Phylogenomics reveals the evolutionary timing and pattern of butterflies and moths

Butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) are one of the major superradiations of insects, comprising nearly 160,000 described extant species. As herbivores, pollinators, and prey, Lepidoptera play a fundamental role in almost every terrestrial ecosystem. Lepidoptera are also indicators of environmental change and serve as models for research on mimicry and genetics. They have been central to the development of coevolutionary hypotheses, such as butterflies with flowering plants and moths’ evolutionary arms race with echolocating bats. However, these hypotheses have not been rigorously tested, because a robust lepidopteran phylogeny and timing of evolutionary novelties are lacking. To address these issues, we…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: 1920895, 1920936
• DF
  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

  Awards: BE 1789/8-1, STA 860/4, RE 345/1-2, Heisenberg grant WA 1496/8-1, NI 1387/ 1-1, MI 649/6, MI 649/10, BE 1789/10-1
• DO
  Division of Integrative Organismal Systems

  Awards: 1121807, 1121739
• DO
  Division of Environmental Biology

  Awards: 1541500, 1557007, 1354585