Reproducible research in the study of biological coloration

Our review of the recent literature highlights some impediments to reproducibility in the study of biological coloration. The simplest step towards reproducible research is through the comprehensive reporting of methods, yet key information is often unreported (Fig. 1). Here we provide a list of methodological information that we suggest be specified in studies that focus on the spectrometry- or camera-based analysis of colour (Table 1 and Table 2). In addition to the suggested information, we also recommend that raw spectra be presented where possible, as these figures allow for the rapid assessment of the nature and quality of the data independent of downstream processing. We also emphasize the importance of explicitly outlining the biological justification underlying all choices for data capture and analysis (Kemp et al., 2015). Finally, the public storage of data along with detailed meta-data is pivotal for reproducibility, yet public data storage in studies of colour traits is not yet the norm. We therefore encourage researchers to consider the substantial benefits of publicly archiving their data (Piwowar et al., 2007 and Whitlock, 2011). Overall, we hope that our guidelines will encourage researchers to think about the reproducibility of their work and the advantages of increased transparency, which will continue the advance of an exciting era in colour research.