What fundamentally limits the color palette of aphids besides diet and inheritance?
Answer
Genetic material acquired from other kingdoms of life
The conventional understanding of aphid coloration constraints—being limited to pigments derived from the host plant diet or traits passed down ancestrally—is significantly broadened by the discovery related to yellow aphids. The ability to produce carotenoids via genes scavenged from fungi through horizontal gene transfer means their potential color range is expanded beyond what their immediate environment or direct ancestry dictates. This genetic acquisition provides the entire biochemical pathway needed for novel pigment production, effectively opening a new, non-traditional evolutionary route for color variation within the species.
Related Questions
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