Skip to main content
Journal cover image

An analysis of the phenotypic effects of certain colour pattern genes in Heliconius (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

Publication ,  Journal Article
NIJHOUT, HF; WRAY, GA; GILBERT, LE
Published in: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society
January 1, 1990

The colour patterns of Heliconius butterflies are built up from an array of serially homologous pattern elements known as the nymphalid groundplan. An analysis of the phenotypic effects of ten genetic loci from H. melpomene and H. cydno reveals that each alters the expression either of a single element of the groundplan or of an entire row of serially homologous elements. Five of the ten loci affect the size (or presence/absence) of specific pattern elements, two affect the colour in which a pattern element is expressed, two affect pattern‐inducing activity of the wing veins, and one appears to affect an overall threshold for pattern determination. Three of the ten loci have identical effects on homologues of the fore‐ and hindwing. We show that most of the apparently large and qualitative phenotypic effects of these genes can be readily explained by relatively small and quantitative changes in the dimensions or positions of specific pattern elements. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

DOI

EISSN

1095-8312

ISSN

0024-4066

Publication Date

January 1, 1990

Volume

40

Issue

4

Start / End Page

357 / 372

Related Subject Headings

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • 3104 Evolutionary biology
  • 06 Biological Sciences
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
NIJHOUT, H. F., WRAY, G. A., & GILBERT, L. E. (1990). An analysis of the phenotypic effects of certain colour pattern genes in Heliconius (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 40(4), 357–372. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.1990.tb00545.x
NIJHOUT, H. F., G. A. WRAY, and L. E. GILBERT. “An analysis of the phenotypic effects of certain colour pattern genes in Heliconius (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae).” Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 40, no. 4 (January 1, 1990): 357–72. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.1990.tb00545.x.
NIJHOUT HF, WRAY GA, GILBERT LE. An analysis of the phenotypic effects of certain colour pattern genes in Heliconius (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 1990 Jan 1;40(4):357–72.
NIJHOUT, H. F., et al. “An analysis of the phenotypic effects of certain colour pattern genes in Heliconius (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae).” Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, vol. 40, no. 4, Jan. 1990, pp. 357–72. Scopus, doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.1990.tb00545.x.
NIJHOUT HF, WRAY GA, GILBERT LE. An analysis of the phenotypic effects of certain colour pattern genes in Heliconius (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 1990 Jan 1;40(4):357–372.
Journal cover image

Published In

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

DOI

EISSN

1095-8312

ISSN

0024-4066

Publication Date

January 1, 1990

Volume

40

Issue

4

Start / End Page

357 / 372

Related Subject Headings

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • 3104 Evolutionary biology
  • 06 Biological Sciences