Disentangling thermal from alternative drivers of reflectance in jewel beetles: A macroecological study

Abstract

Aim: To predict future colour–climate relationships, it is important to distinguish thermal drivers of reflectance from other evolutionary drivers. We aimed to achieve this by comparing relationships between climate and coloration in ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) and near-infrared (NIR) light, separately. Location: Samples were distributed primarily across Australia and North America, with some from Africa and Asia. Major taxa studied: Coleoptera: Buprestidae. Methods: We used jewel beetles as models to identify climatic drivers of reflectance, because jewel beetles have highly diverse coloration and a wide distribution and are often active in hot conditions. Specifically, we tested the assoc..