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Sexual selection and genetic colour polymorphisms in animals.

Wellenreuther, Maren LU ; Svensson, Erik LU orcid and Hansson, Bengt LU orcid (2014) In Molecular Ecology 23(22). p.5398-5414
Abstract
Genetic colour polymorphisms are widespread across animals and often subjected to complex selection regimes. Traditionally, colour morphs were used as simple visual markers to measure allele frequency changes in nature, selection, population divergence and speciation. With advances in sequencing technology and analysis methods, several model systems are emerging where the molecular targets of selection are being described. Here we discuss recent studies on the genetics of sexually selected colour polymorphisms, aiming at (1) reviewing the evidence of sexual selection on colour polymorphisms, (2) highlighting the genetic architecture, molecular and developmental basis underlying phenotypic colour diversification and (3) discuss how the... (More)
Genetic colour polymorphisms are widespread across animals and often subjected to complex selection regimes. Traditionally, colour morphs were used as simple visual markers to measure allele frequency changes in nature, selection, population divergence and speciation. With advances in sequencing technology and analysis methods, several model systems are emerging where the molecular targets of selection are being described. Here we discuss recent studies on the genetics of sexually selected colour polymorphisms, aiming at (1) reviewing the evidence of sexual selection on colour polymorphisms, (2) highlighting the genetic architecture, molecular and developmental basis underlying phenotypic colour diversification and (3) discuss how the maintenance of such polymorphisms might be facilitated or constrained by these. Studies of the genetic architecture of colour polymorphism point towards the importance of tight clustering of colour loci with other trait loci, such as in the case of inversions and supergene structures. Other interesting findings include linkage between colour loci and mate preferences or sex determination, and the role of introgression and regulatory variation in fuelling polymorphisms. We highlight that more studies are needed that explicitly integrate fitness consequences of sexual selection on colour with the underlying molecular targets of colour to gain insights into the evolutionary consequences of sexual selection on polymorphism maintenance. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Molecular Ecology
volume
23
issue
22
pages
5398 - 5414
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • pmid:25251393
  • wos:000345572300002
  • scopus:84920822914
  • pmid:25251393
ISSN
0962-1083
DOI
10.1111/mec.12935
project
Hybridisation in damselflies
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8873030a-7ae7-4c12-9196-475d27491031 (old id 4690973)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:02:22
date last changed
2023-01-02 18:06:51
@article{8873030a-7ae7-4c12-9196-475d27491031,
  abstract     = {{Genetic colour polymorphisms are widespread across animals and often subjected to complex selection regimes. Traditionally, colour morphs were used as simple visual markers to measure allele frequency changes in nature, selection, population divergence and speciation. With advances in sequencing technology and analysis methods, several model systems are emerging where the molecular targets of selection are being described. Here we discuss recent studies on the genetics of sexually selected colour polymorphisms, aiming at (1) reviewing the evidence of sexual selection on colour polymorphisms, (2) highlighting the genetic architecture, molecular and developmental basis underlying phenotypic colour diversification and (3) discuss how the maintenance of such polymorphisms might be facilitated or constrained by these. Studies of the genetic architecture of colour polymorphism point towards the importance of tight clustering of colour loci with other trait loci, such as in the case of inversions and supergene structures. Other interesting findings include linkage between colour loci and mate preferences or sex determination, and the role of introgression and regulatory variation in fuelling polymorphisms. We highlight that more studies are needed that explicitly integrate fitness consequences of sexual selection on colour with the underlying molecular targets of colour to gain insights into the evolutionary consequences of sexual selection on polymorphism maintenance. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Wellenreuther, Maren and Svensson, Erik and Hansson, Bengt}},
  issn         = {{0962-1083}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{22}},
  pages        = {{5398--5414}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Molecular Ecology}},
  title        = {{Sexual selection and genetic colour polymorphisms in animals.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mec.12935}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/mec.12935}},
  volume       = {{23}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}