No evidence of quantitative signal honesty across species of aposematic burnet moths (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae).

ABSTRACT: Many defended species use conspicuous visual warning signals to deter potential predators from attacking. Traditional theory holds that these signals should converge on similar forms, yet variation in visual traits and the levels of defensive chemicals is common, both within and between species. It is currently unclear how the strength of signals and potency of defences might be related: conflicting theories suggest that aposematic signals should be quantitatively honest, or, in contrast, that investment in one component should be prioritized over the other, while empirical tests have yielded contrasting results. Here, we advance this debate by examining the relationship between defensive chemicals and signal properties in a family of aposematic Lepidoptera, accounting for phylogenetic rel

SUBMITTER: Briolat ES 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6378400 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature