Understanding trait evolution is essential for explaining modern biological diversity, and this is particularly exemplified by studies of coloration. Recent studies have applied evolutionary models to understand animal coloration, yet we have limited knowledge of how this trait evolves in mammals in a comparative context. Here we use phylogenetic methods to examine how different traits are associated with the evolutionary diversity of primate hair color. We hypothesize that hair color evolves independently across body regions, and that variation in biological and ecological traits influence patterns of hair color evolution. To test this, we quantify the phylogenetic signal of coloration for each body region, then compare the fit of three evolutionary models and a null, non-phylogenetic model to explain color variation across 94 primate species. We then test how trait optima and rate of color evolution covary with biological traits, clade membership, and habitat. Phylogenetic signal varies across regions, with head and forelimb coloration exhibiting the highest values. Head and forelimb coloration is best explained by an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck model, which could suggest stabilizing selection, whereas a null model best fits other body regions. Rates of hair color evolution and optimal color values vary across species with different visual systems, activity patterns, habitat types, and clade memberships. These results suggest that selective pressures are acting independently across body regions and across different primate taxa. Our results emphasize the importance of investigating patterns of trait evolution across regions of the body, as well as incorporating relevant biological and ecological traits into evolutionary models.

了解性状进化对于解释现代生物多样性至关重要，这一点在色素研究中尤为明显。最近的研究已经使用进化模型来理解动物的色素，但是我们在比较的情况下对这种特性如何在哺乳动物中进化的知识知之甚少。在这里，我们使用系统发育方法来检查不同性状与灵长类动物发色的进化多样性之间的关系。我们假设头发的颜色在整个身体区域独立发展，并且生物学和生态特征的变化会影响头发的颜色演变模式。为了测试这一点，我们量化了每个身体区域的着色的系统发育信号，然后比较了三种进化模型和无效的非系统发育模型的拟合度，以解释94种灵长类物种的颜色变化。然后，我们测试性状最适性和颜色演变速率与生物学性状，进化枝成员和栖息地之间的关系。系统发生信号随区域变化，头部和前肢的颜色表现出最高的值。头部和前肢的颜色最好用Ornstein-Uhlenbeck模型来解释，这可能表明选择稳定，而null模型最适合其他身体部位。不同视觉系统，活动模式，栖息地类型和进化枝成员的物种之间，毛发颜色进化和最佳颜色值的速率会有所不同。这些结果表明选择性压力在身体区域和不同的灵长类生物群中独立发挥作用。我们的结果强调了研究人体各个部位性状演变模式的重要性，