Genomic signatures of adaptation across a landscape of crickets following the introduction of a parasitoid fly.

Abstract

Novel species interactions provide an opportunity to assess the earliest stages of genetic adaptation. We combined population genomics and field selection surveys to explore the genomic and geographic landscape of adaptation in small, fragmented Hawaiian cricket populations, which are parasitized by larvae of an introduced fly that targets singing males. Multiple protective male-silencing cricket morphs have recently spread under this novel selection pressure, despite song's important roles in mate attraction. We find evidence of sharp declines in cricket effective population sizes following the fly's introduction and identify regions under spatially varying selection mediated by infestation risk, which are linked to an adaptive morph and other genes implicating in resisting infestation. Despite repeated bottlenecks, genetic variation is dominated by structural variant polymorphisms seemingly maintained under balancing selection. Our study illustrates pervasive consequences of abrupt changes in selection on small populations. Fly-mediated selection remains strong despite the spread of adaptive male-silencing phenotypes, which also reduce male fitness in the context of mate attraction.