Related Experiment Videos
Individual colour patches as multicomponent signals.
Gregory F Grether1, Gita R Kolluru, Karen Nersissian
1Department of Organismic Biology, Ecology and Evolution, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA. ggrether@ucla.edu
Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society
|September 16, 2004
Summary
Animal color patches are complex, 3D structures. Evolution can act on individual pigment and structural components, requiring a multi-trait approach for a complete understanding of color patch evolution in vertebrates.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Animal coloration
- Dermal chromatophores
Background:
- Color patches are complex traits, not simple 2D characters.
- They are 3D structures with multiple pigment and structural components.
- Vertebrate dermal chromatophore units involve xanthophores, iridophores, and melanophores.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review multiple trait evolution theory and color production mechanisms.
- To apply multi-trait evolution theory to components of single color patches.
- To generate testable hypotheses for pigmentary and structural components of vertebrate color patches.
Main Methods:
- Review of multiple trait evolution theory.
- Examination of basic color production mechanisms in fishes, reptiles, and amphibians.
- Computer simulations and empirical examples to demonstrate application of theory.
Main Results:
- Changes in individual chromatophore components can drastically alter color.
- Multiple evolutionary pathways exist for achieving similar adaptive color outcomes.
- Multi-trait evolution theory can be applied to individual components of color patches.
Conclusions:
- A multi-trait approach is necessary for a complete understanding of color patch evolution.
- Integrative perspective opens new questions and hypotheses in animal coloration.
- Specific hypotheses are provided for common pigmentary and structural color components.