R. M. Merrill

Weighting of sensory cues reflect changing patterns of visual investment during ecological divergence in Heliconius butterflies.

The paper shows that Heliconius butterflies with greater visual neural investment preferentially use visual cues over olfactory cues in conflicting sensory environments.

Mating preferences act independently on individual elements of visual signals in Heliconius butterflies

The paper tests whether male Heliconius butterflies prefer full wing patterns or individual elements, finding no preference difference when elements are removed, suggesting independent function of pattern elements in mating and speciation.

Adaptive divergence in the eyes of Heliconius butterflies likely contributes to pre- and post mating isolation

The paper examines eye morphology divergence between Heliconius species and their hybrids, finding adaptive differences and visual system disruption in hybrids.

Divergent warning patterns influence male and female mating behaviours in a tropical butterfly

The paper examines how divergent warning coloration patterns influence mating behaviors in male and female Heliconius butterflies, finding that both sexes prefer conspecific coloration but only male coloration affects mating success.

Adaptive introgression of a visual preference gene

The paper shows two Heliconius butterfly species evolved similar visual mating preferences through hybridization, linking a gene to behavior.

Quantifying visual acuity in Heliconius butterflies

The paper measures visual acuity in Heliconius butterflies using behavioural and morphological methods, finding higher acuity in males and implications for predator-prey interactions.

Parallel shifts in flight-height associated with altitude across incipient Heliconius species

The paper examines flight-height variation in Heliconius butterflies during speciation, finding parallel trait shifts linked to altitude and environmental selection.

Oviposition behaviour is not affected by ultraviolet light in a butterfly with sexually-dimorphic expression of a UV-sensitive opsin

The study tests if UV vision affects oviposition in Heliconius butterflies, finding no impact on oviposition attempts or egg numbers.

Does sexual conflict contribute to the evolution of novel warning patterns?

This study investigates whether sexual conflict contributes to the diversification of warning patterns in Heliconius butterflies, finding that sexual conflict can assist pattern diversification but genetic architecture and sex-specific costs also play roles.

Light environment influences mating behaviours during the early stages of divergence in tropical butterflies

This study shows that light conditions affect mating behaviors in Heliconius butterflies, with differences in visual attraction contributing to low-level assortative mating.

Neural divergence and hybrid disruption between ecologically isolated Heliconius butterflies

This study shows that neural divergence and hybrid disruption occur in Heliconius butterflies due to environmental transitions, contributing to reproductive isolation.

Clustering of loci controlling species differences in male chemical bouquets of sympatric Heliconius butterflies

The paper investigates the genetic architecture of male pheromone compound production in Heliconius butterflies, finding significant QTL clustering on specific chromosomes.

Visual mate preference evolution during butterfly speciation is linked to neural processing genes

The paper identifies genes linked to visual mate preference divergence in Heliconius butterflies through QTL analysis and gene expression studies in neural tissues.

A major locus controls a biologically active pheromone component in Heliconius melpomene

This study identifies a major genetic locus controlling octadecanal production in Heliconius melpomene, a biologically active pheromone component involved in mate choice.

Species specificity and intraspecific variation in the chemical profiles of Heliconius butterflies across a large geographic range

The paper examines chemical profile divergence in Heliconius butterflies, finding strong interspecific differences and some intraspecific variation, with implications for species recognition.

A novel terpene synthase produces an anti-aphrodisiac pheromone in the butterfly Heliconius melpomene

The paper identifies a novel terpene synthase in Heliconius melpomene that synthesizes (E)-β-ocimene, an anti-aphrodisiac pheromone, showing it evolved independently from plant and other insect TPSs.

Genetic dissection of assortative mating behavior

This study identifies three large-effect QTLs underlying divergent male preference behavior in Heliconius butterflies, linking them to color pattern genes and suggesting modular evolution of assortative mating traits.

Male pheromone composition depends on larval but not adult diet in Heliconius melpomene

The study investigates how larval and adult diets affect pheromone composition in male Heliconius melpomene, finding no effect of adult diet but variation due to larval host plants.

What shapes the continuum of reproductive isolation? Lessons from Heliconius butterflies.

This study examines reproductive isolation in Heliconius butterflies, finding that increased divergence leads to stronger barriers, with wing pattern being important early on but not essential for speciation.