Butterfly Study Sheds Light On Convergent Evolution

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Butterfly Study Sheds Light On Convergent Evolution: Single Gene Controls Mimicry Across Different Species

ScienceDaily (July 22, 2011) — For 150 years scientists have been trying to explain convergent evolution. One of the best-known examples of this is how poisonous butterflies from different species evolve to mimic each other's color patterns -- in effect joining forces to warn predators, "Don't eat us," while spreading the cost of this lesson.

..."This is our first peek into how mimicry and convergent evolution happen at a genetic level," Reed said. "We discovered that the same gene controls the evolution of red color patterns across remotely related butterflies...

An interesting insight into the effects of mutations. If a limited number of genes control significant characteristics then small mutations can have large selective effects.