Selecting For Plasticity in the Harlequin Ladybird
- 👤 Speaker: Lea Van De Graaf - Department of Zoology
- 📅 Date & Time: Friday 22 April 2016, 17:00 - 17:30
- 📍 Venue: Tea Room, Department of Zoology
Abstract
The Harlequin or Asian ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) is an invasive species with a great number of colour morphs. One of these morphs (f. succinea) – the most common in invasive populations – also shows striking phenotypic plasticity. When reared in a cold environment dark melanin pigmentation is increased; a response that is in line with the thermal melanism hypothesis. Using a large-scale selection experiment I am investigating this plastic ability and the underlying heritable variation. Full-sibling groups are split over two temperatures, photographed, and analysed using image analysis software, in order to quantify the degree of plasticity (Reaction Norm) for each family. Now, nearing the end of the second generation, promising early results will be shown.
Series This talk is part of the Zoology Graduate Seminars series.
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Lea Van De Graaf - Department of Zoology
Friday 22 April 2016, 17:00-17:30