Data and original code for: Polarization and reflectance are linked to climate, size and mechanistic constraints in a group of scarab beetles

Beetles exhibit an extraordinary diversity of brilliant and colourful appearances and optical effects invisible to humans. Their underlying mechanisms have received some attention, but we know little about the ecological variables driving their evolution. Here we investigated environmental correlates of reflectivity and circular polarization in a group of optically diverse beetles (Scarabaeidae–Rutelinae). We quantified the optical properties of 261 specimens representing 46 species using spectrophotometry and calibrated photographs. Then, we examined associations between these properties and environmental variables such as temperature, humidity, and vegetation cover, controlling for body size and phylogenetic relatedness. Our results showed larger beetles have higher visible reflectivity in drier environments. Unexpectedly, near-infrared (NIR) reflectivity was not correlated with ecological variables. However, we found a correlation between humidity and polarization (chiral nanostructu..., This data set was collected from 261 specimens of Australian scarabs representing 53 morphs of 46 species and 9 genera of the subfamily Rutelinae and one species of the subfamily Melolonthinae. Reflectivity and transmissivity were collected with spectroscopy methods. Absorptivity was calculated based on these two variables Circular polarization was studied using calibrated photographs of the beetle specimens in three filters, visible light, left-handed polarized visible light, and right-handed polarized visible light. The length of the beetles was calculated from the calibrated photographs and used as an indication of size. Climate data was extracted from ALA and BioClim. The original code is attached. Phylogenetic data was reconstructed from published COI data and additional sequences available in NCBI Processing: The linearization and equalization of the photographs were done with a custom-made protocol in MatLab. Most of the processing of the data was done in R Statistical Softwa..., , # Data and original code for: Explaining the diversity of optical effects in Christmas beetles: climate, history, and mechanisms [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.rv15dv4f7](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.rv15dv4f7) This data set contains all the original files used in our manuscript. Despite the increasing number of studies on natural photonic structures, we seldom know the biological relevance or ecological drivers of these structures. In this study, we used a macroecological approach to look for potential ecological drivers of unique optical effects in 261 specimens representing 46 species of Australian scarabs, known as Christmas beetles (Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae). This set contains the raw values of reflectance and transmittance measured with spectrometry techniques. As well as the correspondent reflectivity, transmissivity, and absorptivity (integrated across the wavelength range of the solar irradiance). In addition, it contains the raw RGB values extracted from calibrated photogra...鞘翅目甲虫展现出极为丰富多样的鲜亮色彩与人类肉眼不可见的光学效应，其背后的形成机制已受到一定关注，但目前我们对驱动这类结构演化的生态变量仍知之甚少。本研究针对光学特性多样的金龟子科花金龟亚科（Scarabaeidae–Rutelinae）类群，探究了其反射率与圆偏振（circular polarization）特性与环境因子的关联。研究采用分光光度法（spectrophotometry）与校准后的照片，量化了涵盖46个物种的261份标本的光学属性。随后，我们在控制体型大小与系统发育亲缘关系的前提下，分析了这些光学属性与温度、湿度、植被覆盖度等环境变量之间的关联。 研究结果显示，体型更大的甲虫在更干旱的环境中可见光反射率更高；出乎意料的是，近红外（near-infrared, NIR）反射率与生态变量并无关联。不过我们发现湿度与偏振特性（手性纳米结构，chiral nanostructu……）存在关联。本数据集采集自261份澳大利亚金龟子标本，涵盖花金龟亚科（Rutelinae）9个属的46个物种共53个形态型，以及1个鳃金龟亚科（Melolonthinae）物种。 本数据集通过光谱法获取了反射率与透射率数据，并基于这两项指标计算得到吸收率。圆偏振特性的测定则通过对甲虫标本使用三种滤光片（可见光、左旋偏振可见光、右旋偏振可见光）拍摄的校准照片完成。研究人员通过校准照片计算甲虫体长，以此作为体型大小的表征指标。 气候数据提取自ALA与BioClim数据库，原始代码随数据集一并附出。系统发育数据基于已发表的COI序列数据与NCBI数据库中可获取的额外序列重构得到。 数据处理流程：照片的线性化与均衡化处理通过MatLab平台的自定义协议完成，绝大多数数据处理工作在R统计软件（R Statistical Software）中进行……。本数据集为《解释圣诞甲虫光学效应的多样性：气候、演化历史与形成机制》一文的配套数据与原始代码。 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.rv15dv4f7](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.rv15dv4f7) 本数据集包含论文中使用的全部原始文件。尽管目前针对天然光子结构的研究日益增多，但我们仍极少能阐明这类结构的生物学意义与生态驱动因子。本研究采用宏生态学研究方法，针对261份澳大利亚金龟子标本（即圣诞甲虫，隶属金龟子科花金龟亚科，涵盖46个物种），探寻其独特光学效应的潜在生态驱动因素。 本数据集包含通过光谱技术测得的反射率与透射率原始数值，以及对应整合了太阳辐照波长范围的反射率、透射率与吸收率数据；此外还包含从校准照片中提取的原始RGB数值……