Divergence with gene flow across a speciation continuum of Heliconius butterflies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A key to understanding the origins of species is determining the evolutionary processes that drive the patterns of genomic divergence during speciation. New genomic technologies enable the study of high-resolution genomic patterns of divergence across natural speciation continua, where taxa pairs with different levels of reproductive isolation can be used as proxies for different stages of speciation. Empirical studies of these speciation continua can provide valuable insights into how genomes diverge during speciation.

Methods

We examine variation across a handful of genomic regions in parapatric and allopatric populations of Heliconius butterflies with varying levels of reproductive isolation. Genome sequences were mapped to 2.2-Mb of the H. erato genome, includ

SUBMITTER: Supple MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4582928 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature