Summary
The genetic basis of pupal colour dimorphism in the swallowtail Papilio polyxenes was studied by surveying the frequencies of brown and green pupae in broods from 23 wild caught females, and by selecting for production of brown and green pupae. It was concluded that the genetic basis of the dimoprhism is a threshold trait with quantitative genetic variation underlying the two phenotypes. It was further concluded that the dimorphism is maintained in nature by weak stabilising selection, thus explaining the occurrence of mismatches between pupal and background colour.
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Hazel, W. The genetic basis of pupal colour dimorphism and its maintenance by natural selection in Papilio polyxenes (Papilionidae: lepidoptera). Heredity 38, 227–236 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1977.28
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1977.28
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