Photo 3 (IMAGE)
Caption
A simple genetic switch helps a clade of butterflies change their wing eyespot patterns in response to temperature. In satyrid butterflies, eyespots are larger when larvae are reared at higher temperatures (27°C) and smaller at cooler temperatures (17°C). An eyespot-specific promoter (shown in purple) activates the Antp gene in eyespot cells. Butterflies that carry this promoter have more temperature-sensitive eyespots, changing in size more dramatically at higher temperature than at lower temperature. The origin of this Antp promoter, the recruitment of the Antp gene to eyespots, and the evolution of eyespot size plasticity in response to temperature is inferred to have happened at around the same time – 60 million years ago
Credit
Tian Shen
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