Butterflies •

An International team revealed a comprehensive insect family tree. The researchers formed this tree with the help of the genetic data, which is almost half a billion years old.

The panel in detail explained the relationship of insects with one another. The team examined approximately 1,478 genes from 144 different species which covers all the main insects groups. The group specially designed this tree in order to answer several questions related to the biggest animal groups.

Bernard Misof, the main author of this report stated that around two third of animal species are insects. These insects play a vital role in the Earth’s ecosystem.

The study revealed that the first insect emerged nearly 480 million years ago on the planet Earth. The researchers guess this time period with the help of genetic data.

Karl Kjer, co-author of this study informed that 480 million years ago Earth was pretty similar to the Red planet. The entire Earth was packed with only sand and rocks without any sign of life on land.

Moreover, he notified both animal and plants appeared at the same time on the planet Earth. They helped each other to some extent in their growth.

The report unveiled that the evolution of plants is associated with the emergence of wide range of flying insects such as bees, flies, beetles, moths and butterflies.

Every year, monarch butterflies fly from Northern Canada to Mexico. Although they live all around the globe, but annually they make a noteworthy migration in North America. They are dutifully following this migration pattern for several years.

Recently, scientist offered some really significant information related to the migration of monarch butterflies. They presented a report that suggests that there is a special gene in all these butterflies which compels them to migrate. Collagen is the name of that gene, which form flight muscles in these butterflies.

Moreover, the study proposed that the cause behind the color of these butterflies. Generally, these monarchs are orange and black, but some of them are also white and black. The orange and black color of butterfly gives a hint to predators that they are extremely bad in taste and are really toxic to eat.

Marcus Kronfost, the main author of this research stated that almost one billion monarch butterflies migrated towards Mexico in 1996. Previous year, nearly 35 million monarchs traveled to North America. This figure indicates that the number of monarch migration has dropped in the past few years.

The activities of human beings are the chief reason behind this awful fall in the monarch migration. There are certain human activities that lead to climate changes which affect the migration process of monarch butterflies.

This report is published in the Journal Nature.

Researchers Devise the Most Comprehensive Insect Family Tree

Migration Gene Found Monarch Butterflies

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