Asymmetric dominance and asymmetric mate choice oppose premating isolation after allopatric divergence.

ABSTRACT: Assortative mating promotes reproductive isolation and allows allopatric speciation processes to continue in secondary contact. As mating patterns are determined by mate preferences and intrasexual competition, we investigated male-male competition and behavioral isolation in simulated secondary contact among allopatric populations. Three allopatric color morphs of the cichlid fish Tropheus were tested against each other. Dyadic male-male contests revealed dominance of red males over bluish and yellow-blotch males. Reproductive isolation in the presence of male-male competition was assessed from genetic parentage in experimental ponds and was highly asymmetric among pairs of color morphs. Red females mated only with red males, whereas the other females performed variable degrees of heterom

SUBMITTER: Sefc KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4409405 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature