Mimetic females do not bear reproductive costs: Challenging the sexual selection hypothesis in female-limited mimetic polymorphism in butterflies

Batesian mimicry has been regarded as classical evidence of adaptation by natural selection, in which a palatable species avoids predation by resembling unpalatable species. In some butterfly species, Batesian mimicry is female-limited and mimetic females coexist with male-like (nonmimetic) females. Why do nonmimetic females continue to exist despite the possible differential predation pressure? One possible hypothesis is a trade-off between the anti-predatory defense and mating success. Specifically, mimetic females may be less attractive to conspecific males as they look like heterospecific butterflies. However, empirical studies based on behavioural data have shown mixed results. Here, we directly investigated female mating frequency by counting spermatophores and compared it between mimetic and nonmimetic females in a Batesian mimetic butterfly, Papilio polytes. These are the datasets of field sampling, spermatophore counts, wing brightness, and forewing images of female P. polytes...., , , # Data from: Mimetic females do not bear reproductive costs: Challenging the sexual selection hypothesis in female-limited mimetic polymorphism in butterflies

Dataset DOI: [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dv41ns281](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dv41ns281)

## Description of the data and file structure

Spermatophore counts and forewing brightness values of *Papilio polytes* females collected from four different islands. Brightness values represent the relative age of adult butterflies. We also included sampling data and forewing brightness values of newly emerged, lab-reared females.

### Files and variables

#### File: Papilio_polytes_Sampling_data.csv

**Description:** Sampling data of female Papilio polytes on four islands in Ryukyus, Japan.

**variables:** \"Start\" and \"End\" represent the time when samplings are begun or ended, respectively. \"Duration\" represents how long each sampling was conducted. \"Mimetic ratio\" is calculated with \"'Mimtetic female (the number of mimetic females)...,

贝茨拟态（Batesian mimicry）长期被视作自然选择驱动适应性演化的经典实证案例，即一类适口性物种通过模仿不可适口的物种来规避捕食风险。在部分蝴蝶类群中，贝茨拟态仅局限于雌性个体，拟态雌性会与类雄性（非拟态）雌性共存。尽管存在差异化的捕食压力，为何非拟态雌性仍能持续存续？其中一种可行假说认为，反捕食防御与交配成功率之间存在进化权衡。具体而言，拟态雌性由于外形与异种蝴蝶相似，可能对同种雄性的吸引力更低。然而，基于行为数据开展的实证研究结果却存在分歧。本研究通过计数精荚（spermatophore）直接探究雌性的交配频率，并在贝茨拟态蝴蝶美凤蝶（Papilio polytes）的拟态雌性与非拟态雌性之间开展了对比分析。本数据集涵盖该物种的野外采样、精荚计数、翅部亮度以及雌性美凤蝶前翅图像相关数据……# 数据来源：《拟态雌性并未承受生殖代价：挑战蝴蝶雌性局限拟态多态性中的性选择假说》
数据集DOI：https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dv41ns281

## 数据与文件结构说明
本数据集包含从日本琉球群岛四个不同岛屿采集的美凤蝶雌性的精荚计数数据与前翅亮度值。亮度值可反映成虫的相对羽化时长。我们还纳入了实验室饲养的新羽化雌性的采样数据与前翅亮度值。

### 文件与变量
#### 文件：Papilio_polytes_Sampling_data.csv
**描述：** 日本琉球群岛四个岛屿上的美凤蝶雌性采样数据。
**变量：** "Start"与"End"分别代表采样开始与结束的时间；"Duration"代表单次采样的持续时长；"Mimetic ratio"（拟态率）通过"拟态雌性数量"计算得出……