The abstract is read at the publisher; the summary is JClub's.
In chemically defended conifer sawflies (Diprionidae), aposematism and gregariousness are positively evolutionarily correlated (r = 0.29), with many species showing both traits (20/45).
- Why it matters: The study addresses how conspicuous warning signals can persist in cryptic prey, and tests whether aggregation or warning coloration evolved first in lineages.
- What they did: Using phylogenetic reconstructions across 45 Diprionidae species with larval color and aggregation data, the authors quantified trait correlations and inferred ancestral states.
- The result: Species with cryptic and gregarious larvae (14/45) tended to descend from aposematic and gregarious ancestors, supporting the aposematism-first pathway over group-first.
The findingWhy it mattersWhat they didThe result
AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.