Data from: The evolution of darter color and pattern: Small, rocky streams and riffles enhance the diversification of bright and conspicuous fishes
Data files
Nov 28, 2025 version files 73.90 KB
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colour_and_habitat_data.xlsx
72.14 KB
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README.md
1.76 KB
Abstract
Organismal color and pattern is important to numerous aspects of animal fitness, and may impact species divergence. Whether different environmental conditions may impact rates of color diversification, and the subsequent impacts on lineage diversification, has not been well studied. We investigated the evolution of color and pattern in Darters (Etheostomatinae; Percidae), a species-rich clade of freshwater fishes showing a remarkable diversity in color. Using recently developed approaches in color and pattern analysis we quantified color and pattern attributes in 122 species. We applied multivariate and phylogenetic comparative methods to investigate the relationship between river habitat (drainage area, elevation, slope, substrate, etc) and darter color characteristics and changes in the rate of color evolution. We found color attributes were significantly related to river habitat, and rates of color evolution differed between macro- and micro-habitat categories; smaller streams and riffles in particular were associated with the rapid evolution of conspicuous and complex color patterns. We suggest that these differences are consistent with tradeoffs in predator abundance and photic environment. Small river habitats may facilitate rapid evolution of species-specific color patterns and reinforce divergence in secondary sympatry.
(published in the journal Evolution)
correspondence: Jessica H. Arbour; [jessica.arbour@mtsu.edu]
The associated Dryad repository contains one file:
(1) "colour_and_habitat_data.xlsx" - a xlsx file that contains the supporting data used for the analyses in the manuscript
This file contains three tables.
"Colour data by species" includes the result of an Adjacency Analysis of darter colouration. All values in the table are averaged by species (first column). Columns B to O (p_#) give the proportion of each of 14 colour classes detailed in the supplementary materials. "m" is the colour class transition density per pixel between colour classes. "A" is the aspect ratio of color transitions. "Sc" and "St" are the Simpson diversity indices for colour class and colour transitions. "m_dS" is the average chromatic boundary strength. Terminology follows the R packages "recolorize" and "pavo". "Image Source" gives the source for images used for each species.
"Colour Centers" gives the RGB values for the center of each of the 14 colour classes used in adjacency analyses.
"Environmental Data by Species" includes river drainage and substrate data per darter species. Columns B to H give the median for each drainage metric and its associated IQR: Values include river "drainage area" (km2), "elevation" (cm), "slope" (m/m), "discharge" (ft3/s), and "velocity" (ft/s). Columns L through AE give the proportion of observations of each substrate type per species. Column AF gives a binary character giving the typical occupation of riffles or pools by species.