DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Connecting mechanisms of variance in reproductive success to consequences of trait divergence among Tribolium species

影响繁殖成功的特征可能非常复杂，但在相关物种之间差异很大。这些特征的变异不仅影响个体--S在种群中的成功，而且还有助于当群体在选择配偶的重要特征上存在差异时，形成新的物种。当动物在一个繁殖周期内与多个个体交配时，衡量繁殖成功变得更加复杂，这是一种常见的情况。繁殖成功是对性状进化的主要影响，因此，繁殖成功不仅取决于交配成功，而且还取决于竞争性受精的卵子和产生高质量的后代。使用成排的面粉甲虫，谁是雄虫？为了产生带有红色或绿色荧光标记头部的精子，这项研究将评估这些不同选择性事件的结果，并确定它们对生殖成功的贡献。使用荧光精子系还可以确定群体内竞争性受精成功率差异的潜在机制，以及杂交与同种交配受精能力的差异。最后，这项研究将探索在这种高度混杂的物种中，重复交配如何影响后代产量。由于粉甲是经济上重要的储粮害虫，对它们生殖系统的了解可以为管理工作提供参考。此外，该项目将包括多名本科生研究人员的参与，以及对锡拉丘兹市学区的外联。

Traits that influence reproductive success can be both remarkably elaborate and differ greatly between related species. Variation in such traits not only influences an individual?s success in populations, but can also help form new species when groups differ in characteristics important to choosing a mate. Measuring reproductive success becomes more complex when animals mate with multiple individuals within a single breeding cycle, a common occurrence. Reproductive success, a major influence on trait evolution, is then shaped not only by success in achieving matings, but also by competitively fertilizing eggs, and producing high quality offspring. Using lines of flour beetles whose males? produce sperm with red or green fluorescent tagged heads, this research will evaluate the outcome of these different selective episodes and identify their contribution to reproductive success. The use of the fluorescent sperm lines also enables identification of mechanisms underlying differences in competitive fertilization success within populations, as well as differences in fertilization capability in hybrid versus same species matings. Finally, this research will explore how repeated matings influence offspring production in this highly promiscuous species.Because flour beetles are economically significant stored grain pests, insight to their reproductive system can inform management efforts. Additionally, the project will include involvement of multiple undergraduate researchers and outreach to the Syracuse City School District.