Mate‐choice copying, a social, non‐genetic mechanism of mate choice, occurs when an individual (typically a female) copies the mate choice of other individuals via a process of social learning. Over the past 20 years, mate‐choice copying has consistently been shown to affect mate choice in several species, by altering the genetically based expression of mating preferences. This behaviour has been claimed by several authors to have a significant role in evolution. Because it can cause or increase skews in male mating success, it seems to have the potential to induce a rapid change of the directionality and rate of sexual selection, possibly leading to divergent evolution and speciation. Theoretical work has, however, been challenging this view, showing that copying may decelerate sexual selection and that linkage disequilibrium cannot be established between the copied preference and the male trait, because females copy from unrelated individuals in the population, making an invasion of new and potentially fitter male traits difficult. Given this controversy, it is timely to ask about the real impact of mate‐choice copying in speciation. We propose that a solution to this impasse may be the existence of some degree of habitat selection, which would create a spatial structure, causing scenarios of micro‐allopatry and thus overcoming the problem of the lack of linkage disequilibrium. As far as we are aware, the potential role of mate‐choice copying on fostering speciation in micro‐allopatry has not been tackled. Also important is that the role of mate‐choice copying has generally been discussed as being a barrier to gene flow. However, in our view, mate‐choice copying may actually play a key role in facilitating gene flow, thereby fostering hybridization. Yet, the role of mate‐choice copying in hybridization has so far been overlooked, although the conditions under which it might occur are more likely, or less restricted, than those favouring speciation. Hence, a conceptual framework is needed to identify the exact mechanisms and the conditions under which speciation or hybridization are expected. Here, we develop such a framework to be used as a roadmap for future research at the intersection of these research areas.

中文翻译：

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择偶复制在物种形成和杂交中的作用

择偶复制是一种社会的、非遗传的择偶机制，发生在个体（通常是女性）通过社会学习过程复制其他个体的择偶时。在过去的 20 年里，通过改变基于遗传的交配偏好表达，择偶复制一直被证明会影响几个物种的择偶选择。几位作者声称这种行为在进化中具有重要作用。因为它会导致或增加雄性交配成功率的偏差，它似乎有可能导致性选择的方向和速度发生快速变化，可能导致进化和物种形成的分化。然而，理论工作一直在挑战这种观点，表明复制可能会减慢性选择，并且无法在复制偏好和男性特征之间建立连锁不平衡，因为女性从人群中不相关的个​​体中复制，使得入侵新的和可能更健康的男性特征变得困难。鉴于这一争议，现在是时候询问择偶复制在物种形成中的真正影响了。我们建议解决这一僵局可能是存在某种程度的栖息地选择，这将创造一种空间结构，导致微量分配情景，从而克服缺乏连锁不平衡的问题。据我们所知，择偶复制在微量外育中促进物种形成的潜在作用尚未得到解决。同样重要的是，择偶复制的作用通常被认为是基因流动的障碍。然而，在我们看来，择偶复制实际上可能在促进基因流动方面发挥关键作用，从而促进杂交。然而，迄今为止，择偶复制在杂交中的作用一直被忽视，尽管它可能发生的条件比有利于物种形成的条件更有可能，或更少受到限制。因此，需要一个概念框架来确定预期物种形成或杂交的确切机制和条件。在这里，我们开发了这样一个框架，用作这些研究领域交叉点未来研究的路线图。从而促进杂交。然而，迄今为止，择偶复制在杂交中的作用一直被忽视，尽管它可能发生的条件比有利于物种形成的条件更有可能，或更少受到限制。因此，需要一个概念框架来确定预期物种形成或杂交的确切机制和条件。在这里，我们开发了这样一个框架，用作这些研究领域交叉点未来研究的路线图。从而促进杂交。然而，迄今为止，择偶复制在杂交中的作用一直被忽视，尽管它可能发生的条件比有利于物种形成的条件更有可能，或更少受到限制。因此，需要一个概念框架来确定预期物种形成或杂交的确切机制和条件。在这里，我们开发了这样一个框架，用作这些研究领域交叉点未来研究的路线图。需要一个概念框架来确定预期物种形成或杂交的确切机制和条件。在这里，我们开发了这样一个框架，用作这些研究领域交叉点未来研究的路线图。需要一个概念框架来确定预期物种形成或杂交的确切机制和条件。在这里，我们开发了这样一个框架，用作这些研究领域交叉点未来研究的路线图。