Development, plasticity and evolution of butterfly eyespot patterns

• Published in: Nature (London) Vol. 384; no. 6606; pp. 236 - 242
• Main Authors: Brakefield, Paul M, Gates, Julie, Keys, Dave, Kesbeke, Fanja, Wijngaarden, Pieter J, Montelro, Antónia, French, Vernon, Carroll, Sean B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing 21.11.1996; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adaptation, Biological; Animals; Bicyclus anynana; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Evolution; Body Patterning; Butterflies & moths; Butterflies - genetics; Butterflies - growth & development; Butterflies - metabolism; Evolution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Genes; Genes, Insect; Genes, Regulator; Homeodomain Proteins - genetics; Homeodomain Proteins - metabolism; Insect Proteins - genetics; Insect Proteins - metabolism; Insecta; Invertebrates; Larva - genetics; Larva - growth & development; Larva - metabolism; Lepidoptera; Life cycle. Embryology. Development; Morphology; Mutation; Nymphalidae; Phenotype; Physiology. Development; Pigmentation; Proteins; Satyrinae; Seasons; Signal Transduction; Species Specificity; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Transplants & implants; Wings, Animal - anatomy & histology; Wings, Animal - growth & development; Wings, Animal - metabolism; Wings, Animal - transplantation; Wing; Biological evolution; Insecta; Regulator gene; Phenotypic plasticity; Gene expression; Morphogenesis; Ocellus; Regulation(control); Arthropoda; Lepidoptera; Development; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 0028-0836; 1476-4687
• DOI: 10.1038/384236a0

The developmental and genetic bases for the formation, plasticity and diversity of eyespot patterns in butterflies are examined. Eyespot pattern mutants, regulatory gene expression, and transplants of the eyespot developmental organizer demonstrate that eyespot position, number, size and colour are determined progressively in a developmental pathway largely uncoupled from those regulating other wing-pattern elements and body structures. Species comparisons and selection experiments suggest that the evolution of eyespot patterns can occur rapidly through modulation of different stages of this pathway, and requires only single, or very few, changes in regulatory genes.