"Unchanged for 250 Million Years: The Dynamics of Butterfly Genome Evolution"

A study on Lepidoptera, the insect order comprising moths and butterflies, reveals the dynamics of chromosome evolution and karyotype variation. The research, based on 210 chromosomal genome assemblies, identifies ancestral linkage groups (ALGs) and shows that most species have retained intact ALGs, with infrequent fusions and rare fissions. However, eight lineages have experienced extensive chromosomal rearrangements, resulting in fragmented Merian elements. The study provides insights into the constraints and mechanisms influencing chromosome evolution in Lepidoptera.