Trees to treehoppers: genetic variation in host plants contributes to variation in the mating signals of a plant‐feeding insect

Abstract

Community genetics research has demonstrated 'bottom-up' effects of genetic variation within a plant species in shaping the larger community with which it interacts, such as compositions of arthropod faunas. We demonstrate that such cross-trophic interactions also influence sexually selected traits. We used a member of the Enchenopa binotata species complex of treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae) to ask whether male mating signals are influenced by host plant genetic variation. We reared a random sample of the treehoppers on potted replicates of a sample of host plant clone lines. We found that treehopper male signals varied according to the clone line on which they developed, showing that genetic variation in host plants affects male treehoppers' behavioural phenotypes. This is the first demonstration of cross-trophic indirect genetic effects on a sexually selected trait. We discuss how such effects may play an important role in the maintenance of variation and within-population phenotypic differentiation, thereby promoting evolutionary divergence.