The New World diversification and origins of the Buckeye butterflies (genus Junonia, Nymphalidae: Nymphalini)

I have clarified the taxonomy of the Junonia species in the Western Hemisphere using molecular and morphological data from contemporary and museum collections, with a focus on the South American Junonia species. To do this, I have developed and validated a restriction-digest based digest mode of mitochondrial genotyping for use with both contemporary and historical specimens, An improved taxonomy will encourage and support further comparative biology research in Junonia.

I have also explored the hypothesis that Junonia populations in the New World comprise a ring species, but this notion is not valid as geneflow between species is ongoing and contrary to the predictions of the ring species hypothesis, no discontinuity in gene flow was detected based on mitochondrial genotype data. To clarify the relationships among Junonia species and address the issue of the origins of the New World Junonia, an extensive molecular phylogenetic analysis was completed using both full mitogenome and nuclear rRNA repeat sequences.