Carolina Pardo‐Díaz

Adaptation in the eye and brain contributes to species divergence in visual perception in Heliconius butterflies

This study shows how visual system adaptation in Heliconius butterflies leads to species divergence in perception and behavior due to ecological pressures.

Rapid speciation in Harlequin Toads (Anura: Bufonidae) endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta

This study uses genomic data to investigate rapid speciation in four endemic Atelopus species in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, finding recent divergence without gene flow and suggesting topography and ecological factors drove speciation.

Ecological divergence and post-eclosion brain development shape visual performance during Heliconius speciation

This study shows that visual acuity improves during early adulthood in Heliconius butterflies through neural development, despite no change in eye structure, and that this maturation coincides with reproductive behaviors and is disrupted in hybrids.

Coordinated evolution of opsin genes in iridescent blue butterfly species diversified within tropical forest habitats

The paper examines opsin gene evolution in Morpho butterflies, finding positive selection and co-evolving amino acids linked to light environment and wing coloration.

Repeated evolution of reduced visual investment at the onset of ecological speciation in high-altitude Heliconius butterflies.

The paper examines neuroanatomical changes in Heliconius butterflies during ecological speciation, finding heritable reductions in visual brain investment at high altitudes.

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.