Beetle pollinators of a particular plant are attracted to its flowers' bright orange color. The beetles not only pollinate the flowers, but they mate while inside the flowers. A mutant version of the plant with red flowers becomes more common with the passage of time. A particular variant of the beetle prefers the red flowers to the orange flowers. Over time, these two beetle variants diverge from each other to such an extent that interbreeding is no longer possible. Which of the following possible causes of speciation best describes the beetle example and what factor has driven it?
A) allopatric speciation; ecological isolation
B) allopatric speciation; behavioral isolation
C) sympatric speciation; habitat differentiation
D) sympatric speciation; allopolyploidy

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The example describes sympatric speciation, where speciation occurs within the same geographical area, driven by habitat differentiation (preference for different types of flowers).

Beetle Pollinators of a Particular Plant Are Attracted to Its