Publication details
Reprodukční kompatibilita hostitelských linií štěnice domácí
| Title in English | Reproductive compatibility of the bedbugs host lines |
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| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2019 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Ecological speciation is a concept widely discussed as an alternative to the allopathic origin of a species. It assumes the specialization of the lines, which is maintained through selection against hybridization. However, the alternative scenario in which the reproductive barrier arises as a direct result of specific ecology is neglected. Bed bug (Cimex lectularius) represents two sympathetic lines - on humans and bats. However, these lines are genetically isolated. The cooperation of four workplaces (Czech Republic, Germany) is currently testing the effect of a specific diet (human and bat blood) on the phenotype of sperm, and consequently on reproductive compatibility bed bugs. An essential part of the project is a test of the effect of the genetic component on line compatibility. We therefore compare the fertility of females mating with male and foreign host lines on a unified diet in all combinations of three human populations and three bat populations. A preliminary evaluation of approximately 200 females showed that at least females from the bat line lay more eggs after mating with males from the human line than the males of the line. Female human lines showed a similar trend. We also evaluated the viability of nearly 1000 offspring. Hybrids of females from the bat line and males from the human line survived longer than the offspring crossed within the bat line. Therefore, there is no reproductive barrier due to genomic incompatibility between the bug host lines. Preliminary results, on the other hand, pointed to a possible heterogeneous effect when crossing distant lines. |
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