The genetic basis of structural colour variation in mimetic Heliconius butterflies [erato]

We use RNAseq data to perform differential gene expression to identify genes controlling structural colouration in two co-mimetic species of Heliconius butterfly - Heliconius erato and Heliconius melpomene. We use comparisons between iridescent and non-iridescent subspecies of Helcionius erato (H. e. cyrbia and H. e. demophoon, respectively) and Helcionius melpomene (H. m. cythera and H. m. rosina, respectively) at two separate developmental stages, 50% and 70% of development. In addition, in the iridescent subspecies of both H. erato and H. melpomene, we compared the iridescent wing regions (forewing and hindwing combined) to the non-iridescent androconial wing region using differential gene expression. Differential gene expression between iridescent and non-iridescent sub-species (and wing regions) of Heliconius melpomene and Heliconius erato at 50% and 70% pupal wing development.