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Phenotypic and genetic variations and correlations in multitrait developmental instability: a multivariate Bayesian
Stefan Van Dongen1, Willem Talloen
1Evolutionary Biology Group, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium. stefan.vandongen@ua.ac.be
Abstract:
Phenotypic and genetic variation and covariation in developmental instability (DI) have been the subject of many debates. In this paper we develop and apply a statistical model in a Bayesian context to analyse different traits simultaneously in a multivariate model of DI. We apply the model to measurements of yellow spots on the front wing of the Speckled Wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria L.) in a full-sib breeding experiment. We estimated the posterior distribution of the broad-sense heritability of DI averaged across the five yellow spots, which had a median of 0.19 and a 95% credibility interval ranging between 0.04 and 0.64. Phenotypic and genetic correlations in DI could not be estimated accurately with the present sample size. Yellow spots 4 and 5 appeared to show some degree of developmental integration. The importance of this model and its possible extensions are discussed.
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