Phenotypic Disruption of Cuticular Hydrocarbon Production in Hybrids Between Sympatric Species of Hawaiian Picture-Wing Drosophila

Authors

Thomas J. Fezza, University of Hawaii at Hilo
Matthew S. Siderhurst, Eastern Mennonite University
Eric B. Jang, United States Department of Agriculture
Elizabeth A. Stacy, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Donald K. Price, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-22-2022

Publication Title

Scientific Reports

First page number:

1

Last page number:

10

Abstract

Interspecies hybrids can express phenotypic traits far outside the range of parental species. The atypical traits of hybrids provide insight into differences in the factors that regulate the expression of these traits in the parental species. In some cases, the unusual phenotypic traits of hybrids can lead to phenotypic dysfunction with hybrids experiencing reduced survival or reproduction. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) in insects are important phenotypic traits that serve several functions, including desiccation resistance and pheromones for mating. We used gas chromatography mass spectrometry to investigate the differences in CHC production between two closely related sympatric Hawaiian picture-wing Drosophila species, Drosophila heteroneura and D. silvestris, and their F1 and backcross hybrid offspring. CHC profiles differed between males of the two species, with substantial sexual dimorphism in D. silvestris but limited sexual dimorphism in D. heteroneura. Surprisingly, F1 hybrids did not produce three CHCs, and the abundances of several other CHCs occurred outside the ranges present in the two parental species. Backcross hybrids produced all CHCs with greater variation than observed in F1 or parental species. Overall, these results suggest that the production of CHCs was disrupted in F1 and backcross hybrids, which may have important consequences for their survival or reproduction.

Keywords

Chemical biology; Evolution

Disciplines

Life Sciences

File Format

pdf

File Size

1370 KB

Language

English

Rights

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Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Repository Citation

Fezza, T. J., Siderhurst, M. S., Jang, E. B., Stacy, E. A., Price, D. K. (2022). Phenotypic Disruption of Cuticular Hydrocarbon Production in Hybrids Between Sympatric Species of Hawaiian Picture-Wing Drosophila. Scientific Reports 1-10.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-08635-w