Colour polymorphic species are model systems for examining the evolutionary processes that generate and maintain discrete phenotypic variation in natural populations. Lizards have repeatedly evolved strikingly similar polymorphic sexual signals in distantly related lineages, providing an opportunity to examine convergence and divergence in colour polymorphism, correlated traits and associated evolutionary processes. Herein, we synthesise the extensive literature on lizard colour polymorphisms in both sexes, including recent advances in understanding of the underlying biochemical, cellular and genetic mechanisms, and correlated behavioural, physiological and life‐history traits. Male throat, head or ventral colour morphs generally consist of red/orange, yellow and white/blue morphs, and sometimes mixed morphs with combinations of two colours. Despite these convergent phenotypes, there is marked divergence in correlated behavioural, physiological and life‐history traits. We discuss the need for coherence in morph classification, particularly in relation to ‘mixed’ morphs. We highlight future research directions such as the genetic basis of convergent phenotypes and the role of environmental variation in the maintenance of polymorphism. Research in this very active field promises to continue to provide novel insights with broad significance to evolutionary biologists.

中文翻译：

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蜥蜴颜色多态性的收敛和发散

颜色多态性物种是用于检查在自然种群中产生和维持离散表型变异的进化过程的模型系统。蜥蜴在远亲谱系中反复进化出惊人相似的多态性信号，这提供了一个机会来检查颜色多态性、相关特征和相关进化过程的趋同和发散。在此，我们综合了有关两性蜥蜴颜色多态性的大量文献，包括对潜在生化、细胞和遗传机制以及相关行为、生理和生活史特征的理解的最新进展。雄性喉部、头部或腹侧颜色的变体通常由红/橙、黄和白/蓝变体组成，有时是两种颜色组合的混合变体。尽管有这些趋同的表型，但相关的行为、生理和生活史特征仍存在显着差异。我们讨论了变形分类的一致性需求，特别是与“混合”变形相关的。我们强调了未来的研究方向，例如趋同表型的遗传基础和环境变异在维持多态性中的作用。这一非常活跃的领域的研究有望继续为进化生物学家提供具有广泛意义的新见解。我们强调了未来的研究方向，例如趋同表型的遗传基础和环境变异在维持多态性中的作用。这一非常活跃的领域的研究有望继续为进化生物学家提供具有广泛意义的新见解。我们强调了未来的研究方向，例如趋同表型的遗传基础和环境变异在维持多态性中的作用。这一非常活跃的领域的研究有望继续为进化生物学家提供具有广泛意义的新见解。