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Coevolution of coloration and colour vision?

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 17:16 authored by Olle Lind, Miriam J Henze, Almut Kelber, Daniel Colaco OsorioDaniel Colaco Osorio
The evolutionary relationship between signals and animal senses has broad significance, with potential consequences for speciation, and for the efficacy and honesty of biological communication. Here we outline current understanding of the diversity of colour vision in two contrasting groups: the phylogenetically conservative birds, and the more variable butterflies. Evidence for coevolution of colour signals and vision exists in both groups, but is limited to observations of phenotypic differences between visual systems, which might be correlated with coloration. Here, to illustrate how one might interpret the evolutionary significance of such differences, we used colour vision modelling based on an avian eye to evaluate the effects of variation in three key characters: photoreceptor spectral sensitivity, oil droplet pigmentation and the proportions of different photoreceptor types. The models predict that physiologically realistic changes in any one character will have little effect, but complementary shifts in all three can substantially affect discriminability of three types of natural spectra. These observations about the adaptive landscape of colour vision may help to explain the general conservatism of photoreceptor spectral sensitivities in birds. This approach can be extended to other types of eye and spectra to inform future work on coevolution of coloration and colour vision.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Philosophical Transactions B: Biological Sciences

ISSN

0962-8436

Publisher

Royal Society, The

Issue

1724

Volume

372

Page range

20160338 1-8

Department affiliated with

  • Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2019-03-18

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2019-03-16

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