The role of sexual isolation during rapid ecological divergence: evidence for a new dimension of isolation in Rhagoletis pomonella

The pace of divergence and likelihood of complete speciation may depend on how and when different types of reproductive barriers evolve. Questions remain about the evolution of reproductive barriers after initial divergence. We tested for the presence of sexual isolation (reduced mating between populations due to divergent mating preferences and traits) in Rhagoletis pomonella flies, a model system for incipient ecological speciation. We measured the strength of sexual isolation between two very recently diverged (~170 generations) sympatric populations, adapted to different host fruits (hawthorn and apple). We found that flies from both populations were more likely to mate within than between populations. Thus, sexual isolation may play an important role in reducing gene flow allowed by early-acting ecological barriers. We also tested how warmer temperatures predicted under climate change could alter sexual isolation and found that sexual isolation was markedly asymmetric under warmer ..., ,