EAPSI: Investigating the Evolution of Mimicry in Swallowtail Butterflies through the Lens of Predation

了解生物多样性的进化起源和维持是生态学和进化生物学的主要问题。贝叶斯模仿是一种无害物种（模仿者）模仿有害物种（模型）的警告信号以避免被捕食的现象。为了应对捕食，模仿物种可能进化出多种形式，模仿不同的模式。蝴蝶凤蝶（Papilio polytes）通过模仿多种有毒的Pachliopta蝴蝶，在其翅膀模式上表现出惊人的物种多样性。为了了解在鸟类捕食的背景下，水螅类翼型多样性是如何进化的，我们将进行实地实验，以测试水螅类翼型被捕食者攻击的频率。此外，将进行实地调查，以量化这些物种的相对丰度。这些研究的结果将描述被认为有利于多态模仿的捕食压力。这项工作将在新加坡进行，它位于这两个物种的自然范围内，与领先的蝴蝶翅膀图案进化生物学家Antónia Monteiro博士合作。由于负频率依赖选择，贝叶斯模仿倾向于物种内多态性（多个不同的模仿）的进化。蝴蝶P. polytes是一种多态贝氏模仿者，它模仿了远亲Pachliopta蝴蝶的翅膀模式。尽管有许多关于多态贝叶斯模仿系统如何进化的理论，但很少有对模仿者和模型的相对捕食的测试，也很少对它们的相对丰度进行调查。首先，我们将利用实验室制作的具有不同翅膀图案的蝴蝶复制品来评估鸟类捕食者对模拟物和模型的相对捕食行为。将进行实地调查，以确定P. polytes和Pachliopta的相对丰度。这些发现将为多态贝叶斯拟态的进化提供新的见解。该奖项由美国国家科学基金会与新加坡国家研究基金会共同资助。

Understanding the evolutionary origins and maintenance of biodiversity are leading questions in ecology and evolutionary biology. Batesian mimicry is a phenomenon where harmless species (mimics) imitate the warning signals of harmful species (models) to avoid predation. In response to predation, mimetic species may evolve multiple forms imitating distinct models. The butterfly Papilio polytes exhibits striking within-species diversity in its wing patterns by mimicking multiple toxic Pachliopta butterflies. To understand how the wing pattern diversity of P. polytes evolved in the context of avian predation, field experiments will be conducted to test how often P. polytes are attacked by predators relative to Pachliopta models. In addition, field surveys will be conducted to quantify the relative abundances of these species. The results of these studies will characterize the predation pressures are thought to favor polymorphic mimicry. This work will be done in Singapore, which lies within the natural ranges of both of these species, in collaboration with a leading butterfly wing pattern evolutionary biologist, Dr. Antónia Monteiro. Batesian mimicry favors the evolution of polymorphism (multiple distinct mimics) within a species due to negative frequency-dependent selection. The butterfly P. polytes is a polymorphic Batesian mimic that imitates the wing patterns of distantly related Pachliopta butterflies. Despite many theories on how polymorphic Batesian mimicry systems evolve, there exist few tests of relative predation on mimics and models and few surveys of their relative abundances. First relative predation on mimics and models by avian predators will be assessed using lab-fabricated butterfly replicas with varying wing patterns corresponding to P. polytes and Pachliopta morphology. Field surveys will be conducted to determine relative abundances of P. polytes and Pachliopta. These findings will provide new insights into the evolution of polymorphic Batesian mimicry. This NSF EAPSI award is funded in collaboration with the National Research Foundation of Singapore.