Beetle pollinators of a particular plant are attracted to its flowers' bright orange color. The beetles not only pollinate the flowers but mate while inside of 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. What kind of speciation has occurred in this example, and what has driven it? A. Allopatric speciation, ecological isolation.
B. Sympatric speciation, habitat differentiation.
C. Allopatric speciation, behavioral isolation.
D. Sympatric speciation, sexual selection.
E. Sympatric speciation, allopolyploidy.

Answer:

B. Sympatric speciation, habitat differentiation.

Explanation:

The right answer to our question is B, Sympatric speciation, habitat differentiation.

Edward Bagnall Poulton derived the term sympatric speciation in 1904. It is a mode of speciation, which entails new species emerging from an ancestral species that is still alive and extant. Both the emerging and ancestral species will exist in the same zone.

This speciation is found more in plants. There are different types of these speciations. Habitat differentiation is seen within sympatric speciation. It is found when mutations that exist in the same zone can make use of varying conditions. Allopatric speciation and parapatric speciation are the other types of speciation.

Final answer:

In the given scenario, Sympatric speciation driven by habitat differentiation has occurred. The different 'habitats' are represented by the flower color preferences of the beetle variants, leading them to diverge to the point of becoming distinct species.

Explanation:

The type of speciation that has occurred in the provided scenario is Sympatric speciation, driven by habitat differentiation. In this context, sympatric speciation refers to the process where new species evolve from a single ancestral species while inhabiting the same geographic region. In this case, the 'geographic region' is the color of the flowers. The red and orange flowers represent different 'habitats' for the beetles.

In terms of what has driven this speciation, it is habitat differentiation. This is because even though the beetles are occupying the same general physical area, their 'habitat' in terms of the color of the flowers they prefer has caused a divergence in their mating and, hence, their gene pools. Over time, this leads to the two beetle variants becoming so different that interbreeding is no longer possible, effectively rendering them distinct species.

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