Data from: Strong bat predation and weak environmental constraints predict longer moth tails

Elaborate traits evolve via intense selective pressure, overpowering
ecological constraints. Hindwing tails that thwart bat attack have
repeatedly originated in moon moths (Saturniidae), with longer tails
having greater anti-predator effect. Here, we take a macroevolutionary
approach to evaluate the evolutionary balance between predation pressure
and possible limiting environmental factors on tail elongation. To trace
the evolution of tail length across time and space, we inferred a
time-calibrated phylogeny of the entirely tailed moth group (Actias +
Argema) and performed ancestral state reconstruction and biogeographical
analyses. We generated metrics of predation via estimates of bat abundance
from nearly 200 custom-built species distribution models and environmental
metrics via estimates of bioclimatic variables associated with individual
moth observations. To access community science data, we developed a novel
method for measuring wing lengths from unscaled photos. Integrating these
data into phylogenetically-informed mixed models, we find a positive
association between bat predation pressure and moth tail length and body
size, and a negative association between environmental factors and these
morphological traits. Regions with more insectivorous bats and more
consistent temperatures tend to host longer-tailed moths. Our study
provides insight into tradeoffs between biotic selective pressures and
abiotic constraints that shape elaborate traits across the tree of life.