Ever since Darwin and Wallace, animal colours have been at the core of naturalists' interest because coloration is tightly linked to survival and reproduction of individuals. At the same time, it involves highly paradoxical adaptations. For example, how it is possible that signals that warn predators or attract mates often come with multiple colour morphs, although weak signals should be removed by natural selection? And what kind of genetic architecture is behind such complex traits? I address these questions in wood tiger moths, Arctia plantaginis, which have several colour morphs, and each morph has differential strategies to attract mates or deter predators. This species is an excellent system to study the interplay between phenotypic and genotypic variation on fitness. We use full genome sequencing, long-term data sets, experiments and mathematical modeling to unravel the conditions that drive and maintain phenotypic diversity in populations, and ultimately biodiversity.

2023

2027