Detecting diversifying selection for a trait from within and between-species genotypes and phenotypes

To quantify selection acting on a trait, methods have been developed using either within or between-species variation. However, methods using within-species variation do not integrate the changes at the macro-evolutionary scale. Conversely, current methods using between-species variation usually discard within-species variation, thus not accounting for processes at the micro-evolutionary scale. The main goal of this study is to define a neutrality index for a quantitative trait, by combining within- and between-species variation. This neutrality index integrates nucleotide polymorphism and divergence for normalizing trait variation. As such, it does not require estimation of population size nor of time of speciation for normalization. Our index can be used to seek deviation from the null model of neutral evolution, and test for diversifying selection. Applied to brain mass and body mass at the mammalian scale, we show that brain mass is under diversifying selection. Finally, we show that our test is not sensitive to the assumption that population sizes, mutation rates and generation time are constant across the phylogeny, and automatically adjust for it.