Project Title
The origin of incipient speciation in sympatric Otway Ranges populations of the Agile antechinus.
Abstract
The Agile antechinus (Antechinus agilis) is known to demonstrate geographic variation in teat number associated with localized climate effects on resource availability. Even though teat number shows strong associations with environment and latitude throughout most of the species’ range, within the Otway ranges in southwest Victoria, discrete 6- and 10-teat phenotypes occur at similar latitude and altitude. Previous work within our group has shown genetic and morphological divergence between adjacent populations of A. agilis, with different teat number, suggesting reproductive isolation between 6- and 10-teat animals. My research is looking for possible causes or processes that have resulted in the evolution and/or persistence of the two distinctly different teat number phenotypes.
This project has both genetic and ecological components. I am investigating a number of microhabitat properties, as well as various morphological traits, diet and other biological traits, to look for differences between 6-and 10-teat animals and their habitats and to characterise ‘mixed’ sites, where both teat number forms and a very small number of hybrid or admixed forms co-exist. A small ear tissue sample is also taken from each captured animal, to extract DNA and to assign animals to either 6-,10-teat or hybrid forms. Genetic analysis will also be used for parentage analysis to determine if mothers are mating with males of the same or different teat number genotypes.
By combining molecular, morphological and ecological assessments, this project can go a long way towards answering the question of what drives teat number variation in small dasyurid marsupials, placing limits on reproductive output and to demonstrate an example of incipient speciation through ecological divergence.
Supervisors
- Dr Paul Sunnucks
- Dr Andrea Taylor
See also
Molecular Ecology Research Group
Research Page
Juliey Beckman Research Page
