Date of Award
Summer 8-23-2025
Document Type
Masters Thesis
Degree Name
M.S. in Biological Sciences
Organizational Unit
College of Natural Science and Mathematics, Biological Sciences
First Advisor
Robin Tinghitella
Second Advisor
Erica Larson
Third Advisor
Jonathan Velotta
Fourth Advisor
Thomas Fireno
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
All Rights Reserved.
Keywords
Hybridizing insect systems, Chrysochus beetles, Gryllus crickets, Reproductive barriers
Abstract
This thesis investigates possible mechanisms of prezygotic reproductive isolation in two hybridizing insect systems: Chrysochus beetles and Gryllus crickets. In Chrysochus, I used controlled mating trials to test whether copulation duration differed between conspecific and heterospecific matings. Heterospecific copulations were longer in virgin females, but this effect disappeared in later matings, suggesting limited potential for this behavior to act as a consistent reproductive barrier. In Gryllus, I analyzed five male acoustic traits from individuals within a natural hybrid zone. Only temporal traits (pulse rate and pulses per chirp) differed significantly between species. These differences may contribute to behavioral isolation, although female preferences remain untested. In both systems, behavioral divergence appears context-dependent and inconsistent, which highlights the complexity of behavioral reproductive isolation as it works simultaneously with other mechanisms of reproductive isolation. These studies suggest that mating behavior and mate choice may strengthen species boundaries under certain conditions, but likely only when interacting with other ecological factors.
Copyright Date
8-2025
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Lauren Wols
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
63 pgs
File Size
1.4 MB
Recommended Citation
Wols, Lauren, "Potential Reproductive Barriers in Two Hybrid Systems" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2656.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/2656