Presentation Details
| Variation at a single locus predicts female preference for male ornamentation in a butterfly Brooke Kester, Kiana Kasmaii, Erica L Westerman. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA |
Abstract
Little is known about the genetic basis of mate preferences associated with the extraordinary diversity of animal ornamentation. We address this question using Bicyclus anynana butterflies, a species in which male UV-reflective eyespots serve as a visual signal in female mate choice. Although B. anynana males are naturally ornamented with two eyespots, ~35% of females preferentially mate with males painted to have four eyespots. Previous genetic mapping identified a genomic region associated with eyespot preference containing a candidate gene encoding juvenile hormone binding protein (JHBP). To test whether JHBP genotype predicts female preference, we conducted targeted breeding and behavioral assays. We established families homozygous for the less common allele, hypothesized to be associated with preference for 4-spot ornamentation. Female offspring assayed in binary choice trials showed increased preference for 4-spot males, supporting JHBP as a gene of major effect underlying within-population variation in ornamentation preference and mating behavior. This work deepens our understanding of the maintenance of preexisting mating biases and ornament evolution.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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