The genetics of mimicry and mate choice in Heliconius butterflies

Marcus Kronforst, Univesity of Chicago.
Wing pattern and mating behavior are intricately linked in Heliconius butterflies. For instance, males use wing patterns to choose mates and genetic variation for mate preference is linked to the Mendelian locus that controls wing color. I will discuss our recent efforts to genetically dissect the molecular basis of wing pattern mimicry and mate preference variation in Heliconius.