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Assortative mating between chromosome forms of the mole rat,Spalax ehrenbergi

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Summary

Females of two parapatric chromosomal forms (2n=52 and 2n=58) of the fossorial mole rat,Spalax ehrenbergi, in Israel, were tested for mate selection between two alternative, a homo- and a heterochromosomal, males. Estrous females significantly preferred the male of their own chromosomal form, on the basis of several behavioural criteria. The evolutionary significance of the positive assortative mating found, lies presumably in reinforcing reproductive isolation between the chromosome forms, thereby contributing to finalize speciation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, 31 999, Haifa, Israel

    E. Nevo & Giora Heth

Authors
  1. E. Nevo
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  2. Giora Heth
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Additional information

Acknowledgments. We thank M. Avrahami and Y. Sivan for field assistance; H. Bar-El for karyotyping the animals; Z. gilula for statistical assistance and I. Kornfield and S. Mendlinger for critically commenting on the manuscript. This study was partly supported by a Volkswagenwerk, grant No. A 3:11:1434, and an Israel National Academy of Sciences, grant No. 184 to E. Nevo.

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Nevo, E., Heth, G. Assortative mating between chromosome forms of the mole rat,Spalax ehrenbergi. Experientia 32, 1509–1511 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01924422

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