Collaborative Research: The Evolution of Pheromone Signals and Their Role in Behavioral Isolation

合作研究：信息素信号的演变及其在行为隔离中的作用。Houck Stevan Arnold和Richard C.数百万年来，雄性陆地蝾螈一直在进行一种奇怪的求偶，这种求偶包括给雌性蝾螈注射信息素。 这些求偶信息素是增强雌性性感受性的蛋白质信号。 这种生殖交流的例子一直被认为是由雄性信号的性选择（通过雌性配偶选择）形成的。 然而，最近的证据表明，求偶信息素是雌性使用的信号--不是用于配偶选择--而是用于物种识别。因此，这种信号系统的进化可能是由配偶识别和行为隔离引导的。 一个发达的研究系统将被用来调查男性求爱信息素信号是否影响行为隔离，从而形成。 两个具体的问题将被解决：（1）男性求偶信息素信号促进行为隔离？(2)什么过程能最好地解释观察到的行为孤立的演变？ 在拟议的工作中，将集中在六个人口对表现出不同程度的行为隔离。 化学信号将通过实验操作，以测试男性化学信号有助于行为隔离的假设。 其次，将使用数学模型来模拟一组相关物种的雄性信息素信号和雌性交配偏好的联合进化。每个模型的模拟数据将与行为隔离的实际测量进行比较，以确定哪个模型最适合。 模拟方法将普遍适用于任何通信系统，其中有已知的相关性和这些物种对之间的行为隔离的调查物种。 结合起来，研究将构成一个令人信服的案例研究行为隔离机制及其如何演变。

Collaborative Research: The Evolution of Pheromone Signals and their Role in Behavioral IsolationPI: Lynne D. Houck & Stevan Arnold and Richard C. Feldhoff & Pamela Feldhoff For millions of years, male terrestrial salamanders have executed a bizarre courtship that involves injecting females with pheromones. These courtship pheromones are protein signals that enhance the sexual receptivity of females. This example of reproductive communication has long been viewed as being shaped by sexual selection (via female mate choice) on the male signal. More recent evidence, however, implicates courtship pheromones as signals used by the female -not for mate choice- but for species identification. Thus, the evolution of this signaling system may be guided by mate recognition and behavioral isolation. A well-developed study system will be used to investigate whether male courtship pheromone signals affect behavioral isolation and hence speciation. Two specific questions will be addressed: (1) Do male courtship pheromone signals promote behavioral isolation? (2) What processes best explain the observed evolution of behavioral isolation? In the proposed work, will focus on six population pairs showing different levels of behavioral isolation. Chemical signals will be experimentally manipulated to test the hypothesis that male chemical signaling contributes to behavioral isolation. Secondly, mathematical models will be used to simulate the joint evolution of the male pheromone signal and female mating preferences across a group of related species. Simulated data from each model will be compared with actual measures of behavioral isolation to determine which model gives the best fit. Simulation methods will apply generally to any communication systems for which there are species of known relatedness and a survey of behavioral isolation between pairs of these species. In combination, research will constitute a compelling case study of behavioral isolating mechanisms and how they evolve.