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Host Fruit-Odor Discrimination and Sympatric Host-Race Formation
Book chapter

Host Fruit-Odor Discrimination and Sympatric Host-Race Formation

Andrew A Forbes and Jeffrey L Feder
Specialization, Speciation, and Radiation
University of California Press
03/01/2008
DOI: 10.1525/california/9780520251328.003.0008

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Abstract

This chapter examines host-fruit-odor discrimination in the apple maggot fly, Rhagoletis pomonella, and its role in sympatric speciation via host-plant shifting. It shows that R. pomonella flies both positively orient to the odor of their respective natal host fruits and avoid non-natal odor. F1 hybrids between apple- and hawthorn-infesting host races of R. pomonella generally fail to orient to the fruit odor of either apples or hawthorns, suggesting that the evolution of new host-discrimination behaviors can generate significant postzygotic as well as premating reproductive isolation when insects must find appropriate host plants in a timely manner to mate and oviposit. The chapter discusses the adaptive zone hypothesis, ecological adaptation, host-specific mating, reproductive isolation, the pioneering work of Tom Wood and Ron Prokopy in the study of insect behavior and diversity, the natural and life history of R. pomonella, behavioral testing using synthetic fruit volatile blends, genetic analysis of fruit-odor discrimination, the physiological basis for fruit-odor discrimination, and the theoretical significance of fruit-odor discrimination studies. It concludes by discussing the generality of the Rhagoletis findings to other phytophagous insects.
adaptive zone hypothesis ecological adaptation evolutionary biology fruit odor hawthorns host races odor discrimination phytophagous insects reproductive isolation Rhagoletis pomonella sympatric speciation

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