Butterfly unlocks evolution secret

[Walt Starr]

Butterfly unlocks evolution secret

By Julianna Kettlewell
BBC News science reporter

Why one species branches into two is a question that has haunted evolutionary biologists since Darwin.

Given our planet's rich biodiversity, "speciation" clearly happens regularly, but scientists cannot quite pinpoint the driving forces behind it.

Now, researchers studying a family of butterflies think they have witnessed a subtle process, which could be forcing a wedge between newly formed species.


The team, from Harvard University, US, discovered that closely related species living in the same geographical space displayed unusually distinct wing markings.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4708459.stm

Observance of speciation gets another step closer.