Predictability of temporal variation in climate and the evolution of seasonal polyphenism in tropical butterflies
Sridhar Halali, Dheeraj Halali, Henry S. Barlow, Freerk Molleman, Ullasa Kodandaramaiah, Paul M. Brakefield & Oskar Brattström
Phenotypic plasticity in heterogeneous environments can provide tight environment-phenotype matching. However, the pre-requisite is a reliable environmental cue(s) that enables organisms to use current environmental information to induce the development of a phenotype with high fitness in a forthcoming environment. Here we quantify predictability in the timing of precipitation and temperature change to examine how this is associated with seasonal polyphenism in tropical Mycalesina butterflies. Seasonal precipitation in the tropics typically results in distinct selective...