Seeing red: pteridine-based colour and male quality in a dragon lizard

Merkling, Thomas; Chandrasoma, Dani; Rankin, Katrina J.; Whiting, Martin J.

doi:10.1093/biolinnean/bly074

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…Production costs of pterins are thought to be negligible, since they are synthesized de novo from the abundant purine GTP; on the other hand, pterin metabolism is vital to multiple physiological functions. Evidence for the association between the intensity or extent of pterin-based coloration and different measures of individual quality has been contradictory [97,[108][109][110][111][112]. For example, in pierid butterflies nitrogen intake during the larval phase is correlated with the intensity of leucopterin-based coloration in the adult wing [109]; whereas in male water dragons the intensity of drosopterinbased red colour is negatively associated with parasite resistance and body size [111].…”

Section: The Signalling Functions Of Pterinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pterin-based pigmentation in animals

Andrade

Carneiro

2021

Biol. Lett.

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Pterins are one of the major sources of bright coloration in animals. They are produced endogenously, participate in vital physiological processes and serve a variety of signalling functions. Despite their ubiquity in nature, pterin-based pigmentation has received little attention when compared to other major pigment classes. Here, we summarize major aspects relating to pterin pigmentation in animals, from its long history of research to recent genomic studies on the molecular mechanisms underlying its evolution. We argue that pterins have intermediate characteristics (endogenously produced, typically bright) between two well-studied pigment types, melanins (endogenously produced, typically cryptic) and carotenoids (dietary uptake, typically bright), providing unique opportunities to address general questions about the biology of coloration, from the mechanisms that determine how different types of pigmentation evolve to discussions on honest signalling hypotheses. Crucial gaps persist in our knowledge on the molecular basis underlying the production and deposition of pterins. We thus highlight the need for functional studies on systems amenable for laboratory manipulation, but also on systems that exhibit natural variation in pterin pigmentation. The wealth of potential model species, coupled with recent technological and analytical advances, make this a promising time to advance research on pterin-based pigmentation in animals.

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Section: The Signalling Functions Of Pterinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pterin-based pigmentation in animals

Andrade

Carneiro

2021

Biol. Lett.

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“…However, the relationship between spectral intensity and several indices of the signaller's quality is not always positive (Whiting et al 2006;Merkling et al 2018). In the Brazilian lizard Tropidurus semitaeniatus males with darker yellow chests are more dominant and have a greater probability of winning aggressive encounters, suggesting a negative relationship between spectral intensity and RHP (Bruinjé et al 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Information content of ultraviolet-reflecting colour patches and visual perception of body coloration in the Tyrrhenian wall lizard Podarcis tiliguerta

Badiane

Font

2021

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Colour signals are ubiquitous in nature but only recently have researchers recognised the potential of ultraviolet (UV)-reflecting colour patches to function as signals of quality.Lacertid lizards often display UV-blue patches on their flanks and black spots over their entire body, both of which are under sexual selection. They also have a cryptic dorsum and some species have a conspicuous, polymorphic ventral coloration. In this study, we use the Tyrrhenian wall lizard Podarcis tiliguerta to investigate the information content of the lateral UV-blue patches and black melanin spots of males by assessing the relationship between colour features and individual quality traits. In addition, we use a visual modelling procedure to examine whether the coloration of the different body parts and different colour morphs can be distinguished by a wall lizard visual system. We found that larger males had more numerous and larger UV-blue patches, with a higher UV chroma, UV-shifted hue, but a lower spectral intensity than smaller males. The extent of black on the throat, dorsum, and flanks also correlated with male body size and size-corrected head length but not with colour features of the UV-blue patches. These results suggest that the UV-blue and melanic colour patches may provide different, non-redundant information about male resource holding potential, and thus act as condition-dependent indicators of male quality. Finally, we found that the different body parts can be chromatically distinguished from each other, and that the UV-blue patches are the most conspicuous while the dorsum is the least conspicuous. Significance StatementMany animals use their coloration to convey information about their quality as rivals or mates. Yet, until recently researchers have not recognized the potential of ultraviolet colour patches to function as signals of quality. In this study, we first show that male Tyrrhenian wall lizards display ultraviolet-blue and black colour patches that correlate positively with some aspect of their quality such as body or head size. Furthermore, our visual modelling procedure suggests that these lizards are able to distinguish the colours of their body parts from each other, with dorsal colours being the least conspicuous and ultraviolet-blue coloration being the most conspicuous.

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“…Differences in tissue nanostructure, shape and size of the chromatophores, the abundance and distribution of pterinosomes within the chromatophores, carotenoid intake or the presence and concentration of other pigments (e.g. melanin) are also likely to promote intra-morph variation (Weiss et al 2012;Cuervo et al 2016;Merkling et al 2018). These mechanisms are also likely to affect the chromatic properties of the other morphs of P. muralis, which, even though are less variable than the orange morph, are also likely to harbor variability that is discriminable to conspecifics.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2016; Merkling et al . 2018). These mechanisms are also likely to affect the chromatic properties of the other morphs of P. muralis , which, even though are less variable than the orange morph, are also likely to harbor variability that is discriminable to conspecifics.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epistatic interactions between pterin and carotenoid genes modulate intra‐morph color variation in a lizard

2021

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Color polymorphisms have become a major topic in evolutionary biology and substantial efforts have been devoted to the understanding of the mechanisms responsible for originating such colorful systems. Within‐morph continuous variation, on the other hand, has been neglected in most of the studies. Here, we combine spectrophotometric/visual modeling and genetic data to study the mechanisms promoting continuous variation within categorical color morphs of Podarcis muralis. Our results suggest that intra‐morph variability in the pterin‐based orange morph is greater compared to white and yellow morphs. We also show that continuous variation within the orange morph is partially discriminable by conspecifics. Genotyping results indicate that allelic variants at the BCO2 locus (responsible for deposition of yellow carotenoids) contribute to generate continuous variation in orange individuals. However, other intrinsic and/or extrinsic mechanisms, such as body size, might be involved, opening a new avenue for future research on the drivers of continuous variation within‐morphs.

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Seeing red: pteridine-based colour and male quality in a dragon lizard

Cited by 10 publications

References 54 publications

Pterin-based pigmentation in animals

Pterin-based pigmentation in animals

Information content of ultraviolet-reflecting colour patches and visual perception of body coloration in the Tyrrhenian wall lizard Podarcis tiliguerta

Epistatic interactions between pterin and carotenoid genes modulate intra‐morph color variation in a lizard

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