected the hypothesis that learning underlies the behavioural shifts in H. occisa. An alternative hypothesis, which remains to be tested, is that the seasonal polyphenism in H. titia wing coloration has resulted in the evolution of a corresponding seasonal polyphenism in species recognition in H. occisa. This study illustrates one of the many possible ways that plasticity in species recognition cues may influence the evolution of interspecific interactions.

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“…Overlap in territorial signals has been hypothesized to be the proximate cause of interspecific fighting in rubyspot damselflies (Odonata: Zygoptera: Calopterygidae: Hetaerina ; (Anderson & Grether ,b, ; Drury & Grether ). Mature males of all species in this New World genus display conspicuous red patches at the base of their wings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Wing Coloration in Sex Recognition and Competitor Recognition in Rubyspot Damselflies (Hetaerina spp.)

et al. 2015

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The decision rules that animals use for distinguishing between conspecifics of different age and sex classes are relevant for understanding how closely related species interact in sympatry. In rubyspot damselflies (Hetaerina spp.), the red wing coloration of mature males is hypothesized to be a key trait for sex recognition and competitor recognition within species and the proximate trigger for interspecific male-male aggression. We tested this hypothesis by manipulating the wing coloration of tethered conspecific intruders and measuring the responses of territory holders of three species in the field. As predicted, covering the red spots of mature males with black ink nearly eliminated territorial responses, and in some cases, territorial holders clasped the blackened males as if they were females. Adding red spots to female wings triggered territorial responses and nearly eliminated sexual responses. Immature males with artificial red spots were attacked at the same rate as mature male intruders, and much more frequently than were immature male controls. The results varied somewhat by species. In H. titia, the only species of Hetaerina with substantial black wing pigmentation, the effects of blackening the red spots of intruders varied both geographically and seasonally. But even when blackening the red spots of male intruders did not reduce the aggressive response of H. titia territory holders, adding artificial red spots to female wings elicited aggressive responses and nearly eliminated sexual responses. The results of this study further strengthen the evidence that interspecific aggression in Hetaerina results from overlap in territorial signals and that the derived black wing pigmentation of H. titia reduces interspecific aggression.

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Interspecific aggression, not interspecific mating, drives character displacement in the wing coloration of male rubyspot damselflies ( Hetaerina )

Cited by 36 publications

References 56 publications

Molecular heterogeneity in major urinary proteins of Mus musculus subspecies: potential candidates involved in speciation

Molecular heterogeneity in major urinary proteins of Mus musculus subspecies: potential candidates involved in speciation

Seasonal polyphenism in wing coloration affects species recognition in rubyspot damselflies (Hetaerina spp.)

The Role of Wing Coloration in Sex Recognition and Competitor Recognition in Rubyspot Damselflies (Hetaerina spp.)

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