Genomics of Neotropical biodiversity indicators: Two butterfly radiations with rampant chromosomal rearrangements and hybridization
Abstract
A central question in evolutionary biology is what drives the diversification of lineages. Rapid, recent radiations are ideal systems for this question because they still show key morphological and ecological adaptations associated with speciation. While most research on recent radiations focuses on those occurring in insular environments, less attention has been given to continental radiations with complex species interactions. Here, we study the drivers of continental radiations of Melinaea and Mechanitis butterflies (Nymphalidae: Ithomiini), which have rapidly radiated in the continental Neotropics. They are classical models for Amazonian biogeography and color pattern mimicry and have been proposed as biodiversity indicators. We generated reference genomes for five species of each genus and whole-genome resequencing data of most species and subspecies covering a wide geographic range to assess phylogeographic relationships, hybridization patterns, and chromosomal rearrangements. Our data help resolve the classification of these taxonomically challenging butterflies and reveal very high diversification rates. We find rampant evidence of historical hybridization and putative hybrid species in both radiations, which may have facilitated their rapid diversification by enriching the genetic diversity. Moreover, we identified dozens of chromosomal fusions and fissions between congeneric species that have likely expedited reproductive isolation. We conclude that interactions between geography, hybridization and chromosomal rearrangements have contributed to these rapid radiations in the highly diverse Neotropical region. We hypothesize that rapid radiations may be spurred if repeated periods of geographic isolation are combined with lineage-specific rapid accumulation of incompatibilities, followed by secondary contact with some gene exchange.
Article Details
Journal Info
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
National Academy of Sciences
Authors (31)
Eva S. M. van der Heijden
Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute
Karin Näsvall
Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute
Fernando A. Seixas
Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute
Carlos Eduardo Beserra Nobre
Graduate Program in Animal Biology, Federal University of Pernambuco
Artur Campos D. Maia
Graduate Program in Animal Biology, Federal University of Pernambuco
Patricio Salazar-Carrión
Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute
Jonah M. Walker
Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute
Daiane Szczerbowski
Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig
Stefan Schulz
Ian A. Warren
Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge
Kimberly Gabriela Gavilanes Córdova
Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam
María José Sánchez-Carvajal
Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam
Franz Chandi
Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam
Alex P. Arias-Cruz
Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam
Nicol Rueda-M
Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute
Camilo Salazar
Biology Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Universidad del Rosario
Kanchon K. Dasmahapatra
Department of Biology, University of York
Stephen H. Montgomery
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol
Melanie McClure
Laboratoire Écologie, Évolution, Interactions des Systèmes Amazoniens, Université de Guyane, CNRS, Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer
Dominic E. Absolon
Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute
Thomas C. Mathers
Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute
Camilla A. Santos
Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute
Shane McCarthy
Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute
Jonathan M. D. Wood
Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute
Gerardo Lamas
Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
Caroline Bacquet
Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam
André Victor Lucci Freitas
Laboratório de Ecologia e Sistemática de Borboletas, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas
Keith R. Willmott
McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida
Chris D. Jiggins
Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge
Marianne Elias
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Joana I. Meier
Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute