REU: Competitive Displacement: The Role of Reproductive Mode and Parasitism

本研究关注性别、寄生虫和克隆多样性在观察到的热带太平洋壁虎竞争位移中的作用。一种名为Hermidactylus frenatus的有性家壁虎被引入太平洋岛屿后，取代了至少其他三种常见的城市壁虎，这是一种广泛的生物地理模式。其中两种(H. garnotti （g)和Lepidodactylus lugubris (L1)）是孤雌生殖。此外，Takapoto（位于Tuomotus）的珊瑚环礁是一个理想的研究场所，用于研究未描述的有性鳞足类物种被孤雌L. lugubris竞争性取代。迄今为止的实验结果证实了锂离子被Hf竞争性置换，并提出了可能的机制。主要研究人员建议在夏威夷的掩体中进行引入实验，以确定攻击性和光（因为它集中了昆虫的食物）在竞争优势中的作用。在Takapoto，研究人员将评估性别的精细分布，无性和杂交鳞翅目昆虫种类及跨空间寄生虫的发病率。以前,这些研究人员血液寄生虫的发病率要高得多无性壁虎与有性壁虎的比较。目前的工作将确定这种模式在属中有多普遍如果它与分子多态性有关，这一点已经被发现，在主要组织相容性复合体中。

This research concerns the role of sex, parasites, and clonal diversity in observed competitive displacements among geckos in the tropical Pacific. A wide-scale biogeographic pattern has been documented which a sexual house gecko, Hermidactylus frenatus, (Hf) upon introduction to islands in the Pacific, replaces at least three other species as the common urban gecko. Two of the three species (H. garnotti (g) and Lepidodactylus lugubris (L1) reproduce parthenogenetically. In addition, the coral atoll of Takapoto (in the Tuomotus) is an ideal study site for a competitive displacement of undescribed sexual Lepidodactylus species by the parthenogen L. lugubris. Experimental results to date verify the competitive displacement of LI by Hf and suggest possible mechanisms involved. The principle investigators propose introduction experiments in bunkers in Hawaii to determine the role of aggression and light (as it concentrates insect food) on competitive dominance. In Takapoto the researchers will assess the fine scale distribution of the sexual, asexual and hybrid Lepidodactylus species and the incidence of parasites across space. Previously, these researchers have much higher incidence of blood parasites in asexual gecko species compared to sexuals. The present work will determine how general this pattern is within the genus Lepidodactylus and if it can be related to molecular polymorphism, which has been uncovered, in the major histocompatibility complex.