Imperfect mimicry in British hoverflies provides an opportunity to investigate aspects of reliable signalling and community structure. Shankari’s study focused on the taxonomic level at which variability in traits that might be involved in aposematic signalling is seen in these communities. This could provide an insight into where the variability originates as well as how it might be maintained. Variability may be a key factor in explaining the mimicry seen in these hoverflies.

Shankari was pursuing an MSc degree in Evolution, Ecology and Systematics at the Ludwig-Maximilian’s University, Munich (2012-2014).