Kristiansen Evan B, Finkbeiner Susan D, Hill Ryan I, Prusa Louis, Mullen Sean P
Department of Biological Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215.
Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
Evolution. 2018 May 30. doi: 10.1111/evo.13488.
Batesian mimicry is characterized by phenotypic convergence between an unpalatable model and a palatable mimic. However, because convergent evolution may arise via alternative evolutionary mechanisms, putative examples of Batesian mimicry must be rigorously tested. Here, we used artificial butterfly facsimiles (N = 4000) to test the prediction that (1) palatable Limenitis lorquini butterflies should experience reduced predation when in sympatry with their putative model, Adelpha californica, (2) protection from predation on L. lorquini should erode outside of the geographical range of the model, and (3) mimetic color pattern traits are more variable in allopatry, consistent with relaxed selection for mimicry. We find support for these predictions, implying that this convergence is the result of selection for Batesian mimicry. Additionally, we conducted mark-recapture studies to examine the effect of mimicry and found that mimics survive significantly longer at sites where the model is abundant. Finally, in contrast to theoretical predictions, we found evidence that the Batesian model (A. californica) is protected from predation outside of its geographic range. We discuss these results considering the ongoing hybridization between L. lorquini and its sister species, L. weidemeyerii, and growing evidence that selection for mimicry predictably leads to a reduction in gene flow between nascent species.
贝氏拟态的特征是不可食的模型与可食的拟态者之间存在表型趋同。然而，由于趋同进化可能通过其他进化机制产生，因此必须对贝氏拟态的假定例子进行严格测试。在这里，我们使用人工蝴蝶仿制品（N = 4000）来检验以下预测：（1）可食的北美丝带凤蝶（Limenitis lorquini）与它们假定的模型加州阿黛尔凤蝶（Adelpha californica）同域分布时，遭受的捕食应该会减少；（2）在模型的地理分布范围之外，北美丝带凤蝶免受捕食的能力应该会减弱；（3）拟态颜色图案特征在异域分布时更具变异性，这与对拟态的选择放松一致。我们的研究结果支持了这些预测，这意味着这种趋同是贝氏拟态选择的结果。此外，我们进行了标记重捕研究以检验拟态的影响，发现拟态者在模型丰富的地点存活时间明显更长。最后，与理论预测相反，我们发现有证据表明贝氏模型（加州阿黛尔凤蝶）在其地理分布范围之外也能免受捕食。我们结合北美丝带凤蝶与其姐妹物种维氏丝带凤蝶（L. weidemeyerii）之间正在进行的杂交，以及越来越多的证据表明对拟态的选择可预见地导致新物种之间基因流动减少，来讨论这些结果。
