Ecological genetics: A key gene for mimicry and melanism
Publication information:
Mallet J, Hoekstra HE. Ecological genetics: A key gene for mimicry and melanism.
Current Biology . 2016;26:R802–804.
Abstract
Mimicry and melanism in Lepidoptera provided the first convincing examples of natural selection in action. Genetic analysis has now shown that, surprisingly, mimicry in Heliconius butterflies and melanism in peppered moths are switched at precisely the same gene: cortex .