SGER: Genetic Correlations in a Sender-Receiver Communication System

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A widely advocated mechanism for the evolution of reproductive isolation involves the co-evolution of sender/receiver communication systems between sexes. This study will test the hypothesis that male calling song and female mate preference are genetically correlated in the two sibling ground cricket species, Allonemobius fasciatus and A. socius. Parent- offspring and full sib quantitative genetic methods will be used to assess the degree to which inter-and intraspecific variation in male calling song is correlated to variation in female preference of a male's calling song. In addition, the heritability of female mate preference (as measured by phonotaxis to male calling songs) will be estimated. Knowledge of the heritability of female preference, and its genetic correlation with male calling song will provide insights concerning the speed of response to past, present and future selective pressures; more importantly, the absence of genetic variance could pose a fundamental constraint to the evolution of mate recognition systems.