Evolution of Cryptic Flight Morph and Life History Differences During Host Race Radiation in the Soapberry Bug, Jadera haematoloma Herrich-Schaeffer (Hemiptera: Rhopalidae)

The colonization of an introduced plant by soapberry bugs in Florida has resulted in the rapid evolution of a distinctive “host race.” Differences in the synchrony and persistence of local seed crops may have favored interracial differentiation in ßight/life history tactics. To advance previous work, we quantiÞed seed availability in individual native and introduced host plants. We tested the prediction that the new hostÕs relatively discrete period of annual seed production has selected for a higher frequency of a short-winged, ßightless morph with a briefer generation time. Contrary to that prediction, short-wingedbugswerenotmorecommon in thederived race, but further investigation revealed the unexpected presence of a long-winged morph, that like the short-winged, lacks ßight muscle and exhibits the same rapid life cycle advantages. Consistent with prediction, the derived race, descended from volant long-winged colonists, shows an abundance of this “cryptic” ßightless morph. In total, four ßight/life history morphs were discovered, including two additional long-winged types that either histolyzeor retainßightmuscle. Themorphsdiffered in life history traits both within and between host races. Morph frequency may be inßuenced by evolution in correlated characters: we found that beak length, which has rapidly evolved to be shorter on the smaller fruits of the introduced host, is discontinuously distributed between ßight morphs, being greater in longwinged bugs. This study shows complex, unpredicted evolutionary relations between a mobility character, a trophic character, and the life history.