Genetic isolation by distance underlies color pattern divergence in red-eyed treefrogs (Agalychnis callidryas)

Investigating the spatial distribution of genetic and phenotypic variation can provide insights into the evolutionary processes that shape diversity in natural systems. We characterized patterns of genetic and phenotypic diversity to learn about drivers of color-pattern diversification in red-eyed treefrogs (Agalychnis callidryas) in Costa Rica. Along the Pacific coast, red-eyed treefrogs have conspicuous leg color patterning that transitions from orange in the north to purple in the south. We measured phenotypic variation of frogs across Pacific sites, with increased sampling at sites where the orange-to-purple transition occurs. At the transition zone, we discovered the co-occurrence of multiple color-pattern morphs. To explore possible causes of this variation, we generated a SNP dataset with RAD sequencing to analyze population genetic structure, measure genetic diversity, and infer the processes that mediate genotype-phenotype dynamics. We investigated how patterns of genetic relatedness correspond with individual measures of color pattern along the coast, including testing for the role of hybridization in geographic regions where orange and purple phenotypic groups co-occur. We found no evidence that color-pattern polymorphism in the transition zone arose through recent hybridization or introgression. Instead, a strong pattern of genetic isolation by distance (IBD) indicates that color-pattern variation was retained through other processes such as ancestral color polymorphisms, ancient secondary contact or generated by novel mutations. We found that color phenotype changes along the Pacific coast more than would be expected from geographic distance alone. Combined, our results suggest the possibility of selective pressures acting on color pattern at a small geographic scale.