Thermal melanism explains macroevolutionary variation of dorsal pigmentation in Eurasian vipers.

ABSTRACT: Colouration may endorse thermoregulatory and antipredatory functions in snakes. The thermal melanism hypothesis predicts that dark-coloured individuals are ecologically favoured in cool climates. However, the loss of aposematic and cryptic colourations may imply high predation for melanistic snakes. Here, we used the monophyletic group of Eurasian vipers (subfamily Viperinae) to test whether an increase in the extent of dark area inside the characteristic zigzag dorsal pattern is associated to colder environments. We measured two colouration traits in zigzag-patterned individuals (number of dorsal marks and weighted pigmentation index) and used a phylogenetic comparative approach to explore macroevolutionary patterns of dorsal pigmentation and test whether its extent is associated to ecoge

SUBMITTER: Martinez-Freiria F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7528074 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature