Foraging predicts the evolution of warning coloration and mimicry in snakes

Warning coloration and Batesian mimicry are classic examples of Darwinian evolution, but empirical evolutionary patterns are often paradoxical. We test whether a new factor, trade-offs with foraging, influences the evolution of striking coloration by integrating genetic and ecological data for aposematic and mimetic snakes (Elapidae and Dipsadidae). Our phylogenetic comparison of a total of 432 species demonstrated that dramatic changes in coloration were well-predicted by the foraging strategy. Multiple tests consistently indicated that warning coloration and conspicuous mimicry were more likely to evolve in species where foraging costs of conspicuous appearance were relaxed by the poor vision of their prey or concealed habitat. Reversion to crypsis was also well-predicted by ecology for elapids, but not for dipsadids. In contrast to a theoretical prediction and general trends, snakes’ conspicuous coloration was correlated with secretive ecology, suggesting that a selection regime unde..., , , # Data from: Foraging predicts the evolution of warning coloration and mimicry in snakes

Recommended citation for this dataset: 

Kojima, Y., Ito, R. K., Fukuyama, I., Ohkubo, Y., and Durso, A. M. (2024). Data from: Foraging predicts the evolution of warning coloration and mimicry in snakes. Dryad Digital Repository. [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.fqz612jzn](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.fqz612jzn)

## DATA OVERVIEW

List of data stored in \"DataFiles\" 

1\) Clustering

2\) Tree reconstruction

3\) Time calibration

4\) ASR

5\) Pagel's test

6\) CCT

7\) Regression

8\) Zaher et al's tree

9\) Polytomic trees

10\) Dataset

List of scripts stored in \"Scripts\" 

1\) Clustering

2\) Regression

## DESCRIPTION OF DATA

### 1) Clustering:

Input and results of cluster analysis on diets

* Elapidae.csv, Dipsadidae.csv: Dietary data. Each raw represents a species (see results for species name). The values are percentages. See Dataset S4 for references.
* Results.xlsx: Results of the anal...