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.

Details

Title
Phenotypic disruption of cuticular hydrocarbon production in hybrids between sympatric species of Hawaiian picture-wing Drosophila
Author
Fezza Thomas J 1 ; Siderhurst, Matthew S 2 ; Jang, Eric B 3 ; Stacy, Elizabeth A 4 ; Price, Donald K 4 

 University of Hawaii at Hilo, Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Sciences, Hilo, USA (GRID:grid.266426.2) (ISNI:0000 0000 8723 917X) 
 Eastern Mennonite University, Department of Chemistry, Harrisonburg, USA (GRID:grid.255398.0) (ISNI:0000 0001 2293 7847) 
 United States Department of Agriculture, Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research, D.K.I, U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, Hilo, USA (GRID:grid.417548.b) (ISNI:0000 0004 0478 6311) 
 University of Hawaii at Hilo, Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Sciences, Hilo, USA (GRID:grid.266426.2) (ISNI:0000 0000 8723 917X); University of Nevada, School of Life Sciences, Las Vegas, USA (GRID:grid.272362.0) (ISNI:0000 0001 0806 6926) 
Publication year
2022
Publication date
2022
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2641739408
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2022. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.