Complex modular architecture around a simple toolkit of wing pattern genes.

Identifying the genomic changes that control morphological variation and understanding how they generate diversity is a major goal of evolutionary biology. In butterflies, a small number of genes control the development of diverse wing color patterns. Here, we used full genome sequencing of individuals across the radiation and closely related species to characterize genomic variation associated with wing pattern diversity.

Population genomics of parallel hybrid zones in the mimetic butterflies, H. melpomene and H. erato.

Hybrid zones can be valuable tools for studying evolution and identifying genomic regions responsible for adaptive divergence and underlying phenotypic variation. Hybrid zones between subspecies of Heliconius butterflies can be very narrow and are maintained by strong selection acting on color pattern. The comimetic species, H.

Transcriptome analysis reveals novel patterning and pigmentation genes underlying Heliconius butterfly wing pattern variation.

Background: Heliconius butterfly wing pattern diversity offers a unique opportunity to investigate how natural genetic variation can drive the evolution of complex adaptive phenotypes. Positional cloning and candidate gene studies have identified a handful of regulatory and pigmentation genes implicated in Heliconius wing pattern variation, but little is known about the greater developmental networks within which these genes interact to pattern a wing. Here we took a large-scale transcriptomic approach to identify the network of genes involved in Heliconius wing pattern development and variation.

Trade-offs between reproductive coloration and innate immunity in a natural population of female sagebrush lizards, .

Trade-offs between immune function and reproduction are common to many organisms. Nevertheless, high energetic resources may eliminate the need for these trade-offs. In this study, we consider the effects of food availability on these trade-offs in a wild population of female sagebrush lizards () during the breeding season.

Food supplementation and testosterone interact to influence reproductive behavior and immune function in Sceloporus graciosus.

The energetic resources in an organism's environment are essential for executing a wide range of life-history functions, including immunity and reproduction. Most energetic budgets, however, are limited, which can lead to trade-offs among competing functions. Increasing reproductive effort tends to decrease immunity in many cases, and increasing total energy via supplemental feedings can eliminate this effect.

Courtship attention in sagebrush lizards varies with male identity and female reproductive state.

Previous experiments suggest that males spend more time with the more receptive of 2 novel females or the one with the higher fitness potential. However, males often court individual females repeatedly over a season; for example, male lizards sequentially visit familiar females as they patrol territorial boundaries. It may benefit males to vary display intensity as they move between multiple females.