Origine, Structure et Evolution de la Biodiversité

I study the evolution of adaptive diversity, using the colour patterns of butterflies as a model. Butterflies have extremely diverse colour patterns with clear adaptive functions (such as camouflage, sexual signalling, or advertisement to predators). We are now starting to discover how gene networks underlie the formation of wing patterns and their natural variation. This knowledge will provide the tools for a better understanding of the evolution of adaptive traits, and their importance from individual physiology and life history, to population genetics, and to the shaping of entire communities.

I work with tropical butterflies involved in mimicry, mainly passion-vine butterflies in the genus Heliconius, but also with Papilio swallowtails.

Follow this link for more information on my research and publications :

http://heliconius.zoo.cam.ac.uk/joron/

You can also visit Heliconius.org for more information on Heliconius butterflies and other labs in the Heliconius Genome Consortium.