title: Sex chromosome-linked species recognition and evolution of reproductive isolation in flycatchers.
abstract: Interbreeding between species (hybridization) typically produces unfit offspring. Reduced hybridization should therefore be favored by natural selection. However, this is difficult to accomplish because hybridization also sets the stage for genetic recombination to dissociate species-specific traits from the preferences for them. Here we show that this association is maintained by physical linkage (on the same chromosome) in two hybridizing Ficedula flycatchers. By analyzing the mating patterns of female hybrids and cross-fostered offspring, we demonstrate that species recognition is inherited on the Z chromosome, which is also the known location of species-specific male plumage traits and genes causing low hybrid fitness. Limited recombination on the Z chromosome maintains associations of Z-linked genes despite hybridization, suggesting that the sex chromosomes may be a hotspot for adaptive speciation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Population Biology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Post Office Box 40, 6666 ZG Heteren, Netherlands. s.a.sather@bio.uio.no
authors.forename: Stein A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Saether
authors.forename: Glenn-Peter
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Saetre
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Borge
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wiley
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Svedin
authors.forename: Gunilla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Thor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Veen
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haavie
authors.forename: Maria R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Servedio
authors.forename: Stanislav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bures
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Král
authors.forename: Mårten B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Hjernquist
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gustafsson
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Träff
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Qvarnström
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005241:Feathers; D005260:Female; D051456:Gene Flow; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D049810:Genetic Speciation; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D008297:Male; D052586:Mating Preference, Animal; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012098:Reproduction; D012730:Sex Chromosomes / Q000235:genetics*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D020308:Songbirds / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*