Population genetics and phylogeography of the butterfly Actinote quadra (Nymphalidae: Acraeini)

• Grant number: 25/02056-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology
• Principal Investigator: André Victor Lucci Freitas
• Grantee: Luca de Bernardin Stadoan
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Mountains are complex topological regions of difficult definition. They are primarily characterized by their steep slopes and, relative to their area, they support a disproportionately high share of the world's biodiversity. However, the interactions between ecological and evolutionary factors that lead to this high biodiversity are not yet fully understood. The Atlantic Forest, which is the second largest rainforest in South America and a global biodiversity hotspot, encompasses many of Brazil's mountain ranges. These ranges play a significant role in the high diversity and levels of endemism found within this biome. One notable species found here is Actinote quadra, a butterfly endemic to the high-altitude ombrophilous forests of the Atlantic Forest. Actinote quadra has a patchy and restricted distribution and is characterized as monophagous, bivoltine, and unpalatable species, taking part in mimetic rings alongside various other Actinote species. Within the Serra do Espinhaço and Serra da Mantiqueira, the populations are sexually dimorphic, while those in the Serra do Mar are monomorphic. The current distribution and life cycle of Actinote quadra suggest that its populations are genetically isolated from one another. This genetic isolation, combined with the species' biology, makes it an ideal model organism for studying the interplay between ecological and evolutionary processes that contribute to diversification in mountainous regions. The goal of this project is to conduct a phylogeographical study using Actinote quadra as a model organism. This research aims to investigate the species' genetic structure, how this genetic variation is spatially distributed, and the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that best explain these patterns. The project is expected to yield insights into the processes that led to the development of biodiversity in the mountains of the Atlantic Forest and provide important information about an endangered taxon endemic to this biodiversity hotspot. (AU)