The evolution and biogeography of mimetic Elymnias butterflies in Southeast Asia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae)

自然选择可以在物种形成中发挥重要作用，但很少有研究研究模仿如何加速物种多样化，特别是在分布在地理复杂地区的分类群中。披碱草属是一组很少被研究的模仿蝴蝶，它们在颜色、图案和大小上差异很大，因为不同的物种经常模仿截然不同的模式。利用来自多个遗传标记的DNA序列来推断该属43个物种的进化史，以解决几个关键问题，包括：1)相似的模仿翅膀模式是否一致进化？2)东南亚复杂的地理环境在物种形成中扮演了什么角色？3)单一大陆内的差异是否与模仿颜色模式的变化有关？4)性别二态模仿是否进化了多次？由于其物种丰富和极端的翅膀模式多样性，披碱草有望成为研究快速进化变化的无与伦比的分类单元。这项研究中生成的系统发育树将用于框架未来的比较研究，包括基因组学驱动的方法，以确定翅膀模式差异的遗传基础。在这项研究中获得的标本、组织和数据将保存在公众可访问的博物馆和数据库中。该项目将支持研究生和本科生，包括在科学界代表性不足的群体的学生。

Natural selection can play an important role in speciation, but few studies examine how mimicry may accelerate diversification, particularly in taxa distributed across a geographically complex region. The genus Elymnias is a little-studied group of mimetic butterflies that vary dramatically in color, pattern, and size because different species frequently mimic dramatically different models. The evolutionary history of the 43 species in this genus will be inferred using DNA sequences from multiple genetic markers to address several key questions, including: 1) Have similar mimetic wing patterns evolved convergently? 2) What role has Southeast Asia's complex geography played in speciation? 3) Is divergence within a single landmass associated with shifts in mimetic color pattern? 4) Has sexually dimorphic mimicry evolved multiple times?Because of its species richness and extreme wing pattern diversity, Elymnias promises to be an unparalleled taxon for studying rapid evolutionary change. The phylogenetic tree generated in this study will be used to frame future comparative studies, including genomics-driven approaches to identifying the genetic basis of wing pattern differences. The specimens, tissues, and data obtained in this study will be deposited in publicly accessible museums and databases. This project will support graduate and undergraduate students, including students from groups underrepresented in science.