Butterflies and moths are so beautiful, so delicate and fragile, which is one of their fascinating features. But when they are still in the larval stage, it is still a mystery for scientists who study their evolution through fossil records. In the latest research, scientists aim to better understand the evolutionary process, especially the part of morphological analysis and fossil record that has not yet been established.
We have very few lepidopteran fossils from about 15 million years ago. The next step is to build a database of evolutionary history for this group, from their earliest ancestors to today's descendants.
Previous studies have been based on anatomical features, assuming that butterflies are more closely related to the giant moth, but new phylogenetic trees indicate that butterflies are more closely related to small moths or micro moths. The study also suggests that butterflies are the ancestors of tens of thousands of moths on Earth. For example, the genus Hibiscus (commonly known as the American butterfly moth) is classified as a moth, but it is actually a butterfly.
The “evolution tree†constructed in this study also provides a test benchmark to observe whether butterflies or moths are active during the day. This is a common feature of butterflies, which evolved earlier than scientists thought, probably in bats on Earth. During the period of widespread prosperity, daytime activities were evolved to escape bats and other nighttime predators.
Future research will investigate this evolutionary transition throughout the lepidoptera, such as the cause of daytime activity. Brennholt said that although the new "evolutionary tree" clarified the relationship between butterflies and moths, there are still many lineages to be tested. Considering the diversity of lepidopteran insects, I hope this is just the starting point for a larger study.
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