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Behavioral reproductive isolation among sympatric strains of Brachionus plicatilis Müller 1786: insights into the status of this taxonomic species

Gomez, Africa; Serra, Manuel

Authors

Manuel Serra



Abstract

We present results on cross-mating experiments using Brachionus plicatilis strains collected in three ponds of a coastal marsh (Torreblanca Marsh, Castellón, Spain). These strains were known to differ widely both in morphology and allozyme patterns from a previous study, where they were grouped into three genetically different clonal groups. Although some of the strains co-occurred in the same pond and sexual periods overlapped, no gene flow was found among them. Our first objective was to determine whether behavioral reproductive isolation was responsible for the absence of interbreeding. A second objective was to explore the relationship between sexual isolation and genetic divergence. We performed two experiments. In Experiment 1, we tested five strains from different clonal groups; in Experiment 2, we added a strain from a congeneric species, and strains from different ponds. We recorded male mating behavior in all possible male-female strain pairings. Our data show that males of a strain tend to mate with females of the same strain or genetically similar strains, regardless of the pond they come from. We also found a high positive correlation between isolation distance and genetic distance. These results support the view that mating behavior acts as an important isolating barrier giving cohesion to clonal groups, and structuring populations of this rotifer, and that Brachionus plicatilis is a taxon composed of more than one biological species.

Citation

Gomez, A., & Serra, M. (1995). Behavioral reproductive isolation among sympatric strains of Brachionus plicatilis Müller 1786: insights into the status of this taxonomic species. Hydrobiologia, 313-314(1), 111-119. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00025938

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Dec 31, 1995
Publication Date 1995-11
Journal Hydrobiologia
Print ISSN 0018-8158
Electronic ISSN 1573-5117
Publisher Springer Verlag
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 313-314
Issue 1
Pages 111-119
DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00025938
Keywords Aquatic Science; Pollution; General Environmental Science
Public URL https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/409434