title: The gene cortex controls mimicry and crypsis in butterflies and moths.
abstract: The wing patterns of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) are diverse and striking examples of evolutionary diversification by natural selection. Lepidopteran wing colour patterns are a key innovation, consisting of arrays of coloured scales. We still lack a general understanding of how these patterns are controlled and whether this control shows any commonality across the 160,000 moth and 17,000 butterfly species. Here, we use fine-scale mapping with population genomics and gene expression analyses to identify a gene, cortex, that regulates pattern switches in multiple species across the mimetic radiation in Heliconius butterflies. cortex belongs to a fast-evolving subfamily of the otherwise highly conserved fizzy family of cell-cycle regulators, suggesting that it probably regulates pigmentation patterning by regulating scale cell development. In parallel with findings in the peppered moth (Biston betularia), our results suggest that this mechanism is common within Lepidoptera and that cortex has become a major target for natural selection acting on colour and pattern variation in this group of insects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN UK.|Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado Postal 0843-00153, Panamá, República de Panamá
authors.forename: Nicola J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Nadeau
authors.affiliation: Biology Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Universidad del Rosario, Cra. 24 No 63C-69, Bogotá D.C., 111221, Colombia.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pardo-Diaz
authors.affiliation: Institut de Systématique, Evolution et Biodiversité (UMR 7205 CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Sorbonne Université), Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP50, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France.|Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7UH, UK.
authors.forename: Annabel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Whibley
authors.affiliation: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado Postal 0843-00153, Panamá, República de Panamá|Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, 134 Linnaeus Way, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Megan A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Supple
authors.affiliation: Institut de Systématique, Evolution et Biodiversité (UMR 7205 CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Sorbonne Université), Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP50, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Suzanne V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Saenko
authors.affiliation: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado Postal 0843-00153, Panamá, República de Panamá|Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK.
authors.forename: Richard W R
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Wallbank
authors.affiliation: Energy and Resources Group, University of California at Berkeley, California, 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Grace C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts 01267, USA.
authors.forename: Luana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maroja
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.affiliation: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado Postal 0843-00153, Panamá, República de Panamá|Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK.
authors.forename: Joseph J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hanly
authors.affiliation: Penn State University, 517 Mueller, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hines
authors.affiliation: Biology Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Universidad del Rosario, Cra. 24 No 63C-69, Bogotá D.C., 111221, Colombia.
authors.forename: Camilo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salazar
authors.affiliation: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado Postal 0843-00153, Panamá, República de Panamá|Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK.
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Merrill
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, University of Exeter in Cornwall, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.
authors.forename: Andrea J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Dowling
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, University of Exeter in Cornwall, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: ffrench-Constant
authors.affiliation: Institut de Systématique, Evolution et Biodiversité (UMR 7205 CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Sorbonne Université), Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP50, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Violaine
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Llaurens
authors.affiliation: Institut de Systématique, Evolution et Biodiversité (UMR 7205 CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Sorbonne Université), Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP50, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France.|Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE, UMR 5175 CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, EPHE), 1919 route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Joron
authors.affiliation: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado Postal 0843-00153, Panamá, República de Panamá
authors.forename: W Owen
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: McMillan
authors.affiliation: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado Postal 0843-00153, Panamá, República de Panamá|Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK.
authors.forename: Chris D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Jiggins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000067558:Biological Mimicry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D002080:Butterflies / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D003116:Color; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017344:Genes, Insect / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D012641:Selection, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000502:physiology*