Speciation, sexual selection, and the macroevolution of cricket mating signals

Mating signal traits in crickets linked to conspecific signal recognition diverge rapidly at speciation, then show relative stasis, with the pattern stronger where gene flow is possible.

• Why it matters: The work addresses how mating signals evolve during speciation, testing whether intrapopulation sexual selection traits are the main drivers of interspecific divergence.
• What they did: Using a comparative clade-wide framework, the study contrasts recognition-associated versus sexually selected persuasion mating signal evolution, focusing on divergence at speciation and equilibrium patterns, and examines effects enhanced among species pairs with potential gene flow.
• The result: Recognition-linked traits show fast initial divergence followed by stasis, implying a mechanistic timing for speciation facilitation, while persuasion trait evolution is not associated with initial species divergence.

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