Phylogeny and chemicals ecology of Hyles hawkmoths (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae) with special reference to the Hyles euphorbiae complex

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The first part of this research project aims at an evaluation of strong detoxification abilities of herbivores acting as a key innovation causing accelerated speciation. The toxins of the foodplants will be mapped onto a ¿total evidence¿ reconstruction of the phylogeny of the hawkmoths of the genus Hyles (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) to infer the putative toxicity of the proto- Hyles foodplant. Molecular sequences of nuclear genes will supplement mitochondrial sequence data and a morphological matrix will be coded in a SYNTHESYS cooperation with Dr. Ian J. Kitching at the Natural History Museum (London, UK). The second part of the project will provide the foundation for the examination of two complex issues: 1. The genetic basis of larval pattern polymorphism, and 2. The applicability of a versatile thermophilic animal as a bio-indicator of the impact of global warming on European fauna. A good candidate species for both questions is the species H. tithymali. With modern techniques of molecular biology I will examine the gene flow in populations of two areas of interest: ad 1. the population showing a morphological gradient of larval morphotypes on the Canary Islands, and ad 2. several introgression zones with its temperate sister species, H. euphorbiae.