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Related Concept Videos

What is a Species?

What is a Species?

Genetics of Speciation

Genetics of Speciation

Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.

Speciation Rates

Speciation Rates

Formation of Species

Formation of Species

Speciation describes the formation of one or more new species from one or sometimes multiple original species. The resulting species are discrete from the parent species, and barriers to reproduction will typically exist. There are two primary mechanisms, speciation with and without geographic isolation—allopatric and sympatric speciation, respectively.

Mate Choice

Mate Choice

Mate choice—the decision about whom to mate with—is a type of natural selection, since animals must reproduce to pass down their genes. Mate choice is also called intersexual selection because the behavior occurs between the sexes.

Hybrid Zones

Hybrid Zones

Hybrid zones are narrow regions where two closely related species interact, mate, and produce hybrids. Relative to either parent species, hybrids may possess distinct phenotypic or genetic differences that impact their survival and reproductive success. The genetic variances introduced by hybridization influence species diversity and speciation processes within the hybrid zone.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 25, 2026

Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Published on: December 2, 2022

Dissecting post-mating prezygotic speciation phenotypes.

Kerry L Shaw¹, Jonathan M Lambert

¹Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.

Bioessays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology

|August 30, 2014

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Speciation phenotypes drive the origin of species by reducing gene flow. New tools allow direct observation of postmating, prezygotic (PMPZ) mechanisms causing conspecific sperm precedence (CSP).

Keywords:

postmating prezygotic phenotypes sexual selection speciation

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Genetics
Reproductive biology

Background:

Darwin's "mystery of mysteries" concerns the origin of species.
Speciation involves phenotypic differences that reduce gene flow between diverging populations.
Postmating, prezygotic (PMPZ) differentiation, leading to conspecific sperm precedence (CSP), is common in closely related species.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the mechanisms underlying conspecific sperm precedence (CSP).
To reveal the PMPZ phenotypes contributing to CSP in internally fertilizing organisms.

Main Methods:

Development of a novel sperm labeling system to distinguish sperm from different males.
Direct observation of sperm competition within the female reproductive tract.

Main Results:

Multiple PMPZ phenotypes have been identified that collectively cause CSP.
The study provides direct evidence of sperm competition dynamics influencing fertilization outcomes.

Conclusions:

Advances in research tools enable detailed study of CSP mechanisms.
Understanding CSP is crucial for unraveling PMPZ speciation phenotypes and the general principles of species origin.