Population genomics reveals a candidate gene involved in bumble bee pigmentation.

ABSTRACT: Variation in bumble bee color patterns is well-documented within and between species. Identifying the genetic mechanisms underlying such variation may be useful in revealing evolutionary forces shaping rapid phenotypic diversification. The widespread North American species Bombus bifarius exhibits regional variation in abdominal color forms, ranging from red-banded to black-banded phenotypes and including geographically and phenotypically intermediate forms. Identifying genomic regions linked to this variation has been complicated by strong, near species level, genome-wide differentiation between red- and black-banded forms. Here, we instead focus on the closely related black-banded and intermediate forms that both belong to the subspecies B. bifarius nearcticus. We analyze a

SUBMITTER: Pimsler ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5433978 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature