speciation in Euphilotes

[Patrick Foley]

Jon Crowley's statement about male genitalia changing with the host 
plant has several problems. 1) Female genitalia associated with 
oviposition _might_ change with the morphology of the host plant. Males 
(who do not need to come into genitalic contact with the host plant) 
would only do so incidentally. 2) The host plant is the widespread 
Eriogonum nummalare. No hostplant change is involved in the dunes, at 
least according to the standard authority, Flora of North America 
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250060428). 
3) You are right: if the statement were true, then this would amount to 
some genetically based reproductive isolation. In actuality, subspecies 
are rarely testable for speciation since they are geographically 
isolated (_not_ an RIM) to some extent, and natural oppportunities to 
observe hybridization are rare to absent.

Patrick
patfoley at csus.edu

Stan Gorodenski wrote:

> This site says: "As with other subspecies of /Euphilotes/, mating is 
> assumed to be contained within the particular subspecies. This is 
> because when the subspecies evolved, the male genitalia changed to 
> accommodate changes in the host plant."
>
> This implies reproductive isolation and so it would make this 
> population a species, not a subspecies. Am I reading this wrong?
> Stan
>
> Mike Leski wrote:
>
>> Jon Crowley just sent me this link.  The photos of the lep are very 
>> nice.
>>  
>> Mike
>>  
>> http://www.sandmountain-nv.org/sand_mountain_blue.htm
>>
>> Yahoo! DSL 
>> <http://pa.yahoo.com/*http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=37474/*http://promo.yahoo.com/broadband/%20> 
>> Something to write home about. Just $16.99/mo. or less 
>
>
>
>
>
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