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Speciation in fig pollinators and parasites
Author(s) -
Weiblen George D.,
Bush Guy L.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
molecular ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.619
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1365-294X
pISSN - 0962-1083
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-294x.2002.01529.x
Subject(s) - biology , sympatric speciation , sympatry , genetic algorithm , ecological speciation , ovipositor , allopatric speciation , evolutionary biology , host (biology) , ecology , pollinator , interspecific competition , parapatric speciation , zoology , pollen , hymenoptera , pollination , gene flow , population , genetic variation , genetics , demography , sociology , gene
Here we draw on phylogenies of figs and fig wasps to suggest how modes of speciation may be affected by interspecific interactions. Mutualists appear to have cospeciated with their hosts to a greater extent than parasites, which showed evidence of host shifting. However, we also repeatedly encountered a pattern not explained by either cospeciation or host switching. Sister species of fig parasites often attack the same host in sympatry, and differences in ovipositor length suggest that parasite speciation could result from divergence in the timing of oviposition with respect to fig development. These observations on fig parasites are consistent with a neglected model of sympatric speciation.