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In situ Protocol for Butterfly Pupal Wings Using Riboprobes

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Published on: May 28, 2007

Origin, development, and evolution of butterfly eyespots.

Antónia Monteiro¹

¹Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, and Yale-NUS-College, Singapore;

Annual Review of Entomology

|October 24, 2014

Summary

This review explores the evolution and development of nymphalid butterfly eyespots, detailing genetic factors and proposing models for their diversity. Understanding these patterns aids in butterfly evolution research.

Keywords:

complex traits constraints evo-devo sexual dimorphism wing patterns

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary Biology
Developmental Biology
Genetics

Background:

Nymphalid butterfly eyespots are key traits for studying evolutionary and developmental patterns.
Previous research has focused on the origin and diversification of these complex structures.

Purpose of the Study:

To review recent advancements in understanding the origin, development, and evolution of nymphalid butterfly eyespots.
To propose a schematic for the genetic regulatory architecture of eyespots and hypothesize about diversity limits.

Main Methods:

Literature review of recent contributions to eyespot research.
Comparative analysis of existing and novel models of eyespot development.
Development of a schematic for genetic regulatory architecture.

Main Results:

Recent studies provide insights into the evolutionary origin, ancestral placement, and diversification of eyespots.
Genes influencing eyespot development and pigmentation have been identified.
New models and a genetic regulatory schematic for eyespot development are proposed.

Conclusions:

The proposed schematic offers a framework for understanding the genetic basis of eyespot diversity.
Hypotheses are presented to explain observed limits in morphological diversity among serially homologous eyespot traits.