The original habitat of the North American maggot fly, Rhagoletis pomonella, was native hawthorn trees. About 200 years ago, some populations colonized newly introduced apple trees. The two populations are still classified as subspecies, but sympatric speciation is under way. What has contributed to incipient speciation in the maggot fly?

Question

Simone Estrada

Biology

4 January, 18:57

The original habitat of the North American maggot fly, Rhagoletis pomonella, was native hawthorn trees. About 200 years ago, some populations colonized newly introduced apple trees. The two populations are still classified as subspecies, but sympatric speciation is under way. What has contributed to incipient speciation in the maggot fly?

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Answers (1)

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Brenton Mitchell · Answer 1

Answer: Because apples mature more quickly than hawthorn fruit.

Explanation:

Sympatric speciation can be defined as the formation (evolution) of new species from the previously surviving ancestral species while both continue to inhabit at the same place. This is because the one of the two organism there got better resources than other.

Here, the reason the maggot fly has been contributed to the incipient speciation because apple matures more quickly as compared to that of the hawthorn fruit.

The flies feeding on apple have been selected for the rapid development.