DISSERTATION RESEARCH: MIMETIC DIVERGENCE AND THE EVOLUTION OF REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION IN THE MIMIC POISON FROG, RANITOMEYA IMITATOR

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Understanding how species form is a central goal for understanding how biodiversity is generated. Speciation may be driven by many causes, for example, by adaptation of a single species to distinct environments, a process known as ecological speciation. A mimetic radiation (when a single species adaptively radiates to resemble distinct model species) represents an ideal scenario for studying ecological speciation. We have identified a mimetic radiation in a species of Peruvian poison frog, Ranitomeya imitator, that has undergone divergence in color pattern to mimic four unrelated model species. The goal of this project is to assess whether mimetic divergence has led to reproductive isolation among different mimetic morphs of R. imitator. To test this, this project will assess reproductive isolation between mimetic morphs using a combination of population genetic analyses, mate choice experiments, and analyses of advertisement calls. This project may help elucidate whether ecological speciation occurs in a predictable way by identifying whether morphological divergence is a predictor of reproductive isolation. The study species, Ranitomeya imitator, has been highly publicized recently for its remarkable parental care strategies, both by the BBC (?Life in Cold Blood? series) and by the NHK (Japanese Broadcasting Corporation, currently in production). However, surprisingly little has been made about this species? fascinating mimicry system, which may be because this aspect of the species has barely been studied. As mimicry provides such a visually powerful example of natural selection, this research may help bring this aspect of this species? biology to the public eye.