It is currently believed that apple maggot flies are undergoing a divergence into two separate species. Two hundred years ago these maggot flies laid their eggs only on the hawthorn fruit, but after apples were introduced in the Americas, some maggot flies started laying their eggs on apples. Today, females generally lay their eggs on the type of fruit they grew up in, and male flies end up mating on the type of fruit they grew up in. Therefore hawthorn flies mate with hawthorn flies and apple flies mate with apple flies. If genetic changes between the hawthorn maggot flies and the apple maggot flies continue until the flies are different species, this would be an example of
A) allopatric speciation.
B) parapatric speciation.
C) sympatric speciation.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of sympatric speciation because the two types of maggot flies are evolving into separate species while living in the same geographic area (apple orchards). Allopatric speciation would occur if the two types of maggots were physically separated by a geographic barrier like a mountain range or body of water. Parapatric speciation would occur if the two types of maggots were living in adjacent geographic areas with a narrow contact zone, but this is not the case with the apple and hawthorn maggots as they coexist in the same area.

It Is Currently Believed That Apple Maggot Flies Are Undergoing