Balfour, Vicki L, Aumont, Cedric, Dougherty, Liam R 
ORCID: 0000-0003-1406-0680 and Shuker, David M
(2018)
The fitness effects of a pale mutant in the aposematic seed bug <i>Lygaeus simulans</i> indicate pleiotropy between warning coloration and life history.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 8 (24).
pp. 12855-12866.
Abstract
Conspicuous warning colors that signal chemical or other defenses are common in the natural world. For instance, such aposematic warning patterns of red-and-black or yellow-and-black are common among insect taxa, particularly in the order Hemiptera, often forming the basis of Batesian and/or Müllerian mimicry rings. In addition, it has been repeatedly noted that color polymorphisms or mutants that influence pigmentation can show pleiotropy with other behavioral, physiological, or life-history traits. Here, we describe a pale mutant of the seed bug <i>Lygaeus simulans</i> that appeared in our laboratory population in 2012, which differs in color to the wild-type bugs. Through multigenerational experimental crosses between wild-type and pale mutant <i>L. simulans</i>, we first show that the pale phenotype segregates as a single Mendelian locus, with the pale allele being recessive to the wild type. Next, we show (a) that there is a large heterozygous advantage in terms of fecundity, (b) that pale females suffer reduced longevity, and (c) that pale males have increased body length compared to wild-type homozygotes. Our data therefore suggest that the color locus is pleiotropic with a number of life-history traits, opening the door for a more complete genetic analysis of aposematic coloration in this species. In addition, this phenotype will be useful as a visible genetic marker, providing a tool for investigating sperm competition and other post-copulatory drivers of sexual selection in this species.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | aposematism, color polymorphism, life-history, pleiotropy, supergene |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 13 Mar 2019 13:37 |
| Last Modified: | 14 Oct 2023 09:38 |
| DOI: | 10.1002/ece3.4723 |
| Open Access URL: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4723 |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3034174 |
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