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Diversity in warning coloration: selective paradox or the norm?
Emmanuelle S Briolat1, Emily R Burdfield-Steel2, Sarah C Paul1,3
1Centre for Ecology & Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, U.K.
Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society
|August 29, 2018
Summary
Predators typically learn warning signals, but aposematic animals show diverse patterns. This study synthesizes genetic, predator, and environmental factors driving this variation in warning signals.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Animal Behaviour
- Genetics
Background:
- Aposematic theory predicts signal convergence due to predator learning.
- Widespread variation in warning signals is observed in aposematic species, challenging this prediction.
- This diversity exists across species, populations, and even individuals within populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize current research on the diversity of aposematic warning signals.
- To identify key factors contributing to this variation.
- To provide a resource for future research in aposematic signalling.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive synthesis of existing empirical studies and theoretical modeling.
- Identification and categorization of explanations for signal variation.
- Review of genetic mechanisms, predator behavior, and alternative selection pressures.
Main Results:
- Variation in warning signals is explained by genetic mechanisms, predator differences/behavior, and alternative selection pressures.
- Genetic studies (e.g., Heliconius butterflies) reveal the architecture of polymorphism.
- Predator variability and multifunctional phenotypes (e.g., thermoregulation, sexual selection) contribute to signal diversity.
Conclusions:
- Aposematic signal diversity is driven by complex interactions between genetics, predator dynamics, and environmental factors.
- Understanding these factors provides a new perspective on aposematic signalling.
- Further research into under-explored pressures like disease risk and parental effects is warranted.
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