Re: What does a agassizii really look like

[swaldron@slip.net (Steven J. Waldron)]

>I mean, suppose there is only one gene for color, and it can have
>7 different values Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet.
>Each aggie has 2 copies of the gene (one from each parent). Obvisouly
>is your aggy has a red and violet gene, and its mate only has say, yellow
>and green, none of their descendants can ever have the Blue, Indigo or Violet
>values for that gene.
>
 Frank,
I have studied some population genetics and most morphological traits are
thought to be the product of many different genes. Therefore, there could
be some significant color variation within a population but this is a
product of selection, as you suggested above. Even the Amazon is not a
uniform environment, there exists many barriers to small fishes like
apistos that inhabit side tributaries and creeks, such barriers restrict
migration and gene flow. Therefore, I think most of the variation we see in
Apistogramma is between locally unique populations that have become
isolated through time, genetics and the everchanging meanders of the river,
rather than within one immensely variable super population.
- - Steve Waldron