A researcher notices that in a certain moth species, some females prefer to feed and lay eggs on domesticated solanaceous plants like potatoes and tomatoes. Other females prefer to feed and lay eggs on wild solanaceous plants like Datura. Both male and female moths primarily use scent to find these plants from afar. Females tend to mate where they feed, and the researcher finds a genetic basis for scent preference in these moths. Based on the above information, what might be occurring in this moth species?
A) divergence in sympatry
B) divergence due to habitat fragmentation
C) postzygotic isolation
D) polyploidization

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The presence of two different scent preferences in the female moths suggests that they are diverging in sympatry, meaning they are evolving different traits while still living in the same geographic area. This divergence is likely driven by ecological differences between their preferred feeding and laying sites.

A Researcher Notices That in a Certain Moth Species, Some