Incomplete behavioural isolation and asymmetric female preference in darter sister species (Percidae: Etheostoma)

In this study, female preferences and behavioural isolation were estimated in a pair of allopatric sister species, Etheostoma duryi and Etheostoma flavum. Dichotomous mate preference trials were conducted to determine whether females prefer to associate with conspecific over heterospecific males and free-spawning assays were conducted to determine whether those preferences translated into behavioural isolation. Dichotomous mate choice trials revealed asymmetric female preference, as female E. flavum preferred conspecific males, whereas female E. duryi showed no preference. Free-spawning assays indicated that behavioural isolation remains incomplete between E. duryi and E. flavum (IB = 0·19). In addition to female mating preferences, male behaviour also appeared to influence mating outcomes as male E. flavum consistently courted conspecific females more often in free-spawning assays whereas male E. duryi did not. The data therefore suggest that despite marked divergence in male nuptial colour, divergence in female preferences between these species may not be sufficient to maintain species boundaries upon secondary contact. These results contrast with similar work in a sympatric darter species pair and may be explained by considering the contributions of reinforcement and differences in colour pattern as well as colour value.