Phylogeographic relationships of regional ecotypes in Schistocerca lineata

The spotted bird grasshopper, Schistocerca lineata Scudder, 1899 (Orthoptera: Acrididae), is a widely distributed species found throughout most of the continental United States and southern Canada. This species is known to be highly variable in color, with many distinct ecotypes across its native range. Some species within the genus Schistocerca are highly associated with specific host plants, and may depend on that plant for survival. S. lineata is found on a range of different host plants, and there may be a correlation between the regional ecotypes and the plants they live and feed on. The purpose of this study was to quantify the genetic and morphological differences between the ecotypes, as well as investigating the effects of host-associated differentiation as a possible mechanism of speciation. Four mitochondrial genes were sequenced and compared to perceive differences between populations and estimate time since divergence. The morphology of male genitalia was compared to see if any reproductive isolation may have occurred between ecotypes. Coupling morphological analyses with molecular, we draw phylogeographic conclusions about ecological speciation as a mechanism of selection and contributing driver of grasshopper evolution.