Evolution of the mimetic African swallowtail butterfly Papilio dardanus: molecular data confirm relationships with P-phorcas and P-constantinus

Sister group relationships of the,African Mocker Swallowtail, Papilio darda nus, were determined using mitochondrial 16S rRNA and Cytochrome B sequence s, and nuclear Elongation Factor EF-1 alpha and the ITS-1 region of the rib osomal RNA locus. All four data sets placed Il dardanus as the sister speci es of P. phorcas, with P. constantinus as the next closest relative, and qu ite distinct from other African Papilios such as P. nobilis. These data sup port earlier morphological studies indicating that the only two African Pap ilio species with multiple Female colour forms have a common ancestor not s hared with any other living species. This information is important for conc lusions about the evolution of female-limited mimicry in swallowtail butter flies, and successful use of the ITS-1 gene opens up new possibilities for studying this phenomenon within P. dardanus.(C) 1999 The Linnean Society of London.