SRA

While the Ornate Moth, Utetheisa ornatrix, has served as a high-profile model species in chemical ecology studies for decades, with the recent advances in genomic techniques and evo-devo research, it is becoming a model for studies in other areas, from inquiries into wing pattern development to phylogeography, from toxicology to epigenetics. We used a genomic approach to learn about the moth's evolution, detoxification and dispersal abilities, as well as its wing pattern diversity. Like in the widely publicized stories of the Monarch and other milkweed butterflies, the Ornate Moth and its relatives are tropical insects colonizing whole continents assisted by their chemical defenses. We present a comprehensive evolutionary genomic analysis of the worldwide genus Utetheisa, then focusing on U. ornatrix. Our reference genome complemented with over 100 genomic datasets reveal that the nuclear DNA of U. ornatrix contains gene duplications in the regions associated with detoxification abilities. Furthermore, comparative genomic analysis suggests that the cortex and lim3 genes are implicated in wing pattern differences, supporting the role of these genes in wing pattern formation of Lepidoptera, and, for the first time, the utility of museum-preserved collection specimens for wing pattern research.