Pervasive horizontal transmission of Wolbachia in natural populations of closely related and widespread tropical skipper butterflies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The endosymbiotic relationship between Wolbachia bacteria and insects has been of interest for many years due to their diverse types of host reproductive phenotypic manipulation and potential role in the host's evolutionary history and population dynamics. Even though infection rates are high in Lepidoptera and specifically in butterflies, and reproductive manipulation is present in these taxa, less attention has been given to understanding how Wolbachia is acquired and maintained in their natural populations, across and within species having continental geographical distributions.

Results

We used whole genome sequencing data to investigate the phylogenetics, demographic history, and infection rate dynamics of Wolbachia in four species of the Spicauda genus of ski

SUBMITTER: Ribeiro P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11706079 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature