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I have stumbled across a paper (Susoy et al 2016) that proclaims the novel discovery of “polyphenism” within species, in which multiple disparate phenotypes occur within a population of fig-wasp-associated nematodes, despite no genetic difference among them. The authors claim this is an example of ecological and phenotypic diversification without speciation.

Yet, polyphenism is well known among insects, especially social insects (Gullan & Cranston 2014), so is it such a surprising discovery?

Meet in the cellar bar, University House, at 5:30 pm.

Coopers and Cladistics is a long-running evolutionary biology discussion group held every second Thursday at University House, ANU. Please contact Mike Crisp if you would like to be included on the C&C email list.