DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Molecular phylogeny and Biogeography of a highly diverse genus of Andean butterflies

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The tropical Andes mountains have some of the highest levels of biological diversity on the planet, including diverse groups of butterflies. This project will use DNA sequence data to produce a hypothesis of evolutionary relationships for species of the butterfly genus Catasticta. With more than 96 species, Catasticta is one of the largest Andean butterfly radiations, and the phylogeny will be used to investigate key questions about the relationships, patterns of speciation, and distribution of these butterflies. This grant will enable DNA sequence data to be gathered from the great majority of species and will allow visits to important Catasticta natural history collections to compile the necessary distribution data. The project will provide new insights into the role of geological history and contemporary environment in understanding the tropical Andes? exceptionally high species diversity. The project will generate the most diverse species-level phylogeny for any Neotropical butterfly genus, and make this available, along with distribution maps, to researchers studying biogeography in tropical montane Lepidoptera. The project will also significantly enhance the research experience of the co-PI, and project results will be broadly disseminated through both scientific and popular articles.