Rapid Evolution of a Geographic Cline in Size in an Introduced Fly
The introduction and rapid spread of Drosophila subobscura in the New World two decades ago provide an opportunity to determine the predictability and rate of evolution of a geographic cline. In ancestral Old World populations, wing length increases clinally with latitude. In North American populati...
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Published in | Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 287; no. 5451; pp. 308 - 309 |
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Main Authors | , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Washington, DC
American Society for the Advancement of Science
14.01.2000
American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | The introduction and rapid spread of Drosophila subobscura in the New World two decades ago provide an opportunity to determine the predictability and rate of evolution of a geographic cline. In ancestral Old World populations, wing length increases clinally with latitude. In North American populations, no wing length cline was detected one decade after the introduction. After two decades, however, a cline has evolved and largely converged on the ancestral cline. The rate of morphological evolution on a continental scale is very fast, relative even to rates measured within local populations. Nevertheless, different wing sections dominate the New versus Old World clines. Thus, the evolution of geographic variation in wing length has been predictable, but the means by which the cline is achieved is contingent. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23 ObjectType-Article-1 ObjectType-Commentary-2 ObjectType-Feature-3 ObjectType-Feature-2 |
ISSN: | 0036-8075 1095-9203 |
DOI: | 10.1126/science.287.5451.308 |