Natural Selection on Mate Recognition in Field Populations of Drosophila serrata (2003-2005)
Abstract
Natural selection on mate recognition is thought to play an important role in the process of speciation. Stronger mating discrimination between closely related species in areas where their distributions overlap, referred to as reproductive character displacement, suggests that mate recognition has been reinforced by natural selection. Drosophila serrata displays reproductive character displacement in areas where it occurs alongside the congener D. birchii. Using a combination of molecular and quantitative genetic techniques I will investigate how reproductive character displacement has evolved in natural populations of D. serrata. Specifically, the role that natural selection has played in generating this pattern will be evaluated.''
