Fellows Seminar - Neural plasticity and the evolution of reproductive isolation in crickets
By Sylvain Hugel, 2021 Fellow
Reproductive isolation defines species boundaries and drives evolutionary divergence. In many animals, including crickets, species recognition relies on acoustic signals processed by neural circuits exhibiting short-term plasticity. How does the evolution of such circuits contribute to speciation?
Our discovery of two morphologically identical but acoustically distinct populations of Ornebius luteicercis on Réunion Island provides a rare window into this process. Behavioral and genetic data suggest an ongoing or recent speciation event, making these crickets an ideal model for studying the neural basis of reproductive barriers.
We have identified acoustic character displacement in contact zones, suggesting reinforcement of reproductive isolation. Initial genomic analyses are underway to clarify the evolutionary trajectory of these populations. Recently initiated in vivo brain imaging will further explore the auditory networks that enable species recognition, with future electrophysiological studies planned to refine our understanding of their function.
By integrating behavioral, genetic, and neurobiological approaches, this research aims to uncover how short-term plasticity contributes to species recognition and isolation. These findings will shed light on the interplay between neural processing and evolutionary change, offering new perspectives on how biodiversity emerges.
- Find out more about Sylvain Hugel and his USIAS project: Changes in short-term neuronal plasticity as a process by which populations evolve to become distinct species.
