Question

You are studying speciation in mosquitos and you find that males and females from different populations will mate, but those matings result in very few fertilized eggs. This is an example of what type of reproductive isolating barrier?

1) premating
2) postmating-prezygotic
3) intrinsic postzygotic
4) extrinsic postzygotic

Answer 1

The scenario where different mosquito populations mate but have few fertilized eggs represents a postmating-prezygotic reproductive isolating barrier, which occurs after mating but before zygote formation.

Step-by-step explanation:

If males and females from different mosquito populations can mate but result in very few fertilized eggs, this is an example of a postmating-prezygotic reproductive isolating barrier. Prezygotic barriers prevent fertilization from occurring, often through mechanisms such as temporal isolation or gametic barriers.

However, since mating occurs but with reduced fertility, the mechanism is operating after mating but before zygote formation, hence postmating-prezygotic.