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RESEARCH PRODUCT
The current and future state of animal coloration research
Johanna MappesJohn A. Endlersubject
0106 biological sciences0301 basic medicinemedia_common.quotation_subjectZoologyColorModel systemContext (language use)Biology010603 evolutionary biology01 natural sciencesBasic Behavioral and Social ScienceMedical and Health SciencesGeneral Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular BiologyField (computer science)colour pattern functions03 medical and health sciencesSynthesisPerceptionBehavioral and Social ScienceAnimalsFunction (engineering)media_commonCognitive scienceEvolutionary Biologycolour pattern evolutionPigmentationAnimal colorationBiological SciencesInvertebratesanimal colour patterns030104 developmental biologyPhenotypeCamouflageVertebratesMimicryVisual PerceptionGeneral Agricultural and Biological Sciencesdescription
Animal colour patterns are a model system for understanding evolution because they are unusually accessible for study and experimental manipulation. This is possible because their functions are readily identifiable. In this final paper of the symposium we provide a diagram of the processes affecting colour patterns and use this to summarize their functions and put the other papers in a broad context. This allows us to identify significant ‘holes’ in the field that only become obvious when we see the processes affecting colour patterns, and their interactions, as a whole. We make suggestions about new directions of research that will enhance our understanding of both the evolution of colour patterns and visual signalling but also illuminate how the evolution of multiple interacting traits works. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Animal coloration: production, perception, function and application’.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-07-01 |