Oviposition behavior is not affected by ultraviolet light in a butterfly with sexually-dimorphic expression of a UV-sensitive opsin.

ABSTRACT: Animal vision is important for mediating multiple complex behaviors. In Heliconius butterflies, vision guides fundamental behaviors such as oviposition, foraging, and mate choice. Color vision in Heliconius involves ultraviolet (UV), blue and long-wavelength-sensitive photoreceptors (opsins). Additionally, Heliconius possess a duplicated UV opsin, and its expression varies widely within the genus. In Heliconius erato, opsin expression is sexually dimorphic; only females express both UV-sensitive opsins, enabling UV wavelength discrimination. However, the selective pressures responsible for sex-specific differences in opsin expression and visual perception remain unresolved. Female Heliconius invest heavily in finding suitable hostplants for oviposition, a

SUBMITTER: Borrero J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10318619 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature