Oceanus Seminar Series | Rui Faria | 1 March | 12h

 

Title: Speciation on the beach: solving the mystery of the most misidentified marine organism in the world

 

Name: Rui Faria (Univ. Sheffield / CIIMAR)

 

Abstract: The enormous variation in the shape, size and colour of rough periwinkles, Littorina saxatilis, makes this species a world champion when it comes to complicating the life of biologists trying to classify and understand biological diversity. In this talk I will present my latest results trying to address the question: why does this intertidal species evolve (and maintain) so many life-forms? Using population genomics data across an environmental transect comprising a hybrid zone between two ecotypes of this species, I will show evidence strongly suggesting that chromosomal inversions may play an important role in parallel evolution of life-forms within this system.