Color and behavior

1990/02/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Eboluzioa

Among other things, biologists responsible for evolution dream of being able to explain the genetic variability existing in natural populations. That variability is related to the complexity of the environment is a fairly widespread idea. According to this theory, this variability will be maintained whenever the specimens meet the most suitable ecological spaces for them. That is, genes can “choose” the habitat.

In the case of the defense against predators, it has been intended to create a genetic correlation between the combination of colors and behavior. Numerous studies have been conducted to establish this correlation.

In the issue of the journal Nature of last November 30, Edmund Brodie released one of them, the study of the snake Thamnopis ordinoides. This snake is very polymorphic and its color is very variable. In addition, the different specimens do not behave in the same way before the predator. The different forms of behavior are not exclusive (a copy may contain more than one of them), but to some extent they are related to the phenotype of color.

The correlation seems to have a genetic basis, but it is not very clear. Mr. Brodie aims to delve deeper into the problem.