Coordinated evolution of opsin genes in iridescent blue butterfly species diversified within tropical forest habitats
Joséphine Ledamoisel, Andrew Dang, Julien Devilliers, Tiphaine Marvillet, Sophie Lemoine, André Victor Lucci Freitas, Carolina Pardo‐Díaz, Erika Páez, Manuela López‐Villavicencio, Adriana D. Briscoe, Vincent Debat, Violaine Llaurens
The paper examines opsin gene evolution in Morpho butterflies, finding positive selection and co-evolving amino acids linked to light environment and wing coloration.
bioRxiv · Jun 13, 2025 · PreprintEvolutionary Biology