Summary
Selection for warning colouration in well-defended species should lead to a single colour form in each local population, but some species are locally polymorphic for aposematic colour forms. Single-locus two-allele models of frequency-dependent selection indicate that combined apostatic and aposematic selection may maintain stable polymorphism for one, two or three aposematic forms, provided that at least one form is subject to net apostatic selection. Frequency-independent selective differences between colour forms broaden the possibilities for aposematic polymorphism but lead to monomorphism if too large. Concurrent apostatic and aposematic selection may explain polymorphism for warning colouration in a number of jumping or moderately unpalatable insects.
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Thompson, V. Polymorphism under apostatic and aposematic selection. Heredity 53, 677–686 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1984.126
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1984.126
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