Abstract: The phenotypic coloration of animals is polychrome which includes plumage, pelage, and skin. It plays an important role in intraspecific communication, predation defense, and thermoregulation. The role of phenotypic coloration in sexual selection deserves to receive considerable critical attention. Non-human primates are an excellent model for investigating the role of phenotypic coloration in sexual selection, owing to their varied and complex pelage and bare skin coloration, mating systems, and visual systems. However, few studies on this subject were conducted in China. Based on a review of studies on the role of phenotypic coloration under sexual pressure in non-human primates, we found that intersexual selection prefers brightly colored individuals due to potential health conditions, while intrasexual color is more likely to represent rank and individual competitive desire. Mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) are the main study subjects in skin coloration studies. The color signal is analyzed in most studies but pelage coloration is rarely involved. Overall, the physiological mechanisms and genetic expression related to phenotypic coloration need to be further explored. Visual model is a more accurate color signal receiving method than spectroscopy and digital photography, but digital photography is a more convenient and operable method in most of the current research conditions.

Key words: Color signals, Non-human primates, Sexual selection

摘要： 动物的多彩羽毛、毛发和皮肤不仅在种内交流、反捕食防御、体温调节等方面起到重要作用，而且在性选择中具有非常重要的意义。许多非人灵长类种类具有多色毛发和裸露皮肤，同时又拥有复杂多样的交配系统和视觉系统，因此成为研究色彩信号在性选择中作用的代表类群。本文阐述了性选择压力下颜色信号的功能以及非人灵长类的研究优势，综合分析了颜色信号在非人灵长类性选择中的作用：(1)异性间偏好鲜艳颜色，鲜艳颜色可能意味着身体更健康；(2)同性间颜色鲜艳意味着个体等级高低及竞争烈度强弱；(3)所有研究主要以山魈(Mandrillus sphinx)和猕猴(Macaca mulatta)为对象，且多以皮肤颜色为信号，涉及毛色的研究几乎空白；(4)尽管视觉模型比光谱法及数字摄影更精准，但在现有条件下数字摄影更加方便可行；(5)表型颜色与内在生理机制联系及相关基因研究还需要进一步深入挖掘。

关键词: 色彩信号, 非人灵长类, 性选择