✉news ScienceBiology first seen 1 d ago, last 12 h ago, peak #6
Butterfly evolution: UC San Diego finds genetic switch behind extra light-detecting cell
Original: UC San Diego biologists identified the genetic switch that gave butterflies an extra light-detecting cell
Biologists at the University of California, San Diego have identified the genetic switch that allowed butterflies to evolve an additional light-detecting cell, a change that likely shaped how the insects perceive color and their environment. The finding, reported by The Times of India, offers new insight into how sensory organs can evolve through relatively simple genetic changes.
Why now: It is a striking example of how a single genetic change can drive a major evolutionary innovation in animal vision.
Evidence
- UC San Diego biologists identified the genetic switch that gave butterflies an extra light-detecting cell · The Times of India
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