First comprehensive higher level #phylogeny of #Zygaenidae (Lepidoptera) including estimated ages of the major lineages and a review of known zygaenid #fossils : doi.org/10.1111/syen.1… #OpenAccess #Phylogenetics #Palaeoentomology

It's the #WorldRobberflyDay , folks.

PhD IN AMBROSIA BEETLE SYSTEMATICS!
A fully-funded degree available at the University of Florida Forest Entomology Lab. This is a part of our 4-year NSF funded project, based on the main UF campus in Gainesville, FL. Please share widely pitchtube.org/phd-degree-in-…

10 days later

A team of 279 scientists from nearly 30 countries have just completed the largest, most complete flowering plant tree of life ever created.
Story & study:
floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/vast-d…

The new data have been made openly and freely accessible to both the public & scientific community.

Museum Resource 🐟 Fishes in the Fresh Waters of Florida
Explore our state's freshwater fish species and click to see our collection records, photos and map.
Shown: Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), indigenous to Florida's freshwaters
🔗 Info & browse:
floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/…

To learn more about the Bella Moth and the study, please visit Florida Museum:
floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/bella-…

Finally, and unexpectedly, we were able to identify genes responsible for wing pattern and color changes using museum collections specimens (we sequenced 104 additional Bella Moth genomes to do so).
Part 5 of 6

We described population structure of the Bella Moth and found that morphology and genetics do not always match. We also found that there are two pathways by which Bella Moth migrates to North America, forming fluid hybrid zones in the process.
Part 4 of 6

We described evolutionary history of the Bella Moth and its relatives: it’s tied closely to hostplant usage by their caterpillars.
Part 3 of 6

We compared the sequences of the Bella Moth against other Utetheisa species and detected single amino acid variations (SAVs). We identified ornatrix-specific protein-related SAVs and AI methods were used to interpret them as protein structures.
Part 2 of 6

We sequenced a reference genome of the Bella Moth and identified potential genes responsible for detoxification of alkaloids. Some of them showed duplication, suggesting that they may have co-evolved with Crotalaria-feeding.
Part 1 of 6, PNASNews

Now available, The Little Book of Butterflies by Andrei Sourakov and Alexandra A. Sourakov is a charming, richly illustrated, pocket-size exploration of the world’s #butterflies .

Enjoy a free sample of this charming book: hubs.ly/Q02sByBk0

Five Facts: Portuguese man-of-war
🌊 floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/five-f…

Despite their similar appearance, men-of-war are actually siphonophores, colonial animals made up of individual specialized organisms, known as zooids, that work together as a unit.

Tomorrow (4/21) at 2 pm EDT: The Butterfly Society of Virginia welcomes PUP author David G. James for their Annual Spring Meeting & Lecture, where he will discuss his new book The Lives of Butterflies (co-authored by David J. Lohman).

For more info: hubs.ly/Q02t7Mz00

This sounds very interesting, Antonia Monteiro! Looking forward to seeing the microscopy:
Optix regulates nanomorphology of butterfly scales primarily via its effects on pigmentation frontiersin.org/articles/10.33…

Very nice paper with evidence for hybrid speciation in Heliconius 🦋 by Neil Rosser, jim mallet Kanchon Dasmahapatra and co. nature.com/articles/s4158…