P1: SKH/ary P2: MBL/vks QC: MBL/agr T1: MBL October 27, 1997 17:44 Annual Reviews AR048-27 Annu. Rev. Entomol. 1998. 43:619–43 Copyright c 1998 by Annual Reviews Inc. All rights reserved EVOLUTION AND ECOLOGY OF SPIDER COLORATION G. S. Oxford Department of Biology, University of York, P.O. Box 373, York YO1 5YW, United Kingdom; e-mail:
[email protected] R. G. Gillespie Center for Conservation Research and Training, University of Hawaii, 3050 Maile Way, Gilmore 409, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822; e-mail:
[email protected] KEY WORDS: color, crypsis, genetics, guanine, melanism, mimicry, natural selection, pigments, polymorphism, sexual dimorphism ABSTRACT Genetic color variation provides a tangible link between the external phenotype of an organism and its underlying genetic determination and thus furnishes a tractable system with which to explore fundamental evolutionary phenomena. Here we examine the basis of color variation in spiders and its evolutionary and ecological implications. Reversible color changes, resulting from several mechanisms, are surprisingly widespread in the group and must be distinguished from true genetic variation for color to be used as an evolutionary tool. Genetic polymorphism occurs in a large number of families and is frequently sex limited: Sex linkage has not yet been demonstrated, nor have the forces promoting sex limitation been elucidated. It is argued that the production of color is metabolically costly and is principally maintained by the action of sight-hunting predators. Key avenues for future research are suggested. INTRODUCTION Differences in color and pattern among individuals have long been recognized as providing a tractable system with which to address fundamental evolutionary questions (57).