Subtle Introgression Footprints at the End of the Speciation Continuum in a Clade of Heliconius Butterflies.

ABSTRACT: Quantifying gene flow between lineages at different stages of the speciation continuum is central to understanding speciation. Heliconius butterflies have undergone an adaptive radiation in wing color patterns driven partly by natural selection for local mimicry. Color patterns are also known to be used as assortative mating cues. Therefore, wing pattern divergence is considered to play a role in speciation. A corollary is that mimicry between closely related species may be associated with hybridization and interfere with reproductive isolation. Here, we take a multifaceted approach to explore speciation history, species boundaries, and traits involved in species differentiation between the two closely related species, Heliconius hecale and Heliconius ismenius. We focus on geographic regio

SUBMITTER: Rougemont Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10375063 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature