Butterfly wings are known for their dazzling palettes, but they are also the canvases that display complex behavioral signals. Among Heliconius cydno butterflies in Central and South America, males choose females to court as potential mates largely based on whether their wings are white or yellow. But how deep do these preferences go?
In a new paper published in PLOS Biology, scientists at the University of Chicago reveal how simple genetic tweaks and changes in the visual system can reshape butterfly perception and partiality, unraveling how beauty — and the preferences that define it — can influence the course of evolution.
“The mystery we’re trying to explore ultimately comes down to the question of what makes something beautiful or attractive,” said co-senior author Marcus Kronforst, PhD, Professor of Ecology and Evolution. “It helps us understand where biological diversity comes from, because aesthetic preferences can contribute to one species splitting into multiple species.”
“Digging down into the mechanisms of preference evolution opens up new avenues for future theories and models of how evolution ‘works’ as a whole,” added co-senior author Stephanie Palmer, PhD, Associate Professor in both Physics and Organismal Biology and Anatomy.
Multidisciplinary butterfly investigation
Heliconius butterflies, which the Kronforst Lab has studied for years, are known for bold wing patterns that warn predators of their toxicity — a clever survival tactic. But scientists discovered that these same wing colors take on a second job: fueling visual mating cues. While a toxic predator deterrent might not sound romantic, male butterflies in certain populations appear to strongly prefer females that match their own color: white or yellow.