Linkage of butterfly mate preference and wing color preference cue at the genomic location of wingless.

ABSTRACT: Sexual isolation is a critical form of reproductive isolation in the early stages of animal speciation, yet little is known about the genetic basis of divergent mate preferences and preference cues in young species. Heliconius butterflies, well known for their diversity of wing color patterns, mate assortatively as a result of divergence in male preference for wing patterns. Here we show that the specific cue used by Heliconius cydno and Heliconius pachinus males to recognize conspecific females is the color of patches on the wings. In addition, male mate preference segregates with forewing color in hybrids, indicating a genetic association between the loci responsible for preference and preference cue. Quantitative trait locus mapping places a preference locus coincident with the locus th

SUBMITTER: Kronforst MR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1458925 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature