We measured the egg size of six geographic populations of the pitcher-plant mosquito, Wyeomyia smithii, from Florida (30°N) to Ontario (49°N). Populations from northern latitudes produced larger eggs than populations from southern latitudes. Egg size increased with increasing latitude more rapidly when larvae were reared under low rather than high density. One southern (30°N) and one northern (49°N) population of W. smithii that persisted through 10 generations of selection for increased persistence under conditions of chronic thermal- and nutrient-limiting stress (conditions similar to southern rather than northern habitats) produced smaller eggs more rapidly than unselected control lines. However, there were no differences in lifetime fecundity or fertility between control and selected lines. Thus, laboratory evolution in an environment representative of extreme southern latitudes caused evolutionary changes consistent with geographic patterns of egg size. These results implicate temperature as a selective factor influencing the geographic variation of egg size in W. smithii, and demonstrate a novel trade-off in reproductive allocation between egg size and egg maturation time.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 February 2001
GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION AND THE EVOLUTION OF REPRODUCTIVE ALLOCATION IN THE PITCHER-PLANT MOSQUITO, WYEOMYIA SMITHII
Peter Armbruster,
William E. Bradshaw,
Kirsten Ruegg,
Christina M. Holzapfel
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
It is not available for individual sale.
This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
It is not available for individual sale.
Evolution
Vol. 55 • No. 2
February 2001
Vol. 55 • No. 2
February 2001
egg size
life-history trade-offs
reproductive allocation
thermal selection
Wyeomyia smithii