Intraindividual, intraspecific, and interspecific variation shapes natural selection and its detection in two convergently-evolved lizard species.

ABSTRACT: Much of our understanding of how natural selection operates comes from studies of highly heritable traits presumed to vary little within individuals. Here we show that intraindividual (within-individual) phenotypic variation is an important source of intraspecific variation, shaping both natural selection and its detection in wild, open populations. We employed a multi-year capture-mark-recapture (CMR) study of two lizard species (Sceloporus cowlesi and Holbrookia maculata) at the ecotone between the white gypsum dunes at White Sands National Park and the surrounding dark Chihuahuan desert soils. Unlike many CMR studies examining selection on morphology, we measured individuals' traits at each capture. We found that our inferences into which traits were under selection depended on which me

SUBMITTER: Des Roches S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12321066 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature