Top photo by: Paul Brakefield
Bottom photo by: Steve Paddock
Caption: The genes butterflies use to paint the distinctive eyespot patterns that
decorate their wings are essentially the same as those used to build the
wings themselves. The discovery was made by comparing the wing-building
genes of fruit flies and two distinct and geographically disparate species
of butterflies, the common North American buckeye (bottom) and a similar
looking species from East Africa (top).
High Resolution JPEG 200 DPI (180K)
Top photo by: Scott Weatherbee
Bottom photo by: Paul Brakefield
Caption: The eyespot patterns on the wings of the common North American buckeye
(top) and an East African butterfly (bottom) are providing new insights
into how animals reuse basic body-building genes to add novelties --
wingspots, antlers, shells -- long after an animal's basic body plan has
evolved.
High Resolution JPEG 200 DPI (149K)
