Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stano Pekar, Martina Martisova, Andrea Spalek Tothova, Charles R. Haddad
Summary: This study objectively measured the resemblance between arthropod mimics and ants, based on traits such as color, shape, size, and behavior. The results showed that mimics were more similar to ants in color and behavior, rather than size and body shape.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nicholas W. Vankuren, Meredith M. Doellman, Sofia Sheikh, Daniela H. Palmer Droguett, Darli Massardo, Marcus R. Kronforst
Summary: Novel phenotypes can evolve by co-opting conserved genes into new developmental contexts, and in this study, the role of co-opted doublesex in butterfly wing color pattern development was characterized. The study revealed dynamic expression pattern differences between mimic and non-mimic butterflies throughout wing development, with a pulse of dsx expression causing differential gene expression particularly in Wnt and Hedgehog signaling pathways. Interestingly, Dsx co-option caused Engrailed, a primary target of Hedgehog signaling, to gain a novel expression domain early in wing development, resulting in the specification of novel mimic patterns.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michal Motyka, Sergey Kazantsev, Dominik Kusy, Evgeny E. Perkovsky, Shuhei Yamamoto, Ladislav Bocak
Summary: Using European Cenozoic amber and phylogenetic reconstruction, the study evaluates the evolution of net-winged beetle aposematism, suggesting the presence of ancient aposematic patterns in Eocene Europe. The analyses indicate the dispersal of lycid species from East Asia to Europe during the Oligocene to Miocene period, with the retention of similarities with their East Asian relatives. The rarity of net-winged beetles in Europe after the Quaternary climatic oscillations may suggest a relaxed selection for shared aposematic signals.
Review
Ecology
Peter C. Willadsen
Summary: Aposematism and mimicry are complex phenomena that have been extensively studied, but the focus has been predominantly on butterflies. Aculeate hymenopterans, however, are understudied in terms of their aposematic and mimetic characteristics. Recent studies have identified novel pigments and changes in regulatory elements as potential drivers of color pattern evolution. Predator distribution and diversity, as well as gender, play important roles in the evolution and maintenance of conspicuous color patterns. Further research on aposematic aculeates and their mimics has the potential to answer questions about the evolution of color patterns and the composition and distribution of mimetic communities.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ugo Lorioux-Chevalier, Mario Tuanama Valles, Stephanie Gallusser, Ronaldo Mori Pezo, Mathieu Chouteau
Summary: Warning signals and mimetic convergence in poison frogs show high variability and negative correlation. Variation in warning signals is continuous between populations in different localities. Coloration is consistently the least variable element and plays a greater role in predator avoidance compared to patterning.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jeremy J. Midgley, Michael D. Cramer
Summary: This study found significant differences between female and male plants in terms of sexual reproduction and vegetative growth. Female plants tend to allocate more resources to sexual reproduction, while male plants prioritize vegetative growth. However, the sex ratios and basal stem areas are equal between the sexes. This suggests that plant traits are not only related to nutrition, but also to reproduction.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gillian C. Gibb, Lara D. Shepherd
Summary: The New Zealand wattlebirds, especially the extinct huia, exhibit extreme variation in bill morphology. Phylogenetic analyses based on genetic information reveal that saddleback and huia diverged around 5 million years ago, and the extreme sexual dimorphism in huia evolved within this time frame. This suggests that the expansion of huia in the wood-foraging niche and the resulting sexual dimorphism were the main factors contributing to the large variation in bill morphologies within this family.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Benedetta Barzaghi, Andrea Melotto, Paola Cogliati, Raoul Manenti, Gentile Francesco Ficetola
Summary: The aposematic coloration of the fire salamander populations shows significant variation, which is strongly related to individual’s size, habitat productivity, and food availability. The color pattern is primarily affected by resource availability during larval development.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
J. Benito Wainwright, Stephen H. Montgomery
Summary: This study explores the impact of microhabitat partitioning in heterogeneous environments on the sensory neural adaptation of species. The results show that mimetic and ecological corresponding species in ithomiine butterflies have different patterns of sensory investment, with flight height being a critical factor shaping neuroanatomical diversity.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dipendra Nath Basu, Vaishali Bhaumik, Krushnamegh Kunte
Summary: Multitrait adaptive evolution is influenced by factors such as phylogenetic and functional constraints and the intensity and direction of selection. The tempo and mode of such evolution can impact the assembly of biological communities. Batesian mimicry involves adaptive evolution of multiple traits and we evaluated the tempo and mode of convergence in flight morphology and color patterns in mimetic butterfly communities. We found that models showed faster rates of aposematic trait evolution compared to mimics or nonmimetic sister species, and the degree of mimetic resemblance was correlated with character evolution rate, but not phylogenetic relatedness. Convergence was driven by the greater lability of color patterns, indicating differential selection pressures and constraints on trait evolution.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Biology
Donald James McLean, Marie E. Herberstein
Summary: The study suggests that information limitation may be a general principle behind imperfect mimicry of complex traits, while interactions between components of mimicry are unlikely to provide a general explanation for imperfect mimicry.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wanhu Yang, Jixiang Cui, Yuxin Chen, Chao Wang, Yuanzhi Yin, Wei Zhang, Shanlin Liu, Cheng Sun, Hu Li, Yuange Duan, Fan Song, Wanzhi Cai, Heather M. Hines, Li Tian
Summary: Mullerian mimicry has been studied to explore the genetic mechanisms underlying adaptive phenotypic divergence and convergence. This study investigates the genetic basis of mimetic color pattern variation in a highly polymorphic bumble bee species. The results suggest that the color dimorphism is controlled by a single Mendelian locus located at the intergenic region between two Hox genes. Gene expression analysis suggests that a differential expression of an intergenic long noncoding RNA may drive the color variation late in development. The study also reveals that mimetic convergence is achieved through distinct genetic routes.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anniina L. K. Mattila, Chris D. Jiggins, Oystein H. Opedal, Gabriela Montejo-Kovacevich, Erika C. Pinheiro de Castro, W. Owen McMillan, Caroline Bacquet, Marjo Saastamoinen
Summary: The study reveals significant intra-specific variation in warning color patterns and mimicry in Cyanogenic Heliconius butterflies, as well as striking chemical profile differences among geographically distant populations. This suggests a high potential for evolutionary adaptation in defense traits and possible local adaptation in the acquisition mechanisms of defensive compounds.
