A butterfly perspective to speciation across macro- and microevolutionary scales

Lepidoptera is one of the most diverse branches across the tree of life and various processes have driven their diversification. In a first part, I will discuss the role of chromosomal rearrangements through chromosomal fusions and fissions on rates of speciation at a macroevolutionary scale. For the second part I will describe showcases of late-stage speciation by focusing on zones of secondary contact between closely related Alpine butterflies and their diverse and surprising outcomes – ranging from a hybrid swarm to very narrow and stable contact zones. 

Kay Lucek is SNSF Eccellenza Assistent Professor at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. His research aims to advance our understanding on how biodiversity evolves and is maintained. For this, his group studies several taxa, including alpine butterflies. He is especially interested to understand how chromosomal rearrangements emerge and how they might affect the speciation process also at a macroevolutionary level. His group further studies the factors that shape the outcome of secondary contact between closely related species, working at the interface between novel and fundamental research and conservation genomics.