Moths passing in the night: Phenological and genomic divergences within a forest pest complex.

ABSTRACT: Temporal separation of reproductive timing can contribute to species diversification both through allochronic speciation and later reinforcement of species boundaries. Such phenological differences are an enigmatic component of evolutionary divergence between two major forest defoliator species of the spruce budworm complex: Choristoneura fumiferana and C. occidentalis. While these species interbreed freely in laboratory settings, natural hybridization rates have not been reliably quantified due to their indistinguishable morphology. To assess whether temporal isolation is contributing to reproductive isolation, we collected adult individuals throughout their expected zone of sympatry in western Canada at 10-day intervals over two successive years, assigning taxonomic identit

SUBMITTER: Nelson TD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8792478 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature