@article {147295, title = {DNA barcodes from over-a-century-old type specimens shed light on the taxonomy of a group of rare butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Calinaginae).}, journal = {PLoS One}, volume = {19}, year = {2024}, month = {2024}, pages = {e0305825}, abstract = {

We analyzed COI barcode sequences from 138 over-a-century old specimens of Calinaga including 36 name-bearing type specimens stored at the Natural History Museum London. These new data, combined with previously available RPS5 sequences, divide the Calinaga samples into four well-supported mitochondrial lineages that together with a novel wing-pattern analysis, support the recognition of six species (lhatso, buddha, brahma, aborica, formosana and davidis), with all other names subsumed either as subspecies or synonyms. One new taxon is described, Calinaga aborica naima Vane-Wright, ssp. n.

}, keywords = {Animals, Butterflies, DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic, Electron Transport Complex IV, Phylogeny, Wings, Animal}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0305825}, author = {Todisco, Valentina and Basu, Dipendra Nath and Prosser, Sean W J and Russell, Stephen and Mutanen, Marko and Zilli, Alberto and Huertas, Blanca and Kunte, Krushnamegh and Vane-Wright, Richard} } @article {152136, title = {Two new taxa of brush-footed butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) from the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, southern India.}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {5543}, year = {2024}, month = {2024 Dec 04}, pages = {343-367}, abstract = {

A new species, Amathusia travancorica sp. nov. (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae: Amathusiini), and a new subspecies, Athyma inara sahyadriensis ssp. nov. (Nymphalidae: Limenitidinae: Limenitidini), are described from the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India, based on multiple male and female specimens. The new taxa are compared with type specimens of related species and subspecies, revealing consistent differences that distinguish the new taxa. Genitalia dissections are also provided as comparative materials. Additional information is provided on historical records, distributional ranges, habits and habitat, phenology, larval host plants, and early stages. Finally, the type locality and synonymy of Pantoporia mera Swinhoe, 1917 are discussed based on comparison of type specimens (Pantoporia mera Swinhoe, 1917 syn. nov.=Athyma inara Westwood, 1850).

}, keywords = {Animal Distribution, Animal Structures, Animals, Biodiversity, Body Size, Butterflies, Ecosystem, Female, India, Larva, Male, Organ Size}, issn = {1175-5334}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.3}, author = {Kunte, Krushnamegh and Basu, Dipendra Nath} } @article {121923, title = {The tempo and mode of character evolution in the assembly of mimetic communities.}, journal = {Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A}, volume = {120}, year = {2023}, month = {2023 Jan 03}, pages = {e2203724120}, abstract = {

Multitrait adaptive evolution is shaped by factors such as phylogenetic and functional constraints as well as the intensity and direction of selection. The tempo and mode of such multitrait evolution can differentially impact the assembly of biological communities. Batesian mimicry, in which undefended prey gain a fitness advantage by evolving a resemblance to aposematic models, involves adaptive evolution of multiple traits such as color patterns and flight morphology. To elucidate the evolutionary mechanisms of such multitrait adaptations, we evaluated the tempo and mode of adaptive convergence in flight morphology and color patterns in mimetic butterfly communities. We found that compared with Batesian mimics or nonmimetic sister species, models showed significantly faster rates of aposematic trait evolution, creating adaptive peaks for mimicry. At the community level, the degree of mimetic resemblance between mimics and models was positively correlated with the rate of character evolution, but independent of phylogenetic relatedness. Monomorphic mimics and female-limited mimics converged on the color patterns of models to a similar degree, showing that there were no constraints on mimetic trait evolution with respect to sex-specific selections. Convergence was driven by the greater lability of color patterns, which evolved at significantly faster rates than the phylogenetically conserved flight morphological traits, indicating that the two traits evolve under differential selection pressures and/or functional and genetic constraints. These community-wide patterns show that during the assembly of a community, the tempo of adaptive evolution is nonlinear, and specific to the underlying functional relationships and key traits that define the community.

}, keywords = {Animals, Biological Evolution, Biological Mimicry, Biota, Butterflies, Excipients, Female, Male, Phylogeny, Predatory Behavior}, issn = {1091-6490}, doi = {10.1073/pnas.2203724120}, author = {Basu, Dipendra Nath and Bhaumik, Vaishali and Kunte, Krushnamegh} }