10.5061/DRYAD.6N1Q4
Winters, Anne E.
University of Queensland
Green, Naomi F.
University of Queensland
Wilson, Nerida G.
Western Australian Museum
How, Martin J.
University of Bristol
Garson, Mary J.
University of Queensland
Marshall, Justin
University of Queensland
Cheney, Karen L.
University of Queensland
Marshall, N. Justin
University of Queensland
Data from: Stabilizing selection on individual pattern elements of
aposematic signals
Dryad
dataset
2017
marine molluscs
colour pattern
warning signals
2017-08-02T14:13:27Z
2017-08-02T14:13:27Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.0926
69630 bytes
1
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Warning signal variation is ubiquitous but paradoxical: low variability
should aid recognition and learning by predators. However, spatial
variability in the direction and strength of selection for individual
elements of the warning signal may allow phenotypic variation for some
components, but not others. Variation in selection may occur if predators
only learn particular colour pattern components rather than the entire
signal. Here, we used a nudibranch mollusc, Goniobranchus splendidus,
which exhibits a conspicuous red spot/white body/yellow rim colour
pattern, to test this hypothesis. We first demonstrated that secondary
metabolites stored within the nudibranch were unpalatable to a marine
organism. Using pattern analysis, we demonstrated that the yellow rim
remained invariable within and between populations; however, red spots
varied significantly in both colour and pattern. In behavioural
experiments, a potential fish predator, Rhinecanthus aculeatus, used the
presence of the yellow rims to recognize and avoid warning signals. Yellow
rims remained stable in the presence of high genetic divergence among
populations. We therefore suggest that how predators learn warning signals
may cause stabilizing selection on individual colour pattern elements, and
will thus have important implications on the evolution of warning signals.
Anti-feedant assay dataG.splendidus_PS.pzfxBehavioural experiments
datarscriptanddataforbordersmanuscript.zipColour contrast
dataColour.zipPattern fraction of transitions dataPattern.zipSequence
datasequences.zip