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Could hawthorn and apple maggot flies be considered an example of assortative mating, which was discussed in Chapter 19 ? Explain your answer.
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Assortative mating is a mating pattern and a form of sexual selection in which individuals with similar phenotypes mate with one another more frequently than would be expected under a random mating pattern. Examples of these phenotypes can be body size or Show more…
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Today, hawthorn and apple maggot flies are physically indistinguishable, however, they have different distinct genetic profiles. There is no geographic isolation or physical separation between the hawthorn and apple maggot flies. However, apple trees and hawthorn trees fruit ripen at different times. Hawthorn maggot flies strongly prefer to mate and lay fertilized eggs in hawthorn fruit, while apple maggot flies strongly prefer to mate and lay fertilized eggs in apple fruit. There is only a 4-6% rate that the two will mate to form a hybrid. The hybrids are viable and fertile. According to the biological species concept, are hawthorn and apple maggot flies separate species? Explain your answer.
What is assortative mating? a. when individuals mate with those who are similar to themselves b. when individuals mate with those who are dissimilar to themselves c. when individuals mate with those who are the most fit in the population d. when individuals mate with those who are least fit in the population
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