| 1. |
- Aduse-Poku, Kwaku, et al.
(författare)
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Molecular phylogeny and generic-level taxonomy of the widespread palaeotropical 'Heteropsis clade' (Nymphalidae : Satyrinae: Mycalesina)
- 2016
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Ingår i: Systematic Entomology. - : Wiley. - 0307-6970. ; 41:4, s. 717-731
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The mycalesine butterfly genus Heteropsis Westwood, 1850 (Satyrinae: Mycalesina) has recently been conceived to be represented in three major palaeotropical regions (Madagascar, Africa and Asia), but there has been no formal taxonomic treatment covering this entire group. Studies aimed at understanding the evolutionary success of Mycalesina in the Old World tropics have been hampered by the lack of both a robust phylogeny and a stable nomenclature for this satyrine subtribe. Here, we present a well-supported molecular phylogeny based on 10 genes and 133 exemplar taxa, representing almost all known species groups of Heteropsis (s.l.), and including all but four known species in Madagascar. We also combine sequences of the exemplars with a morphological matrix of 428 characters. The widespread 'Heteropsis clade' is confirmed as monophyletic, but lineages in different geographic regions also form endemic and well-supported clades with deep divergences among them. Here we establish this group as comprising three genera, Heteropsis (Malagasy region only), Telinga Moore, 1880 (Asia), and Brakefieldia gen.n. (Africa). We recover the genera Telinga and Brakefieldia as sisters with high support. Each genus is taxonomically characterized and a revised synonymic checklist is appended with new combinations and some changes in rank. With a well-resolved topology and updates to the taxonomy of the group, researchers are now in a position to explore the drivers of the spectacular radiation of the group, notably in Madagascar, where the highest phenotypic and species diversity occurs.
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| 2. |
- Aduse-Poku, Kwaku, et al.
(författare)
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Systematics and historical biogeography of the Old World butterfly subtribe Mycalesina (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae)
- 2015
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Ingår i: BMC Evolutionary Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2148. ; 15, s. 167-167
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Butterflies of the subtribe Mycalesina have radiated successfully in almost all habitat types in Africa, Madagascar, the Indian subcontinent, Indo-China and Australasia. Studies aimed at understanding the reasons behind the evolutionary success of this spectacular Old World butterfly radiation have been hampered by the lack of a stable phylogeny for the group. Here, we have reconstructed a robust phylogenetic framework for the subtribe using 10 genes from 195 exemplar taxa. RESULTS: We recovered seven well supported clades within the subtribe corresponding to the five traditional genera (Lohora, Heteropsis, Hallelesis, Bicyclus, Mycalesis), one as recently revised (Mydosama) and one newly revised genus (Culapa). The phylogenetic relationships of these mycalesine genera have been robustly established for the first time. Within the proposed phylogenetic framework, we estimated the crown age of the subtribe to be 40 Million years ago (Mya) and inferred its ultimate origin to be in Asia. Our results reveal both vicariance and dispersal as factors responsible for the current widespread distribution of the group in the Old World tropics. We inferred that the African continent has been colonized at least twice by Asian mycalesines within the last 26 and 23 Mya. In one possible scenario, an Asian ancestor gave rise to Heteropsis on continental Africa, which later dispersed into Madagascar and most likely back colonised Asia. The second colonization of Africa by Asian ancestors resulted in Hallelesis and Bicyclus on continental Africa, the descendants of which did not colonise other regions but rather diversified only in continental Africa. The genera Lohora and Mydosama are derivatives of ancestors from continental Asia. CONCLUSION: Our proposed time-calibrated phylogeny now provides a solid framework within which we can implement mechanistic studies aimed at unravelling the ecological and evolutionary processes that culminated in the spectacular radiation of mycalesines in the Old World tropics.
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| 3. |
- Chazot, Nicolas, et al.
(författare)
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Conserved ancestral tropical niche but different continental histories explain the latitudinal diversity gradient in brush-footed butterflies
- 2021
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 12:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The global increase in species richness toward the tropics across continents and taxonomic groups, referred to as the latitudinal diversity gradient, stimulated the formulation of many hypotheses to explain the underlying mechanisms of this pattern. We evaluate several of these hypotheses to explain spatial diversity patterns in a butterfly family, the Nymphalidae, by assessing the contributions of speciation, extinction, and dispersal, and also the extent to which these processes differ among regions at the same latitude. We generate a time-calibrated phylogeny containing 2,866 nymphalid species (~45% of extant diversity). Neither speciation nor extinction rate variations consistently explain the latitudinal diversity gradient among regions because temporal diversification dynamics differ greatly across longitude. The Neotropical diversity results from low extinction rates, not high speciation rates, and biotic interchanges with other regions are rare. Southeast Asia is also characterized by a low speciation rate but, unlike the Neotropics, is the main source of dispersal events through time. Our results suggest that global climate change throughout the Cenozoic, combined with tropical niche conservatism, played a major role in generating the modern latitudinal diversity gradient of nymphalid butterflies.
