Genetic 'paint box' shuffled between butterfly species to create new wing patterns

Friday, January 15, 2016 - 18:50 in Biology & Nature

This image shows a range of wing pattern combinations in various Heliconius butterfly species. Clockwise from top left: elevatus; contigua; rosina; meriana; malleti. New research on butterfly genomes has revealed that the genetic components that produce different splotches of colour on wings can be mixed up between species by interbreeding to create new patterns, like a "genetic paint-box".

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