Common butterflies can be easy targets for insect predators. However, thanks to a new study led by scientists from the National Center for Biological Sciences of India and the University of Chicago (USA) it has been discovered that the gene that controls gender and sexual differences in insects, the so-called doublesex, it is the “culprit” of an incredible survival ability: it allows certain butterflies to mimic the colors and wing structures of other toxic species , keeping predators at bay thanks to their vivid colors.
This interesting ability, which is known by the name of Batesian mimicry and which is used by many species in nature (flies, butterflies, snakes and even plants), had not yet been related to this gene , which has been a great discovery within the world of entomology. The research, which has been published in the journal Nature , therefore clarifies that the “doublesex” gene improves the survival of many butterflies .
The mechanism of Batesian mimicry works in a very simple way: a harmless species resembles another dangerous (due to its toxicity and colors) or disgusting (due to its taste), managing to elude predators, since they associate these characteristics as a sign of alert or negative previous experience.
The researchers came to such a surprising discovery after sequencing the genomes of 30 different butterflies, which were divided into mimetic and non-mimetic. Once done, they looked for correlations between these particular genes and the wing pattern, leading to the conclusion that the “doublesex” gene was associated at both ends.