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| 4. |
- Friberg, Magne, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic differentiation and phylogeographic patterns in European populations of Leptidea sinapis and L. reali
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Annan publikation (refereegranskat)abstract
- The direction of a coevolutionary interaction can differ between local populations as in the butterflies Leptidea sinapis and L. reali. The morphologically virtually identical sister-species have partitioned their niches differently in different parts of their distribution by shifting habitat specialist and generalist roles between different sympatric areas. Hence, a species that is a generalist in some areas can be a local specialist in others, and vice versa. We have sequenced the mitochondrial COI gene from specimens collected across Europe in order to (i) describe the between-species variation over a large area, (ii) identify possible glacial refugia and re-colonisation routes to obtain a phylogeographic hypothesis for explaining the geographic mosaic of niche separation and (iii) apply a population genetic approach to determine the level of intraspecific genetic differentiation. The results show evidence for species distinctiveness throughout Europe. Only small variation was found in L. reali, whereas the haplotype network of L. sinapis showed a deep division into two haplotype families of which one was restricted to Spain and the other was widespread over the continent (including Spain). The widespread haplotype family was divided into two common variants, one eastern and one western, each being surrounded by rare haplotypes. The both deep and shallow genetic differentiation implies that L. sinapis might have been divided into different refugia during several glaciations. Both species showed significant genetic differentiation in pairwise ФST, and as habitat generalist populations could differ significantly from other habitat generalist populations but not from habitat specialist populations, we conclude that this study supports that the geographic mosaic of niche separation is caused by local processes rather than common ancestry of local habitat generalists or specialists within each species
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| 5. |
- Kodandaramaiah, Ullasa, et al.
(författare)
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Deceptive single-locus taxonomy and phylogeography : Wolbachia-associated divergence in mitochondrial DNA is not reflected in morphology and nuclear markers in a butterfly species
- 2013
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Ingår i: Ecology and Evolution. - : Wiley. - 2045-7758. ; 3:16, s. 5167-5176
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The satyrine butterfly Coenonympha tullia (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) displays a deep split between two mitochondrial clades, one restricted to northern Alberta, Canada, and the other found throughout Alberta and across North America. We confirm this deep divide and test hypotheses explaining its phylogeographic structure. Neither genitalia morphology nor nuclear gene sequence supports cryptic species as an explanation, instead indicating differences between nuclear and mitochondrial genome histories. Sex-biased dispersal is unlikely to cause such mito-nuclear differences; however, selective sweeps by reproductive parasites could have led to this conflict. About half of the tested samples were infected by Wolbachia bacteria. Using multilocus strain typing for three Wolbachia genes, we show that the divergent mitochondrial clades are associated with two different Wolbachia strains, supporting the hypothesis that the mito-nuclear differences resulted from selection on the mitochondrial genome due to selective sweeps by Wolbachia strains.
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| 6. |
- Kodandaramaiah, Ullasa, et al.
