Substrate thermal properties influence ventral brightness evolution in ectotherms

oleh: Jonathan Goldenberg, Liliana D’Alba, Karen Bisschop, Bram Vanthournout, Matthew D. Shawkey

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Nature Portfolio 2021-01-01

Deskripsi

Jonathan Goldenberg et al. use photographic data and ancestral state reconstruction of 126 viper species to show that substrate type influences the evolution of ventral brightness for efficient heat transfer. Their results suggest that these patterns may have been involved in the diversification of vipers during the Miocene, and highlight the importance of ventral body regions when considering behavioral ecology and evolution.