Meeting Abstract

S6-1.5  Jan. 5  Exploring the Genetics of Conspecific Sperm Precedence in Two Ground Cricket Species HOWARD, Daniel J.*; BRASWELL, W. Evan; New Mexico State University dahoward@nmsu.edu

Allonemobius fasciatus and A. socius are closely related ground crickets that are reproductively isolated by conspecific sperm precedence. We have examined the genetic basis of this isolation through QTL studies and through expressed sequence tag (EST) analyses of three body parts that play important roles in fertilization: the accessory glands and testes of males and the spermathecae of females. In this talk, I will concentrate on the EST work, describing sequences that have diverged between the two species and patterns of gene exchange in sympatric populations. Of particular interest are sequences that have diverged quickly, with high dN/dS ratios, and do not cross the species boundary in sympatric populations.