(författare)
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Deflective and intimidating eyespots : a comparative study of eyespot size and position in Junonia butterflies
- 2013
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Ingår i: Ecology and Evolution. - : Wiley. - 2045-7758. ; 3:13, s. 4518-4524
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Eyespots are conspicuous circular features found on the wings of several lepidopteran insects. Two prominent hypotheses have been put forth explaining their function in an antipredatory role. The deflection hypothesis posits that eyespots enhance survival in direct physical encounters with predators by deflecting attacks away from vital parts of the body, whereas the intimidation hypothesis posits that eyespots are advantageous by scaring away a potential predator before an attack. In the light of these two hypotheses, we investigated the evolution of eyespot size and its interaction with position and number within a phylogenetic context in a group of butterflies belonging to the genus Junonia. We found that larger eyespots tend to be found individually, rather than in serial dispositions. Larger size and conspicuousness make intimidating eyespots more effective, and thus, we suggest that our results support an intimidation function in some species of Junonia with solitary eyespots. Our results also show that smaller eyespots in Junonia are located closer to the wing margin, thus supporting predictions of the deflection hypothesis. The interplay between size, position, and arrangement of eyespots in relation to antipredation and possibly sexual selection, promises to be an interesting field of research in the future. Similarly, further comparative work on the evolution of absolute eyespot size in natural populations of other butterfly groups is needed.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Kodandaramaiah, Ullasa
(författare)
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Eyespot evolution : phylogenetic insights from Junonia and related butterfly genera (Nymphalidae)
- 2009
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Ingår i: Evolution & Development. - 1520-541X .- 1525-142X. ; 11:5, s. 489-497
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Butterfly eyespots have been the focus of a number of developmental and evolutionary studies. However, a phylogenetic component has rarely been explicitly incorporated in these studies. In this study, I utilize a phylogeny to trace the evolution of eyespot number and position on the wing in a group of nymphalid butterflies, the subtribe Junoniini. These butterflies have two kinds of eyespot arrangements which I refer to as Serial and Individual. In the Serial arrangement, eyespots are placed in a series on compartments 1-6 (counting from the anterior wing margin). In the Individual arrangement, eyespots are isolated on specific compartments, ranging from 1 to 4 in number. This can be divided into four subtypes based on the number and positions of eyespots. I map the evolution of these five arrangements over a phylogeny of Junoniini reconstructed with ca. 3000 base pairs of sequence data from three genes. The results show that almost all arrangements have evolved at least twice, with multiple shifts between them by addition and deletion of eyespots. I propose a model involving genetic or developmental coupling between eyespots in specific compartments to explain these shifts. I discuss their evolution in light of existing knowledge about their development. I also discuss potential explanations for functional significance of the eyespot patterns found in the group. Differential selection for and against eyespots, both at different times over the phylogeny and in different regions, have driven the evolution of eyespot arrangements. The study throws open many questions about the adaptive significance of eyespots and the developmental underpinnings of the various arrangements.
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| 9. |
- Kodandaramaiah, Ullasa, et al.
(författare)
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Fixed eyespot display in a butterfly thwarts attacking birds
- 2009
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Ingår i: Animal Behaviour. - London, England : ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. - 0003-3472 .- 1095-8282. ; 77:6, s. 1415-1419
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Eyespots have evolved in many lepidopteran insects, which suggests their adaptive value. One of their hypothesized functions is that predators are intimidated by prey with large and conspicuous eyespots and hence refrain from attacking them. Recent experiments have shown that a combination of eyespots and intimidating behaviour can increase survival. We tested whether the mere presence of conspicuous eyespots can thwart attacking birds, that is, when the eyespots are displayed constantly, without any intimidating behaviour. We used prey that consisted of wings of the peacock pansy butterfly, Junonia almana, glued onto a piece of cardboard so as to resemble a butterfly with its wings open. A mealworm was placed between the wings in place of the body. Great tits, Parus major, were used as the predator in the study and were offered a choice between two model prey, one with intact eyespots and one without. Prey with eyespots were attacked significantly fewer times than those without. The time between the first and second attack was longer when the prey without eyespots was attacked first. These results support the hypothesis that naturally occuring butterfly eyespots can increase survival even when they are constantly displayed and motionless.
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| 10. |
- Kodandaramaiah, Ullasa, et al.
(författare)
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Investigating concordance among genetic data, subspecies circumscriptions and hostplant use in the nymphalid butterfly polygonia faunus
- 2012
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 7:7, s. e41058-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Subspecies are commonly used taxonomic units to formally describe intraspecific geographic variation in morphological traits. However, the concept of subspecies is not clearly defined, and there is little agreement about what they represent in terms of evolutionary units, and whether they can be used as reliably useful units in conservation, evolutionary theory and taxonomy. We here investigate whether the morphologically well-characterized subspecies in the North American butterfly Polygonia faunus are supported by genetic data from mitochondrial sequences and eight microsatellite loci. We also investigate the phylogeographic structure of P. faunus and test whether similarities in host-plant use among populations are related to genetic similarity. Neither the nuclear nor the mitochondrial data corroborated subspecies groupings. We found three well defined genetic clusters corresponding to California, Arizona and (New Mexico+Colorado). There was little structuring among the remaining populations, probably due to gene flow across populations. We found no support for the hypothesis that similarities in host use are related to genetic proximity. The results indicate that the species underwent a recent rapid expansion, probably from two glacial refugia in western North America. The mitochondrial haplotype network indicates at least two independent expansion phases into eastern North America. Our results clearly demonstrate that subspecies in P. faunus do not conform to the structuring of genetic variation. More studies on insects and other invertebrates are needed to better understand the scope of this phenomenon. The results of this study will be crucial in designing further experiments to understand the evolution of hostplant utilization in this species.
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