Investigations of genomic variation reveal insights on hybridization and species boundaries in Colias butterflies, indicating complex evolutionary dynamics.
Key Points
The study aims to explore the genetic basis of color polymorphism and hybridization in Colias butterflies.
Surveyed genomic variation over five years.
Assessed hybrid ancestry in relation to phenotypic traits.
Quantified the frequency of intermediate phenotypes in the wild.
Individuals with hybrid ancestry were common among morphologically intermediate individuals.
Hybrid and non-hybrid intermediates coexist, suggesting multiple origins of color variation.
Key genomic differences were found on the Z chromosome with more candidates on autosomes.