Hughes Jane M, Mather Peter B
School of Australian Environmental Studies, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia.
Evolution. 1986 Jan;40(1):68-77. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1986.tb05718.x.
It was hypothesized that in Littorina populations living on Avicennia marina in Moreton Bay, Queensland, yellow shelled individuals are at a selective advantage over other shell colors and that this advantage is due to differential selection by predators. Yellow shelled individuals were more likely to be recaptured than others, indicating a higher survival rate of yellows. When predation was restricted on ten mangrove trees, the apparent advantage of yellow shells was removed. After 18 months, the relative frequency of yellow shelled individuals was significantly lower on experimental trees than on control trees. A combination of selection for crypsis and for the less common morph is suggested as the mechanism maintaining the high levels of variation in this species.
据推测，在昆士兰州莫顿湾生活在白骨壤上的滨螺种群中，黄色外壳的个体相对于其他外壳颜色具有选择优势，且这种优势归因于捕食者的差异选择。黄色外壳的个体比其他个体更有可能被重新捕获，这表明黄色个体的存活率更高。当在十棵红树上限制捕食时，黄色外壳的明显优势就消失了。18个月后，实验树上黄色外壳个体的相对频率显著低于对照树。一种针对保护色和较不常见形态的选择组合被认为是维持该物种高变异水平的机制。
