Butterflies that have a spare gene allowing them to see ultraviolet colors also have UV-yellow pigment on their wings. The UV-yellow color may help the butterflies survive by facilitating the search for appropriate mates. Butterfly experts have suspected for more than 150 years that vision plays a main role in explaining wing colour diversity. Now, for the first time, the research proves this theory true — at least in 9 Heliconius species.
“They’re not wasting their time chasing after the mistaken mate,” said Briscoe, associate professor of ecology & evolutionary biology and lead author of the study, available online recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Butterflies residential a copy of their UV-vision gene and began displaying UV-yellow pigment 12 million to 25 million years ago, the scientists think. Of the 14,000 butterfly species in the world, only the Heliconius living in the forests of Mexico and Central and South America are known to have the spare gene.
Butterflies with just one UV-vision gene had yellow wing pigment that was not UV. However, the pigment was UV in butterflies with mutually genes, according to a University of California, Irvine press release. It was earlier thought that wing-colour mimicry emerged as a defense mechanism to confuse predators such as birds. This created a problem, though: Butterflies that evolved to look alike had a tough time identifying the right species with which to mate. Having both genes allows molecules to form in the eyes that are more receptive to UV light.
“They’re not wasting their time chasing after the mistaken mate,” said Briscoe, associate professor of ecology & evolutionary biology and lead author of the study, available online recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Butterflies residential a copy of their UV-vision gene and began displaying UV-yellow pigment 12 million to 25 million years ago, the scientists think. Of the 14,000 butterfly species in the world, only the Heliconius living in the forests of Mexico and Central and South America are known to have the spare gene.
Butterflies with just one UV-vision gene had yellow wing pigment that was not UV. However, the pigment was UV in butterflies with mutually genes, according to a University of California, Irvine press release. It was earlier thought that wing-colour mimicry emerged as a defense mechanism to confuse predators such as birds. This created a problem, though: Butterflies that evolved to look alike had a tough time identifying the right species with which to mate. Having both genes allows molecules to form in the eyes that are more receptive to UV light.
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