Vicariance and speciation - a molecular phylogenetic test using ithomiine butterflies

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Project objective

The forest nymphalid butterfly subfamily Ithomiinae has been and still is instrumental to understand mimicry development, one of the best examples of natural selection driving colour patterns. Their differentiation across the Amazonian lowlands has been used to support allopatric speciation theory by fragmentation of rain forest during the glacial period. To test whether the extant patterns of two ithomiine genera (Hypothyris and Melinaea) reflect historical or ecological origins, we plan to collect population samples of the main species included in the two genera and examine the phylogenetic hypothesis of unrelated, co-mimetic groups. Because of the similarity due to mimicry between species, we will use a molecular approach to shed light on alpha-taxonomy as well as species relationships, leading to a better understanding of the evolution of mimicry in both these genera. The choice of nuclear and mitochondrial genes would improve the phylogenetic resolution at both intra- and inter-specific levels, between as many species and taxonomically distinctive populations as possible. If cladograms of unrelated groups of sympatric species are concordant, we will confirm the refugial hypothesis (speciation by isolation between forest fragmented regions) and, using a molecular clock, we will test of vicariant origins through analysis of divergence times for concordant clades.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON · LONDONCoordinatorUnited Kingdom

Links

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