Stabilizing selection on individual pattern elements of aposematic signals

Jan 04, 2018

 Stabilizing selection on individual pattern elements of aposematic signals  
Colour pattern variation in the aposematic nudibranch Goniobranchus splendidus. Pattern components that are learned (yellow rim) show little variation between populations despite high genetic divergence, but red spots are highly variable in both colour and pattern. Predators may therefore exert stabilizing selection on only part of the colour pattern.  See the paper “Stabilizing selection on individual pattern elements of aposematic signals" http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/284/1861/20170926  

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About This Project

Understanding color and chemical diversity in nudibranchs

University of Queensland

Nudibranchs are charismatic marine invertebrates whose vibrant colors appear strikingly exposed and vulnerable while secretly harboring a nasty punch of distasteful chemicals. I use vision models to ‘see through the eyes of fish’ to find which nudibranchs are most visible to predators and chemical ‘taste tests’ to see which are most distasteful. I then use this info to make comparisons amongst species and test evolutionary theories.