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News From the Field

Butterfly Study Reveals Traits and Genes Associated With Establishment of New Populations


March 30, 2011

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A team led by James Marden at Penn State University discovered that descendants of "exploratory" butterflies that colonize new habitats differ genetically from their more cautious cousins. The research has revealed some of the genetic bases for traits that provide an advantage to butterflies that found new populations in previously unoccupied habitat patches. The results have potentially broad importance in understanding natural selection.Full Story

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Penn State

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