Beetle Pollinators of a Particular Plant Are Attracted to Its

question 40

Multiple Choice

Beetle pollinators of a particular plant are attracted to its flowers' bright orange color. The beetles not only pollinate the flowers, but they mate while inside the flowers. A mutant version of the plant with red flowers becomes more common with the passage of time. A particular variant of the beetle prefers the red flowers to the orange flowers. Over time, these two beetle variants diverge from each other to such an extent that interbreeding is no longer possible. What kind of speciation has occurred in this example, and what has driven it?

• A)allopatric speciation; ecological isolation
• B)sympatric speciation; habitat differentiation
• C)allopatric speciation; behavioural isolation
• D)sympatric speciation; sexual selection
• E)sympatric speciation; allopolyploidy

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Definitions:

Sperm Cheaply

Refers to the biological concept that producing sperm involves lower physiological cost compared to egg production, affecting reproductive strategies.

Fertilize Many Females

A reproductive strategy used by some males in a species to increase their chances of passing on their genes by mating with multiple females.

Polyandry

A mating system where females mate (or attempt to mate) with multiple males.

Polygyny

A mating system where a male mates with multiple females within one breeding season, commonly observed in animals.