This research focuses on how interspecific behavioural interference can impact the spatial distribution of species. Behavioural interference encompasses any aggressive or mating behaviour by one species that is directed towards and has a negative impact on the fitness of another species. Can the interspecific aggression or mating interaction of one species alter the distribution of another species? For an in-depth understanding of the research field to date see my and Jonathan Drury's article in *Biological Reviews* [[Interspecific behavioural interference and range dynamics - current insights and future directions]]. ![[Figure 1 - IBI bioligical reviews Short.png]] > Figure 1: There is widespread evidence that behavioural interference (costly aggressive or reproductive interactions between species) influences spatial dynamics in animals. (B) In Thailand, white-handed gibbons (*Hylobates lar*) (left) and pileated gibbons (*Hylobates pileatus*) (right) are interspecifically territorial at their parapatric range boundary, reinforcing that boundary and, likely, decreasing the frequency of hybridisation (Asensio et al., 2017). (C) Indiscriminate hyperaggression of noisy miners (*Manorina melanocephala*) has led to shift in the structure of avian communities (Mac Nally et al., 2012). (D) In Japan, the invasive bumblebee *Bombus terrestris* (left) engages in reproductive interference with two species of native bumblebee species, driving rapid declines in *B. ignities* (right) and *B. h. sapporeenis* (Tsuchida et al., 2019). (E) The accidental introduction of guppies (*Poecilia reticulata*) (left) led to the eradication of invasive mosquitofish (*Gambusia affinis*) (right) in Okinawa owing to reproductive interference, and consequently guppies have been proposed as a potential control agent for mosquitofish elsewhere (Tsurui-Sato et al., 2019). (F) Pied flycatchers (*Ficedula hypoleuca*) (left) are driven to use sub-optimal habitat by the high aggression of collared flycatchers (*Ficedula albicollis*) (right) (Vallin et al., 2012; Rybinski et al., 2016). ## Hetaerina damselflies ![[titia_photos_A4_1_photo_Alpha_short.png]] My PhD was on *Hetaerina* damselflies with multiple avenues of research still ongoing - specifically with a focus on smoky rubyspot damselfly, *Hetaerina titia*. Unlike the majority of other *Hetaerina* damselflies, which have clear wings with red basal spots, *Hetaerina titia* exhibits a seasonal polyphenism in wing colouration. Throughout the year, _H. titia_ that reside in river basins that drain into the Gulf of Mexico & the Caribbean, vary in wing colouration. _H. titia_ that emerge during the peak breeding season have a higher proportion of black wing pigmentation (melanisation) than individuals that emerge later or earlier in the year. Populations from Pacific and Atlantic river basins have much lower proportion of black wing pigmentation and much reduced seasonal variation. ![[Polyphenism in H titia comparison.jpg]] > Two perched _Hetaerina titia_ males showing the striking variation in wing pigmentation. (**A**) A male _H. titia_ with low levels of wing melanisation which are found throughout the species range. (**B**) A male _H. titia_ with high levels of wing melanisation that are found in river basins that drain into the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean during the peak breeding season. The highest proportion of _H. titia_ with dark wings occurs in the peak breeding season which corresponds with the highest abundance of heterospecifics. Individuals of _H. titia_ with a higher proportion of black wing pigmentation are less likely to be engaged in interspecific conflict. It is, therefore, proposed that the black wing pigmentation of _H. titia_ is an adaptation that reduces the level of Interspecific behavioural interference from male *Hetaerina* damselflies heterospecifics (Drury et al. 2015). The reduction in interspecific interference potentially outweighs the risk of predation and metabolic costs of producing and displaying melanin wings during the peak breeding season. --- # Thesis You can now read my [[Thesis - Interspecific behavioural interference and range dynamics - genomic analysis of rubyspot damselflies|full thesis here]] with the abstract below. ## Abstract The ongoing reshuffle of Earth’s biota, particularly from climate change, has increased the necessity to understand and predict how the spatial distribution of species can shift. In this thesis, I further our knowledge of the processes that influences the ranges of species by conducting novel research into the how interspecific behavioural interference affects range dynamics. Interspecific behavioural interference is any aggressive or mating behaviour by one species that is directed towards and has a negative impact on the fitness of another. I primarily using next-generation sequence data to conduct phylogenetic, phylogeographic, and population genetic analysis on rubyspot damselflies (Hetaerina). The research focuses on smoky rubyspot damselflies (Hetaerina titia) which exhibit a striking seasonal polyphenism in wing colouration which influences the degree of interspecific behavioural interference seen between individuals and populations. Chapter 2 provides a synthesis of past research into how interspecific behavioural interference affects range dynamics across taxa and then outlines potential future avenues of research. Chapter 3 presents a de-novo chromosome level draft genome of H. titia which is the first chromosome level draft genome for a broad winged damselfly (Calopterygidae). Chapter 4 determines the spatiotemporal dynamics of the speciation cycle across several species of Hetaerina supporting the hypothesis that time since divergence predicts the stage of the non-ecological speciation cycle. Genetic sequencing identifies a region of secondary contact between two lineages of H. titia separated by an estimated 3.6 million years. One individual is identified as an F1 hybrid, suggesting that reproductive isolation exists between Pacific and Atlantic lineages of smoky rubyspot. Chapter 5 uses multivariate models of trait evolution to test for coevolution between the peak and off-peak seasonal phenotype of H. titia. Models do not support co-evolution but do support different selective regimes in different geographic regions. Finally, Chapter 6, uses population genetics and species distribution models to show that populations of H. titia that reside in higher latitudes likely originate from a range expansion from Florida since the last glacial maximum (LGM). Consequently, the loss of polyphenism in high latitude populations may be an adaptation to novel species assemblies that arose since the LGM. Collectively, this thesis provides novel research into the ecological and evolutionary consequences of interspecific behavioural interference, particularly into spatial and temporal dynamics of species distributions. --- # Papers **Patterson, C**, Brennan A, Cowling H, González-Rodríguez A, Grether GF, Mendoza-Cuenca L, Springer M, Vega-Sánchez YM, Drury J. [[Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Non-Ecological Speciation in Rubyspot Damselflies (Hetaerina spp.)]] *Molecular Ecology* 2025. **Patterson C**, Bonillas-Monge E, Brennan A., Grether GF, Mendoza-Cuenca L, Tucker R, Vega-Sánchez YM, Drury, J. [[A chromosome-level genome assembly for the smoky rubyspot damselfly (Hetaerina titia)]] *Journal of Heredity* 2024 **Patterson C** and Drury J. [[Interspecific behavioural interference and range dynamics - current insights and future directions]] *Biological Reviews* 2023