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

影响繁殖成功的性状在相关物种之间可能非常复杂，而且差异很大。这些特征的变异不仅影响个体？但当群体在选择配偶的重要特征上存在差异时，也可以帮助形成新物种。当动物在一个繁殖周期内与多个个体交配时，衡量繁殖成功率变得更加复杂，这是一种常见的现象。繁殖成功是性状进化的主要影响因素，它不仅取决于交配的成功，还取决于卵子的竞争性受精，以及产生高质量的后代。用面粉甲虫的雄性？产生带有红色或绿色荧光标记头部的精子，本研究将评估这些不同选择事件的结果，并确定它们对生殖成功的贡献。荧光精子系的使用还可以确定种群内竞争受精成功差异的机制，以及杂交与同种交配中受精能力的差异。最后，本研究将探讨在这种高度混杂的物种中，重复交配如何影响后代的产生。因为粉甲虫是经济上重要的储存谷物害虫，了解它们的生殖系统可以为管理工作提供信息。此外，该项目将包括多名本科生研究人员的参与，并延伸到锡拉丘兹市学区。

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.