Abstract
Mimicry is a hot spot of evolutionary research, but de novo origins of aposematic patterns, the persistence of multiple patterns in Müllerian communities, and the persistence of imperfect mimics still need to be investigated. Local mimetic assemblages can contain up to a hundred of species, their structure can be a result of multiple dispersal events, and the gradual build-up of the communities. Here, we investigate the structure of lowland and mountain mimetic communities of net-winged beetles by sampling the Crocker Range in north-eastern Borneo and neighbouring regions. The local endemics evolved from the Bornean lowland fauna which is highly endemic at the species level. We inferred that metriorrhynchine net-winged beetles evolved in high elevations yellow/black and reticulate aposematic high-contrast signals from a widespread low-contrast brown/black pattern. As the mountain range is ~ 6 million years old, and these patterns do not occur elsewhere, we assume their in situ origins. We demonstrate that a signal with increased internal contrast can evolve de novo in a mimetic community and can persist despite its low frequency. Additionally, a similar aposematic signal evolves from different structures and its similarity is imperfect. The community with multiple patterns sets conditions for the evolution of aposematic sexual dimorphism as demonstrated by the yellow/black male and reticulate female pattern of Micronychus pardus. These insights elucidate the complex character of the evolution of mimetic signalling in the dynamically diversifying biota of high tropical mountains.
Highlights
Mimicry, as an anti-predatory strategy, is one of the textbook examples of improvement through natural selection[1,2]
No sexual dimorphism was identified in Metriorrhynchini and similar patterns are identified in unrelated species (Fig. 3A)
They belong to the unpalatable organisms which form very extensive and complex mimetic communities containing up to a hundred species and ten aposematic patterns in some localities[21]
Summary
As an anti-predatory strategy, is one of the textbook examples of improvement through natural selection[1,2]. The purifying selection should favour those who are best protected, i.e., those who share the most common and most effective signal in the community, the real multi-pattern mimetic complexes contain mimics with diverse signals components and imperfect signalling. Within these complex mimetic Müllerian communities, there is apparently a grey zone between prey which should be highly or poorly protected according to the results of experiments under controlled conditions. We encounter multi-pattern communities in nature and in the contrast with the model-based predictions, aposematic patterns can be conspicuous in various degrees, some mimetics can be perfect and some only vaguely resemble the dominant unprofitable prey. Conspicuousness and perfection are ultimate adaptations of any member of the Müllerian community which tries to maximize protection and minimize costs, but under real conditions, they seem often unattainable
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