Sm. Paulsen et Hf. Nijhout, PHENOTYPIC CORRELATION STRUCTURE AMONG ELEMENTS OF THE COLOR PATTERN IN PRECIS-COENIA (LEPIDOPTERA, NYMPHALIDAE), Evolution, 47(2), 1993, pp. 593-618
The component parts of butterfly wing patterns are arranged in sets of
serially homologous pattern elements, repeated from wing cell to wing
cell. Measurements were made on the sizes and positions of these elem
ents on two successive, independent, sets of specimens in order to elu
cidate the phenotypic correlation structure among pattern elements. Th
at portion of the correlation between measures due to overall size var
iation was accounted for through two alternate methods: multiple regre
ssion on two vein length measures, which represent wing size, and a Wr
ight-style factor analysis. The sizes of pattern elements belonging to
a homologous series were found to be significantly correlated whereas
those of non-homologous elements varied independently. The degree of
correlation among homologs varied, and, in the case of eyespot sizes,
appeared to be inversely related to the degree of their morphological
divergence. Although not correlated in size, the positions of non-homo
logous elements that lie within the same wing cell are moderately corr
elated. The results support current developmental models for the ontog
eny of butterfly color pattern.