Butterfly species 'recreated' in lab

The hybrid insect prefers its own kind. Picture / Reuters.

PANAMA CITY - A species of butterfly has been "recreated" in a lab during a remarkable experiment that may have captured the evolutionary steps leading to the formation of a new breed.

Scientists crossed two butterfly varieties to recreate the South American Heliconius heurippa, and in subsequent tests the hybrid preferred mating with its own species.

British and US researchers said this was probably how the brightly coloured butterfly first came about many thousands of years ago.

The study, published in Nature, sheds fresh light on how new species come into existence.

The key finding was that the hybrids preferred to mate among themselves rather than breeding with other butterflies, as the colours on their wings meant different things to different species.

- INDEPENDENT