Biology subjects

Cordero-Rivera, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Cordero-Rivera, A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Temporal persistence of admixed phenotypes in a damselfly hybrid zone

In odonates, hybridization has been documented in several species pairs, yet the long-term persistence of hybrid phenotypes remains poorly understood, particularly in Neotropical systems. Here, we investigate a putative hybrid zone between Ischnura capreolus and Ischnura cyane, which overlap along an altitudinal gradient in the Colombian Andes. We combined temporal sampling across sympatric and allopatric localities with multilocus genetic analyses and geometric morphometrics of wings and male caudal appendages to evaluate patterns of admixture and phenotypic intermediacy. Morphometric analyses revealed pronounced differentiation between I. capreolus and I. cyane, especially in allopatric populations, whereas individuals from sympatric localities displayed increased morphological overlap and intermediate phenotypes. Genetic analyses based on nuclear and mitochondrial genes identified two main genetic clusters corresponding to the parental species, with evidence of admixture and shared haplotypes in sympatric localities. Patterns of differentiation varied among loci, with mitochondrial markers showing broader haplotype sharing than nuclear loci. Across sympatric localities, morphologically intermediate individuals remained consistently present through time, particularly in Anolaima, where they represented the dominant phenotype across sampling periods. These results support concordant morphological and genetic evidence consistent with persistent hybridization and introgression between I. capreolus and I. cyane in their zone of contact and suggest that incomplete reproductive isolation contributes to the long-term maintenance of admixed phenotypes in this hybrid zone.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Alternative reproductive strategies explain asymmetric reinforcement of reproductive isolation in two Ischnura damselfly species

Theoretical and empirical studies on reinforcement have been a central focus in speciation research. Despite its significance, reinforcement in polymorphic species has received little attention, even though morphs often exhibit differences in behavior and reproductive capacity, which could drive asymmetric reinforcement. In this study, we tested for asymmetric reinforcement between morphs in the polymorphic damselflies Ischnura elegans and Ischnura graellsii, in which female morphs exhibit alternative reproductive strategies and males show a preference for the gynochrome morph. These species have formed two independent hybrid zones where reinforcement has strengthened a mechanical barrier and reproductive character displacement has shaped mating-related structures. We compared the strength of five reproductive barriers between female morphs to assess the interplay between female-limited color polymorphism and reinforcement. We detected asymmetric reinforcement in premating and postmating barriers between morphs in both hybrid zones, likely driven by their different reproductive strategies. Additionally, we observed weakening of oviposition and fertility barriers probably associated with gene flow and purging of incompatibilities. Our findings highlight that inherent asymmetry in reproductive isolation, caused by differences in female morph reproductive strategies, drive asymmetric reinforcement between morphs. Future studies should explore the cascading effects of this process and its implications for morph speciation.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2020

DISPERSE: A trait database to assess the dispersal potential of aquatic macroinvertebrates

Dispersal is an essential process in population and community dynamics, but is difficult to measure in the field. In freshwater ecosystems, information on biological traits related to organisms morphology, life history and behaviour provides useful dispersal proxies, but information remains scattered or unpublished for many taxa. We compiled information on multiple dispersal-related biological traits of European aquatic macroinvertebrates in a unique resource, the DISPERSE database. DISPERSE includes 39 trait categories grouped into nine dispersal-related traits for 480 taxa, including Annelida, Mollusca, Platyhelminthes, and Arthropoda such as Crustacea and Insecta, generally at the genus level. Information within DISPERSE can be used to address fundamental questions in metapopulation ecology, metacommunity ecology, macroecology and evolutionary ecology research. Information on dispersal proxies can be applied to improve predictions of ecological responses to global change, and to inform improvements to biomonitoring and conservation management strategies. The diverse sources used in DISPERSE complement existing trait databases by providing new information on dispersal traits, most of which would not otherwise be accessible to the scientific community.

ecology↗