Interpretation of evolutionary data

A. Interpretation of evolutionary data (40 points).
I am involved in a project investigating a hybrid zone in ants. We plan to publish this study, and since you all have been studying evolution, we want your help to interpret our data. My collaborators and I have collected the following data on these two ant species, Formica selysi and Formica cinerea, and their hybrids: We have measured when the new reproductive individuals are produced by each species in a shared environment (Figure 1), we have carried out mate choice experiments to see whether queens show a preference for males of their own species or the other species (Figure 2), and we have looked at how many offspring are produced by newly mated queens in the following three categories: hybrid queens mated to non-hybrid males, non-hybrid queens mated to males of the other species or non-hybrid females mated to males of their own species (Figure 3). I include relevant statistical results in the figure legends. Attached figure 1, 2 and 3.
A1. We want to know whether there are barriers to gene flow between these species. To answer this question, please explain for each figure whether the results inform us about a prezygotic isolating mechanism or a post-zygotic mechanism. Then, define which mechanism or mechanisms are being tested by the data in each figure. Finally, briefly interpret each figure and provide 1-2 paragraphs explaining if any barriers are present, what these barriers are (if yes), and whether these barriers completely or just partially prevent gene flow between these species.
Follow up questions on ant hybrid zone:
A2 (15 points). Identify one reproductive isolating mechanism that the authors have not tested that could plausibly be present in this system. Write a hypothesis about how that mechanism might work, and briefly propose an experimental or observational study to test this mechanism. A2 (b) Is speciation complete between these two species? (in the experiment) To answer this question completely, identify the specific concept that you are using and explain your rationale.

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