The vast diversity of animal coloration is generated through a combination of pigment and structural colors. These colors can greatly influence the fitness and life history of an organism. Butterflies and their wing colors are an excellent model to study how these colors can impact the development and success of an organism. In this study, we explore species differences in structurally-based ultraviolet coloration in the Zerene butterfly. We show clear species differences in ultraviolet (UV) pattern and reflectance spectra. By varying larval diet, we show evidence for developmental plasticity in the structure and organization of UV reflecting scales in Zerene cesonia. We further show that feeding the larval host plant of Zerene eurydice to Z. cesonia does not result in greater similarity in scale structure or UV coloration to the sister species. These results not only demonstrate a connection between plasticity in a male ornamentation, UV wing pattern, and larval resource acquisition, but also identify candidate structural and organizational changes in wing scales responsible for the trait variation.

中文翻译：

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Dogface蝴蝶翅膀上的紫外线反射结构的可塑性和发散性。

色素和结构色的结合产生了多种多样的动物色素。这些颜色会极大地影响有机体的适应性和生活史。蝴蝶及其翅膀的颜色是研究这些颜色如何影响生物体发育和成功的极佳模型。在这项研究中，我们探索Zerene蝴蝶在基于结构的紫外线着色中的物种差异。我们在紫外线（UV）模式和反射光谱中显示出明显的物种差异。通过改变幼虫的饮食，我们显示出在Zerene cesonia中紫外线反射鳞片的结构和组织中发育可塑性的证据。我们进一步表明，饲喂Zerene eurydice的幼虫宿主植物到Z. cesonia不会导致规模结构或UV着色与姊妹物种更大的相似性。