The Fartberry bug feeds on two species of plants in the Fartberry family: the St

Question

The Fartberry bug feeds on two species of plants in the Fartberry family: the Stink vine, which fruits in the late spring, and the Toot tree, which fruits in fall. The stink vine is native to the fartberry bug’s habitat, but the toot tree was introduced into the habitat recently. Researchers notice that now, fartberry bugs fall into two groups: some populations which are more fit on stink vine, and some which are more fit on toot tree. If there is assortative mating, this scenario could be an example of which of the following phenomena?

1) disruptive selection that may lead to sympatric speciation

2) directional selection that may lead to allopatric speciation

3) disruptive selection that may lead to allopatric speciation

4) directional selection that may lead to sympatric speciation

5) hybridization that may lead to polyploidy and speciation

Explanation / Answer

Allopathic speciation occurs due to reproductive isolation caused due to a geographical barrier. Sympatric speciation, however, results from a genetic barrier. Both the newly found species are located in the same niche.

Disruptive selection is when traits at the extreme ends our favored rather than the intermediate one while directional selection is when an extreme trait is favored shifting thr allele frequency in a direction depending on environmental pressure.

Hybridization leading to polyploidy, normally is a means of speciation in plants.

Since, the two populations of Fartberry bugs have been coexisting in the same niche without any geographical isolation, this is an example of Sympatric speciation. However, since the two extreme traits are favored giving each population whether it feeds on stink vine tree or toot tree, it is due to disruptive selection.

Therefore, option (1) is the correct answer.

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