Adaptive evolution of flight in Morpho butterflies

The diversity of flying animals suggests that countless combinations of flight morphologies and behaviors have evolved with specific lifestyles, thereby exploiting diverse aerodynamic mechanisms. How morphology, flight behavior, and aerodynamic properties together diversify with contrasting ecology remains to be elucidated. We studied the adaptive codivergence in wing shape, flight behavior, and aerodynamic efficiency among Morpho butterflies living in different forest strata by combining highspeed videography in the field with morphometric analyses and aerodynamic modeling. By comparing canopy and understory species, we show that adaptation to an open canopy environment resulted in increased glide efficiency. Moreover, this enhanced glide efficiency was achieved by different canopy species through distinct combinations of flight behavior, wing shape, and aerodynamic mechanisms, highlighting the multiple pathways of adaptive evolution.

Automated summary

The study on Morpho butterflies in different forest strata revealed that adaptation to open canopy environments led to increased glide efficiency. Furthermore, the canopy species achieved enhanced glide efficiency through distinct combinations of flight behavior, wing shape, and aerodynamic mechanisms, highlighting multiple pathways of adaptive evolution.