Evolution reproductive isolation

Phelan, P. L. and Baker T. C. (1987). Evolution of male pheromones in moths reproductive isolation through sexual selection Science 235 205-207. 

Collins, M. M. and Tuskes, P. M. (1979). Reproductive isolation in sympatric species of dayflying moths (Hemileuca Saturniidae). Evolution 33 728-733. 

Lofstedt, C., Herrebout, W.M. and Menken, S.B.J. (1991). Sex pheromones and their potential role in the evolution of reproductive isolation in small ermine moths (Yponomeutidae). Chemoecology 2 20-28. 

Evolution of male pheromones in moths reproductive isolation through sexual selection. Science 235 205-207. 

Speoies are groups of actually or potentially interbreeding populations reproductively isolated from other such groups. (No word about evolution or characters). 

Species are groups of interbreeding natural populations reproductively isolated from other such groups. (1969. Principles of Systematic Zoology 26). (No word about evolution, —maybe implicitly meant— nor about characters, the notion potentially interbreeding is, correctly, deleted). 

In Chapter 2, Vacquier and coauthors present a detailed account of their research on two acrosomal proteins of abalone sperm. This research has significantly advanced our understanding of how species-specificity evolves. Knowledge of the behavior and structure of these sperm proteins has suggested possible mechanisms of evolution of species-specific gamete interactions and has demonstrated that these proteins may play essential roles in establishing reproductive isolation between species. 

Lee CE (2000) Global phylogeography of a cryptic copepod species complex and reproductive isolation between genetically proximate populations . Evolution 254 2014—2017... 

Shine R, Reed RN, Shetty S, Lemaster M, Mason RT (2002) Reproductive isolating mechanisms between two sympatric sibling species of sea snakes. Evolution 56 1655-1662... 

Arnold, S. and Houck, L. 1982. Courtship pheromones Evolution by natural and sexual selection, pp. 178—211, In Biochemical Aspects of Evolutionary Biology. (Ed. By N. Nittecki), Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago. Davis, W.C. and Twitty, V.C. 1964. Courtship behavior and reproductive isolation in the species of Taricha (Amphibia, Caudata). Copeia, 1964, 601-610. 

Nei M, Maruyama T, Wu C-I (1983) Models of evolution of reproductive isolation. Genetics 103 557-579 Pantazidis AC, Zouros E (1988) Location of an autosomal factor causing sterility in Drosophila moiavensis males carrying the Drosophila arizonensis Y chromosome. Heredity 60 299-304... 

It appears from these studies that pheromone trail specificity played an early role in the evolution of species reproductive isolation in Thamnophis. Behavioral assays of trail specificity of a variety of snakes would be valuable as they may be important clues to ancestral relationships of snakes and the ecological pressures during their evolution. 

Random mutations may be induced in a protein, and the variant proteins with the desired qualities sorted out from the protein mix. Once the variant proteins have been isolated, further mutations and selection of those variants are performed. This process of mutations and selection is called directed evolution because it simulates natural selection and may produce more fit or successful proteins. Another technique used in directed evolution is DNA shuffling, which mixes and matches pieces of variants to produce better protein products. This process is similar to the recombination process that occurs naturally in individual cells during sexual reproduction. 

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