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170 Years of “Lock-and-Key” : Genital Morphology and Reproductive Isolation
Author
Source
International Journal of Evolutionary Biology
Issue
Vol. 2012, Issue 2012 (31 Dec. 2012), pp.1-10, 10 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2011-12-10
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
10
Main Subjects
Abstract EN
The divergent genital morphology observed among closely related animal species has long been posited as a mechanism of reproductive isolation.
Despite the intuitive appeal that rapidly evolving genitalia might cause speciation, evidence for its importance—or even its potential—in reproductive isolation is mixed.
Most tests of genital structural isolation between species often fail to find convincing evidence that differences in morphology prevent copulation or insemination between species.
However, recent work suggests that differences in genital morphology might contribute to reproductive isolation in less obvious ways through interactions with sensory mechanisms that result in lowered reproductive fitness in heterospecific matings.
In this paper, I present a brief history of the “lock-and-key” hypothesis, summarize the evidence for the involvement of genital morphology in different mechanisms of reproductive isolation, discuss progress in identifying the molecular and genetic bases of species differences in genital morphology, and discuss prospects for future work on the role of genitalia in speciation.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Masly, John P.. 2011. 170 Years of “Lock-and-Key” : Genital Morphology and Reproductive Isolation. International Journal of Evolutionary Biology،Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-10.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-457092
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Masly, John P.. 170 Years of “Lock-and-Key” : Genital Morphology and Reproductive Isolation. International Journal of Evolutionary Biology No. 2012 (2012), pp.1-10.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-457092
American Medical Association (AMA)
Masly, John P.. 170 Years of “Lock-and-Key” : Genital Morphology and Reproductive Isolation. International Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 2011. Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-10.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-457092
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-457092