Photo: Two Butterfly Species Evolved Into Third, Study Finds



This species of butterfly found in the high-altitude forests of South America was originally created from two separate species, scientists say.

The process by which this species evolved—known as hybridization—may be more important to the evolution of new animals than had previously been thought, the researchers note.

Photograph © Christian Salcedo/University of Florida, Gainesville/Nature


EMAIL NEWSLETTER Photos and News of the Week

Get the top photos and news of the week from National Geographic News, plus occasional breaking-news alerts.

See Sample >>
Please enter a valid email address
Privacy Policy
NEWS FEEDS    After installing a news reader, click on this icon to download National Geographic News's XML/RSS feed. After installing a news reader, click on this icon to download National Geographic News's XML/RSS feed.

Get our news delivered directly to your desktop—free.
How to Use XML or RSS

ADVERTISEMENT

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S PHOTO OF THE DAY

Photo and Headline Widget

Put our latest news and photos on your Web page or desktop—automatically updates! See Sample