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Global squamate (lizard and snake) coloration is linked to habitat openness, with brighter skin favored in open environments. Brightness evolution also correlates with temperature changes and aridification events.

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Area of Science:

  • Zoology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Ecology

Background:

  • The ecological significance of integument coloration in squamates is well-researched.
  • However, the drivers of global patterns in squamate color variation are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the influence of eco-environmental variables on the evolutionary history of squamate coloration.
  • To identify key factors regulating global patterns of color variation in lizards and snakes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a global dataset comprising 1249 squamate species.
  • Analyzed the association between six eco-environmental variables and coloration evolution.
  • Examined interactions between these variables and their impact on evolutionary history.

Main Results:

  • Habitat openness was the sole consistent predictor of brightness evolution, favoring brighter integuments in open habitats.
  • Brightness evolution rates correlated with changes in δ18O (a temperature proxy).
  • Brightness evolution accelerated during global aridification periods (Miocene, Pliocene).

Conclusions:

  • Habitat openness is a primary driver of squamate brightness evolution.
  • Climate shifts, particularly aridification, influenced brightness evolution rates, possibly by altering habitat structure.
  • These findings highlight a significant environmental factor shaping color variation in the largest tetrapod order.