Evolutionary drivers of conspicuous spots in velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Dasymutilla).

In this study, we investigated the selective forces acting on the evolution of conspicuous spots on velvet ants (Mutillidae: Dasymutilla). We tested whether eyespots in 80 species of velvet ants evolved in (i) forest dwelling species and/or in (ii) habitat generalist species using Generalized hidden Markov models.