Loading…

Detection of Fruit and the Selection of Primate Visual Pigments for Color Vision

Primates have X chromosome genes for cone photopigments with sensitivity maxima from 535 to 562 nm. Old World monkeys and apes (catarrhines) and the New World (platyrrhine) genusAlouattahave separate genes for 535‐nm (medium wavelength; M) and 562‐nm (long wavelength; L) pigments. These pigments, to...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American naturalist 2004-12, Vol.164 (6), p.696-708
Main Authors: Osorio, D., Smith, A. C., Vorobyev, M., Buchanan‐Smith, H. M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Primates have X chromosome genes for cone photopigments with sensitivity maxima from 535 to 562 nm. Old World monkeys and apes (catarrhines) and the New World (platyrrhine) genusAlouattahave separate genes for 535‐nm (medium wavelength; M) and 562‐nm (long wavelength; L) pigments. These pigments, together with a 425‐nm (short wavelength) pigment, permit trichromatic color vision. Other platyrrhines and prosimians have a single X chromosome gene but often with alleles for two or three M/L photopigments. Consequently, heterozygote females are trichromats, but males and homozygote females are dichromats. The criteria that affect the evolution of M/L alleles and maintain genetic polymorphism remain a puzzle, but selection for finding food may be important. We compare different types of color vision for detecting more than 100 plant species consumed by tamarins (Saguinusspp.) in Peru. There is evidence that both frequency‐dependent selection on homozygotes and heterozygote advantage favor M/L polymorphism and that trichromatic color vision is most advantageous in dim light. Also, whereas the 562‐nm allele is present in all species, the occurrence of 535‐ to 556‐nm alleles varies between species. This variation probably arises because trichromatic color vision favors widely separated pigments and equal frequencies of 535/543‐ and 562‐nm alleles, whereas in dichromats, long‐wavelength pigment alleles are fitter.
ISSN:0003-0147
1537-5323
DOI:10.1086/425332