A research program investigating sources of variation in sexual signaling systems would be remiss without considering the longer-term downstream impacts of that variation on the generation of biodiversity – speciation. We have two projects in this general area: one investigating the repeatability of pre- and post-reproductive barriers between cricket species along a continental-scale cricket hybrid zone and one on the role of male competition in speciation.
Come back soon to learn more about our new NSF Rules of Life grant on with collaborators Erica Larson and Luana Maroja!
For more than 30 years, there has been a single dominant paradigm regarding sexual selection and speciation has been that sexual isolation evolves when elaborate male mating signals and strong female preferences diversify among populations. The idea that male competition may not only produce bizarre and spectacular displays, but could also split lineages remains largely unexplored. This is surprising because male competition has a strong direct effect on reproductive success, and other types of competition (i.e. resource) play a prominent role in our understanding of ecological speciation. We’ve been working to expand our speciation framework to more comprehensively evaluate the role of intrasexual selection. Freshwater threespine sticklebacks are characterized by the repeated evolutionary loss of an iconic male mating signal, the red throat. In Washington, populations that differ in expression of the red throat are genetically isolated, and where the red throat has been lost and replaced by black body coloration, male competition is dramatically altered, but female choice is not. This pattern strongly suggests divergence is associated with intrasexual, rather than intersexual selection.
Related Publications:
Tinghitella, R.M., Lackey, A.C.R., Durso, C., Koop, J.A.H., Boughman, J.W. 2020. The ecological stage changes benefits of mate choice and drives preference divergence. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. 375: 20190546.
Jenck, C.S.*, Lehto, W.R.*, Ketterman, B.T.**, Sloan, L.F.**, Sexton, A.N.**, Tinghitella, R.M. 2020. Phenotypic divergence between stickleback that differ in nuptial coloration. Evolution and Ecology. https://doi.org.10.1002/ece3.6105
Larson, E.L., Tinghitella, R.M., Taylor, S.A. 2019. Insect hybridization and climate change. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00348.
Tinghitella, R.M., Lackey, A.R., Martin, M., Dijkstra, P., Drury, J.P., Heathcote, R., Keagy, J., Scordato, E.S.C., & Tyers, A. 2018. A major player need not be the only player in speciation: a response to comments on Tinghitella et al. Behavioral Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/ary051.
Lackey, A.R., Martin, M. & Tinghitella, R.M. 2018. Male competition and speciation: expanding our framework for speciation by sexual selection. Current Zoology. 64(1): 69-73. https://doi.org/10.1093/cz/zoy009.
Tinghitella, R.M., Lehto, W.R. & Lierheimer, V.F. 2018. Color and behavior differently predict competitive outcomes for divergent stickleback color morphs. Current Zoology. 64(1): 115-123. https://doi.org/10.1093/cz/zox070.
Tinghitella, R.M., Lackey, A.R., Martin, M., Dijkstra, P., Drury, J.P., Heathcote, R., Keagy, J., Scordato, E.S.C., & Tyers, A. 2017. On the role of male competition in speciation: a review and research agenda. Behavioral Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arx151.
Tinghitella, R.M., Lehto, W.R., & Minter, R. 2015. The evolutionary loss of a badge of status alters male competition in the threespine stickleback. Behavioral Ecology. 26: 609-616.
Come back soon to learn more about our new NSF Rules of Life grant on with collaborators Erica Larson and Luana Maroja!
For more than 30 years, there has been a single dominant paradigm regarding sexual selection and speciation has been that sexual isolation evolves when elaborate male mating signals and strong female preferences diversify among populations. The idea that male competition may not only produce bizarre and spectacular displays, but could also split lineages remains largely unexplored. This is surprising because male competition has a strong direct effect on reproductive success, and other types of competition (i.e. resource) play a prominent role in our understanding of ecological speciation. We’ve been working to expand our speciation framework to more comprehensively evaluate the role of intrasexual selection. Freshwater threespine sticklebacks are characterized by the repeated evolutionary loss of an iconic male mating signal, the red throat. In Washington, populations that differ in expression of the red throat are genetically isolated, and where the red throat has been lost and replaced by black body coloration, male competition is dramatically altered, but female choice is not. This pattern strongly suggests divergence is associated with intrasexual, rather than intersexual selection.
Related Publications:
Tinghitella, R.M., Lackey, A.C.R., Durso, C., Koop, J.A.H., Boughman, J.W. 2020. The ecological stage changes benefits of mate choice and drives preference divergence. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. 375: 20190546.
Jenck, C.S.*, Lehto, W.R.*, Ketterman, B.T.**, Sloan, L.F.**, Sexton, A.N.**, Tinghitella, R.M. 2020. Phenotypic divergence between stickleback that differ in nuptial coloration. Evolution and Ecology. https://doi.org.10.1002/ece3.6105
Larson, E.L., Tinghitella, R.M., Taylor, S.A. 2019. Insect hybridization and climate change. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00348.
Tinghitella, R.M., Lackey, A.R., Martin, M., Dijkstra, P., Drury, J.P., Heathcote, R., Keagy, J., Scordato, E.S.C., & Tyers, A. 2018. A major player need not be the only player in speciation: a response to comments on Tinghitella et al. Behavioral Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/ary051.
Lackey, A.R., Martin, M. & Tinghitella, R.M. 2018. Male competition and speciation: expanding our framework for speciation by sexual selection. Current Zoology. 64(1): 69-73. https://doi.org/10.1093/cz/zoy009.
Tinghitella, R.M., Lehto, W.R. & Lierheimer, V.F. 2018. Color and behavior differently predict competitive outcomes for divergent stickleback color morphs. Current Zoology. 64(1): 115-123. https://doi.org/10.1093/cz/zox070.
Tinghitella, R.M., Lackey, A.R., Martin, M., Dijkstra, P., Drury, J.P., Heathcote, R., Keagy, J., Scordato, E.S.C., & Tyers, A. 2017. On the role of male competition in speciation: a review and research agenda. Behavioral Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arx151.
Tinghitella, R.M., Lehto, W.R., & Minter, R. 2015. The evolutionary loss of a badge of status alters male competition in the threespine stickleback. Behavioral Ecology. 26: 609-616.