DEVELOPMENT, PLASTICITY AND EVOLUTION OF BUTTERFLY EYESPOT PATTERNS

The developmental and genetic bases for the formation, plasticity and diversity of eyespot patterns in butterflies are examined. Eyespot pat tern mutants, regulatory gene expression, and transplants of the eyesp ot developmental organizer demonstrate that eyespot position, number, size and colour are determined progressively in a developmental pathwa y largely uncoupled from those regulating other wing-pattern elements and body structures. Species comparisons and selection experiments sug gest that the evolution of eyespot patterns can occur rapidly through modulation of different stages of this pathway, and requires only sing le, of very few, changes in regulatory genes.