Title
Mating patterns and post-mating isolation in three cryptic species of the Engystomops petersi species complex
Date Issued
2017
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Narvaez A.E.
Ron S.R.
Hoke K.L.
Publisher(s)
Public Library of Science
Abstract
Determining the extent of reproductive isolation in cryptic species with dynamic geographic ranges can yield important insights into the processes that generate and maintain genetic divergence in the absence of severe geographic barriers. We studied mating patterns, propensity to hybridize in nature and subsequent fertilization rates, as well as survival and development of hybrid F1 offspring for three nominal species of the Engystomops petersispecies complex in Yasuní National Park, Ecuador. We found at least two species in four out of six locations sampled, and 14.3% of the wild pairs genotyped were mixed-species (heterospecific) crosses. We also found reduced fertilization rates in hybrid crosses between E petersi females and E "magnus" males, and between E "magnus" females and E "selva" males but not in the reciprocal crosses, suggesting asymmetric reproductive isolation for these species. Larval development times decreased in F1 hybrid crosses compared to same species (conspecific) crosses, but we did not find significant reduction in larval survival or early metamorph survival. Our results show evidence of post-mating isolation for at least two hybrid crosses of the cryptic species we studied. The general decrease in fertilization rates in heterospecific crosses suggests that sexual selection and reinforcement might have not only contributed to the pattern of call variation and behavioral isolation we see between species today, but they may also contribute to further signal divergence and behavioral evolution, especially in locations where hybridization is common and fertilization success is diminished. © 2017 Trillo et al.This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Volume
12
Issue
4
Number
5
Language
English
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85017098403
PubMed ID
Source
PLoS ONE
ISSN of the container
1932-6203
Sponsor(s)
To avoid introduction and transfer of novel genetic background into wild populations and to sample genetic material, all individuals used in this study were euthanized and tissue for DNA extraction was collected from the liver. Methods conformed to the AVMA 2013 Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals. All voucher specimens were deposited at QCAZ. Animal collection and research permits were provided by the Ecuadorian Ministerio de Ambiente (No.008-09 IC-DNB/MA, N o.001-10 IC-FAU-DNB/MA and No.0032-DPO-MA). This research was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at Colorado State University (09-027A-01).
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica