Data from: Mimicry refinement: Phenotypic variations tracking the local optimum

1. Müllerian mimicry between chemically defended preys is a textbook example of natural selection favouring phenotypic convergence onto a shared warning signal. Studies of mimicry have concentrated on deciphering the ecological and genetic underpinnings of dramatic switches in mimicry association, producing a well-known mosaic distribution of mimicry patterns across geography. However, little is known about the accuracy of resemblance between natural co-mimics when the local phenotypic optimum varies. 2. In this study, using analyses of wing shape, pattern and hue, we quantify multimodal phenotypic similarity between butterfly co-mimics sharing the so-called postman pattern in different localities with varying species composition. 3. We show that subtle but consistent variation between populations of the localised species, Heliconius timareta thelxinoe, enhance resemblance to the abundant co-mimics which drive the mimicry in each locality. 4. Those results suggest that rarer co-mimics track the changes in the phenotypic optimum caused by gradual changes in the composition of the mimicry community, providing insights into the process by which intra-specific diversity of mimetic pattern may arise. Furthermore, our results suggest a multimodal evolution of similarity, with coordinated convergence in different features of the phenotype such as wing outline, pattern and hue. 5. Finally, multilocus genotyping allows estimating local hybridization rates between H. timareta and co-mimic H. melpomene in different populations, raising the hypothesis that mimicry refinement between closely-related co-mimics may be enhanced by adaptive introgression at loci modifying the accuracy of resemblance.1. 化学防御猎物间的缪氏拟态（Müllerian mimicry）是自然选择青睐以共享警戒信号实现表型趋同的教科书级经典案例。既往拟态研究多聚焦于解析拟态关联发生剧烈转变的生态与遗传基础，由此揭示了拟态模式在地理分布上的经典镶嵌格局。然而，当局部表型最适值发生变化时，自然共拟态者之间的相似性精准度却鲜有探讨。 2. 本研究通过对翅形、翅纹与翅色的分析，量化了不同地理种群间共享所谓"邮差拟态模式"的蝴蝶共拟态者之间的多模态表型相似性，这些种群的物种组成各不相同。 3. 研究发现，局域分布物种透翅袖蝶（Heliconius timareta thelxinoe）的不同种群间存在细微但一致的表型变异，这种变异提升了其与各区域内主导拟态系统的优势共拟态者之间的相似性。 4. 上述结果表明，稀有的共拟态者会追踪拟态群落组成的渐变变化所引发的局部表型最适值改变，这为拟态模式的种内多样性如何起源提供了全新认知。此外，本研究还揭示了相似性的多模态进化路径：表型的不同维度（如翅廓、翅纹与翅色）可发生协同趋同。 5. 最后，通过多位点基因分型技术，本研究得以估算不同种群中透翅袖蝶（H. timareta）与共拟态者红带袖蝶（Heliconius melpomene）之间的局部杂交率，由此提出假说：亲缘关系较近的共拟态者之间的拟态优化，或许可通过修饰相似性精准度的基因座发生适应性基因渐渗（adaptive introgression）得到增强。