Development of colour patterns on butterfly wings

Dr. V. French

Butterflies have uniquely vivid and varied wing patterns which arise from the distribution of differently-coloured scales. We are studying the development and evolution of the concentric eyespot patterns in the African genus Bicyclus. The eyespot displayed on the adult wing is specified much earlier, in the larval imaginal disc and early pupal wing, in response to signals from a central focus. This project will be concerned with the formation of the focus (specifically with the roles of the flanking veins and wing margin) and with the mechanism by which it signals to surrounding tissue. The work will employ surgical techniques, coupled with study of the expression of developmentally-important genes, and will use a range of species and wing pattern mutants. The project will involve collaboration with labs. in the Netherlands and US.

References

Brakefield P M et al (1996) Development, plasticity and evolution of butterfly eyespot patterns. Nature 384, 236-242.

Brakefield P M & V French (1999) Butterfly wings: the evolution of development of colour patterns. Bio Essays 21, 391-401.

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