THE INHERITANCE OF DIAGNOSTIC LARVAL TRAITS FOR INTERSPECIFIC HYBRIDSOF PAPILIO-CANADENSIS AND PAPILIO-GLAUCUS (LEPIDOPTERA, PAPILIONIDAE)

Traits distinguishing the closely related tiger swallowtail butterfly species, Papilio canadensis and P. glaucus, include fixed differences in diagnostic sex-linked and autosomal allozymes as well as sex-linked diapause regulation, and sex-linked differences in oviposition behavi or. Larval detoxification abilities for plants of the Salicaceae and M agnoliaceae families are dramatically different and basically diagnost ic as well. The distinguishing morphological traits of the adults and larvae have not been genetically characterized. Here we describe the s egregation of diagnostic larval banding traits in offspring from the 2 species in their hybrid and reciprocal backcross combinations. Elucid ation of genetic basis, and linkage relationships of a suite of distin guishing biochemical, physiological, morphological, and ecological tra its with regard to their geographic concordance across the hybrid zone is fundamental to understanding the pattern and process of speciation .