Butterfly rivals now living in peace
SCOTTISH scientists have discovered that rival species of butterfly have stopped trying to drive each other out of their habitats to fight common predators.
Edinburgh University researchers studied butterfly behaviour in the Amazon jungle and uncovered the first evidence of rival species joining forces. Although unrelated, they had developed similar wing patterns as a warning to predators that they were poisonous to eat. And instead of fighting over food and shelter, they had evolved to live in the same territory.
Dr Marianne Elias, of Edinburgh University's School of Biological Sciences, said:
"Until now, we didn't know (rival species] would live alongside each other, reinforcing this message to predators to stay away."
The study, carried out by UK and US universities, was published in PLoS Biology.
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