Repeated Evolution of Sociality is Associated with Reduced Mutation Rates in Spiders
Jilong Ma, Anne Aagaard, Jesper Bechsgaard, Anja Ebert, Peter Soerud Porsborg, Iva Kovacic, Sarah S. T. Mak, Joseph Nesme, Marcus Thomas P. Gilbert, Peter Refsing Andersen, Palle Villesen, Trine Bilde, Mikkel Heide Schierup
This study shows that sociality in spiders is linked to lower germline mutation rates, despite small population sizes and reduced selection pressure.
bioRxiv · Jul 9, 2025 · PreprintEvolutionary Biology