Nymphalid eyespots are co-opted to novel wing locations following a similar pattern in independent lineages.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Variation in the number of repeated traits, or serial homologs, has contributed greatly to animal body plan diversity. Eyespot color patterns of nymphalid butterflies, like arthropod and vertebrate limbs, are an example of serial homologs. These eyespot color patterns originated in a small number of wing sectors on the ventral hindwing surface and later appeared in novel wing sectors, novel wings, and novel wing surfaces. However, the details of how eyespots were co-opted to these novel wing locations are currently unknown.

Results

We used a large data matrix of eyespot/presence absence data, previously assembled from photographs of contemporary species, to perform a phylogenetic investigation of eyespot origins in nine independent nymphalid lineages. To determine

SUBMITTER: Schachat SR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4335541 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature