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Color Vision Variation As Evidenced By Hybrid L/M Opsin Genes In Wild Populations Of Trichromatic Alouatta New World Monkeys, Barbara Welker, Yuka Matsushita, Hiroki Oota, Mary S. Pavelka, Shoji Kawamura

Anthropology

Platyrrhine (New World) monkeys possess highly polymorphic color vision owing to allelic variation of the single-locus L/M opsin gene on the X chromosome. Most species consist of female trichromats and female and male dichromats. Howlers (genus Alouatta) are an exception; they are considered to be routinely trichromatic with L and M opsin genes juxtaposed on the X chromosome, as seen in catarrhine primates (Old World monkeys, apes, and humans). Yet it is not known whether trichromacy is invariable in howlers. We examined L/M opsin variation in wild howler populations in Costa Rica and Nicaragua (Alouatta palliata) and …