Hybrid zones and the speciation continuum in Heliconius butterflies.

Citation:

Mallet, J., & Dasmahapatra, K. K. (2012). Hybrid zones and the speciation continuum in Heliconius butterflies. Molecular Ecology , 21, 5643-5645.
REPRINT324 KB

Abstract:

Tropical butterflies in the genus Heliconius have long 25 been models in26 the study of the stages of speciation. Heliconius are unpalatable to27 predators, and many species are notable for multiple geographic28 populations with striking warning colour pattern differences associated29 with Müllerian mimicry. There is a speciation continuum evident in30 Heliconius hybrid zones, across which mimicry patterns are often31 different, but where hybrids are common and little else differs, through32 to 'bimodal' hybrid zones with strongly marked molecular differences33 with few hybrids, through to 'good' sympatric species. Now Arias et al.34 (2012) have found an intermediate case in Colombian Heliconius cydno35 showing evidence for assortative mating and molecular differences, but36 where hybrids are abundant.

Notes:

doi:10.1111/mec.12058

Last updated on 09/22/2019