Group benefit associated with polymorphic trichromacy in a Malagasy primate (Propithecus verreauxi).

ABSTRACT: In some primate lineages, polymorphisms in the X-linked M/LWS opsin gene have produced intraspecific variation in color vision. In these species, heterozygous females exhibit trichromacy, while males and homozygous females exhibit dichromacy. The evolutionary persistence of these polymorphisms suggests that balancing selection maintains color vision variation, possibly through a 'trichromat advantage' in detecting yellow/orange/red foods against foliage. We identified genetic evidence of polymorphic trichromacy in a population of Verreaux's sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) at Kirindy Mitea National Park in Madagascar, and explored effects of color vision on reproductive success and feeding behavior using nine years of morphological, demographic, and feeding data. We found that trichromats an

SUBMITTER: Veilleux CC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5133583 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature