
Ancient Genetic Trick Shapes Butterfly and Moth Wing Patterns Across 120 Million Years
A new study published in PLOS Biology shows that seven butterfly lineages and a day‑flying moth, despite diverging up to 120 million years ago, repeatedly use the same genetic “cheat sheet”—regulatory switches in ivory and optix—to produce identical warning color patterns; moths can even mimic these patterns via DNA inversions. The findings suggest such mimicry is more predictable than previously thought and could help scientists forecast how species adapt to climate change.









