Genomic studies of the migratory behavior of the moth Urania fulgens

Migratory movements occur globally and have evolved across various animal taxa.

Understanding the mechanisms behind migratory behaviors can enhance our knowledge of how species adapt to changing environments. The swallowtail moth, Urania fulgens, undertakes remarkable migrations across Central and South America.

Although this phenomenon has long fascinated naturalists and ecologists, the species´ migratory routes and genetic basis for this behavior remain unexplored.

Modern sequencing technologies have revealed key aspects of the evolution of migratory behaviors in the monarch and the painted lady butterflies, and applying these methods to a new model system like U. fulgens could deepen our understanding of both the commonalities and unique aspects of the evolution of this behavior.

In this project, I aim to use genomic approaches to investigate U. fulgens migration, focusing on the genetic basis of the migratory phenotype.

Over the course of three years, I will collaborate with Owen McMillan (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute) and Bengt Hansson (Lund University) to address fundamental questions in this novel system, including the genetic connectivity between U. fulgens populations, their migratory routes, and the role of fixed and plastic genetic factors in shaping migratory phenotypes in this species.