Zebra Heliconian (Heliconius charithonia)

Okeeheelee Park, FL
2016-04-09

The Zebra Heliconian (Heliconius charithonia) is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. Its wings are predominantly black with bold white stripes and small red dots, creating an aposematic pattern that serves as a warning to predators of its toxicity. The bright coloration and distinct markings make it easily recognizable.

The Zebra Heliconian is part of a fascinating genus known for its mimicry. The genes associated with mimicry show little variation among species within this genus, indicating a high level of genetic stability in this trait. Additionally, local gene flow within species is greater than gene flow between different species. This highlights the complex and intriguing evolutionary processes at play within these butterflies (Genome-wide evidence for speciation with gene flow in Heliconius butterflies).