title: Diversification of the silverspot butterflies (Nymphalidae) in the Neotropics inferred from multi-locus DNA sequences.
abstract: The tribe Heliconiini (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) is a diverse group of butterflies distributed throughout the Neotropics, which has been studied extensively, in particular the genus Heliconius. However, most of the other lineages, such as Dione, which are less diverse and considered basal within the group, have received little attention. Basic information, such as species limits and geographical distributions remain uncertain for this genus. Here we used multilocus DNA sequence data and the geographical distribution analysis across the entire range of Dione in the Neotropical region in order to make inferences on the evolutionary history of this poorly explored lineage. Bayesian time-tree reconstruction allows inferring two major diversification events in this tribe around 25mya. Lineages thought to be ancient, such as Dione and Agraulis, are as recent as Heliconius. Dione formed a monophyletic clade, sister to the genus Agraulis. Dione juno, D. glycera and D. moneta were reciprocally monophyletic and formed genetic clusters, with the first two more close related than each other in relation to the third. Divergence time estimates support the hypothesis that speciation in Dione coincided with both the rise of Passifloraceae (the host plants) and the uplift of the Andes. Since the sister species D. glycera and D. moneta are specialized feeders on passion-vine lineages that are endemic to areas located either within or adjacent to the Andes, we inferred that they co-speciated with their host plants during this vicariant event.
authors.affiliation: PPG Biologia Animal, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Bloco IV, Prédio 43435, Porto Alegre, RS 91501-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Darli
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Massardo
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Regional Integrada do Alto Uruguai e das Missões-Campus de Erechim, Erechim, RS 99700-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fornel
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Chicago, 1101 E. 57th St., Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kronforst
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Bloco IV, Prédio 43435, Porto Alegre, RS 91501-970, Brazil; Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Antofagasta 1520, Arica, Chile. Electronic address: lopes.goncalves@ufrgs.br.
authors.forename: Gislene Lopes
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: PPG Biologia Animal, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Bloco IV, Prédio 43435, Porto Alegre, RS 91501-970, Brazil; Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Bloco IV, Prédio 43435, Porto Alegre, RS 91501-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gilson Rudinei Pires
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Moreira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002080:Butterflies / Q000145:classification*; D029598:Passiflora; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014329:Tropical Climate
keywords: Andes uplift; Dione; Heliconian butterflies; Neotropics; Passifloraceae