Article
Ecology
Anniina L. K. Mattila, Chris D. Jiggins, Marjo Saastamoinen
Summary: Aposematic animals use bright warning coloration to indicate their toxicity or unpalatability. This study found associations between life-history traits and chemical defenses, suggesting that toxicity levels may be influenced by individual condition and age, as well as genetic background and early conditions. Additionally, individuals with higher toxicity developed faster, had higher mass as adults, and showed a tendency for increased lifespan and fecundity.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shinji Sugiura, Masakazu Hayashi
Summary: In defensive mimicry, unequal resemblance between defended species can be parasitic, known as quasi-Batesian mimicry. This study examined the mimetic interaction between well-defended insect species, the bombardier beetle and the assassin bug, using their predator, the pond frog. The results showed that both the bombardier beetle and the assassin bug benefited from this mimetic interaction.
Article
Entomology
I Kelnarova, E. Jendek, V. V. Grebennikov, L. Bocak
BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2019)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Robin Kundrata, Michael A. Ivie, Ladislav Bocak
INSECT SYSTEMATICS & EVOLUTION
(2019)
Article
Zoology
Matej Bocek, Ladislav Bocak
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alice Jiruskova, Michal Motyka, Matej Bocek, Ladislav Bocak
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Dominik Kusy, Michal Motyka, Matej Bocek, Michal Masek, Ladislav Bocak
SYSTEMATIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Geology
Ladislav Bocak, Yun Li, Sieghard Ellenberger
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2019)
Article
Zoology
Robin Kundrata, Ladislav Bocak
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2019)
Article
Zoology
Ladislav Bocak, Dominik Kusy, Michal Motyka, Matej Bocek
Article
Entomology
Matej Bocek, Michal Motyka, Dominik Kusy, Ladislav Bocak
Article
Zoology
Matej Bocek, Dominik Kusy, Michal Motyka, Ladislav Bocak
FRONTIERS IN ZOOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michal Motyka, Matej Bocek, Dominik Kusy, Ladislav Bocak
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Dominik Kusy, Jin-Wu He, Seth M. Bybee, Michal Motyka, Wen-Xuan Bi, Lars Podsiadlowski, Xue-Yan Li, Ladislav Bocak
Summary: The study suggests that bioluminescence in Elateridae, Lampyridae, Phengodidae, and Rhagophthalmidae has a single origin, forming the 'lampyroid clade'. Soft-bodied bioluminescent elateroid beetles likely evolved from fully sclerotized elateroids, with bioluminescence possibly arising in Elateridae in the mid-Cretaceous period in eastern Laurasia. This research provides a phylogenetic framework for studying genomic variation in the evolution of bioluminescence.
SYSTEMATIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Ladislav Bocak, Michal Motyka, Dominik Kusy, Renata Bilkova
Article
Entomology
Dominik Kusy, Michal Motyka, Ladislav Bocak
Summary: The study revisited the classification of click beetles by sequencing mitochondrial genomes of eight species, proposing new subfamilies and transferring groups to new statuses. The deep splits between different subfamilies were supported by phylogenetic analyses using mitochondrial genomes. The results suggest a Gondwanan origin for certain lineages within Elateridae.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michal Motyka, Dominik Kusy, Michal Masek, Matej Bocek, Yun Li, R. Bilkova, Josef Kapitan, Takashi Yagi, Ladislav Bocak
Summary: Biologists have studied the chemical defences and phenetic similarity of net-winged beetles and their co-mimics. The research illustrates the appearance and distribution of hundreds of lycid species and their co-mimics, as well as their evolutionary patterns using a transcriptomic backbone. The study reveals the evolution of aposematic patterns and the complex mimetic communities in different regions.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)