Scientists have made a stunning discovery about the genomes of butterflies and moths — crucial pollinators that help ensure the survival of mouthwatering foods like strawberries, coffee, and chocolate.
A new study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution found that the genetic information of these creatures has remained mostly unchanged over 250 million years of diversification and evolution, as reported by the Guardian.
"We were able to look at the evolutionary history of butterflies through their genome to go back to their common ancestor, to the great-great-great-etcetera-grandmother of all butterflies," explained professor Mark Blaxter, the study's senior author and the head of the Wellcome Sanger Institute's Tree of Life Programme. "We found they had been remarkably stable."
According to the World Wildlife Fund, experts believe we are in a sixth mass extinction event, and human activities are the leading cause.
Dirty fuels have overwhelmingly driven our planet's overheating, causing an increase in dangerous weather events. Higher temperatures have also contributed to the spread of invasive species that outcompete native plants and wildlife, while agricultural practices have led to deforestation, including in the megadiverse Amazon rainforest.
Unfortunately, key pollinators have also been negatively impacted. A recent analysis by Butterfly Conservation found that "80% of butterflies have declined in abundance or distribution since 1976." While rewilded yards can help support these pollinators, researchers believe their genome findings may provide clues to combat a worrying reduction in biodiversity.
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In the modern era, lepidopterans, a subset of winged insects that include moths and butterflies, account for a remarkable 10% of all living species on Earth, according to the study.
"We want to know what the biggest features are from its genome that underlie the success of moths and butterflies. … What makes it different from other species groups that are nowhere near as successful?" Wellcome Sanger Institute Ph.D. student and first author Charlotte Wright told the Guardian.
"There is a contrast between the butterflies that have 16 times as many species as mammals but have a much more stable genetic foundation," Blaxter said. "It's just amazing!"
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