Ecological speciation in gall wasps

What is it about?

Herein, we test a main prediction of ecological speciation theory: allopatric populations inhabiting different environments will exhibit greater morphological differences and express greater reproductive isolation than allopatric populations in the same environment. We test this prediction using populations of a cynipid gall wasp that attack two different oak species. We find evidence consistent with a role for divergent selection generating reproductive isolation and promoting speciation.

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