Song QTL RNAseq Annotation. Laupala

Despite the multifarious nature of speciation, study of the genetic basis of traits involved in disrupting gene flow between nascent species promises insights into how divergent reproductive barriers evolve. With technology advances, we are beginning to learn about the genes underlying early lineage divergence (e.g. pigmentation differences in butterflies (Martin et al., 2014), fish (Kratochwil et al., 2019)). Behavioral traits are likely often involved in the first phases of speciation (e.g. olfactory behavior in flies (Jiggins & Bridle, n.d.) and moths (Bethenod et al., 2005)). Evidence also suggests that motor behaviors involved in courtship, particularly rhythmic behaviors, also diversify commonly among diverging populations and nascent species (e.g. bird song (Campagna et al., 2018), jumping spider body rhythms (Masta & Maddison, 2002)). Here we studied the genetic architecture of cricket song, an example of a rapidly evolving trait characterizing speciation in the Hawaiian cricket genus Laupala.