Phylogenetically diverse diets favor more complex venoms in North American pitvipers

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2015579118
• Publication Date: 2021-04-19T20:46:54Z
• Authors: Matthew L. Holding; Jason L. Strickland; Rhett M. Rautsaw; Erich P. Hofmann; Andrew J. Mason; Michael P. Hogan; Gunnar S. Nystrom; Schyler A. Ellsworth; Timothy J. Colston; Miguel Borja; Gamaliel Castañed...; Christoph I. Grün...; Jason M. Jones; Luciana A. Freita...; Vincent Louis Viala; Mark J. Margres; Erika Hingst-Zaher; Inácio L. M. Junq...; Ana M. Moura-da-S...; Felipe G. Grazziotin; H. Lisle Gibbs; Darin R. Rokyta; Christopher L. Pa...
• Keywords: Phylogenetic diversity; Divergence (linguistics)

Significance Why biological complexity evolves is a major question in the life sciences, but specific selection pressures favoring simple or complex traits remain unclear. Using high-resolution measurements of venom North American pitvipers, we link changes to natural history via phylogenetic diversity snake diets. The results indicate that response community species, likely reflecting divergence physiological targets venom. nature species community, rather than their richness alone, an important feature evolution traits.