Divergent warning patterns influence male and female mating behaviours in a tropical butterfly.

Abstract excerpt

Traits under divergent ecological selection that also function during mating can be important in maintaining species boundaries. Few studies have considered mutual mate choice, where both males and females base mating decisions on the same trait. Wing colouration in Heliconius butterflies evolved as a warning signal but also functions as a mating cue. We investigated the contribution of visual preference to...

Topics

• Animals
• Female
• Male
• Butterflies
• Reproduction
• Phenotype
• Reproductive Isolation
• Sympatry