National Geographic News, Reporting Your World Daily

Monday, November 23, 2009

Photo: Butterfly Evolves Leg Up on Male-Killing Parasite


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Males of the species Hypolimnas bolina—also known as the eggfly or blue moon butterfly—have bounced back on two Samoan islands.

Once preyed on by a deadly parasite, the males have developed new defenses in just ten generations, showing that evolution can happen at "warp speed," according to researchers.

Photograph © Science