Understanding the evolutionary mechanisms governing the uneven distribution of species richness across the tree of life is a great challenge in biology. Scientists have long argued that sexual conflict is a key driver of speciation. This hypothesis, however, has been highly debated in light of empirical evidence. Recent advances in the study of macroevolution make it possible to test this hypothesis with more data and increased accuracy. In the present study, we use phylogenomics combined with four different diversification rate analytical approaches to test whether sexual conflict is a driver of speciation in brush-footed butterflies of the tribe Acraeini. The presence of sphragis, an external mating plug found in most species among Acraeini, was used as a proxy for sexual conflict. Diversification analyses statistically reject the hypothesis that sexual conflict is associated with shifts in diversification rates in Acraeini. This result contrasts with earlier studies and suggests that the underlying mechanisms driving diversification are more complex than previously considered. In the case of butterflies, natural history traits acting in concert with abiotic factors possibly play a stronger role in triggering speciation than does sexual conflict.

中文翻译：

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性冲突是物种形成的驱动因素吗？刷足蝴蝶部落的案例研究

了解控制整个生命树物种丰富度分布不均的进化机制是生物学中的一项巨大挑战。长期以来，科学家们一直认为，性冲突是物种形成的关键驱动因素。然而，根据经验证据，这一假设引起了高度争议。宏观进化研究的最新进展使得可以用更多的数据和更高的准确性来检验这一假设。在本研究中，我们使用系统基因组学结合四种不同的多样化率分析方法来测试性冲突是否是 Acraeini 部落刷足蝴蝶物种形成的驱动因素。在 Acraeini 中的大多数物种中发现的外部交配插头 sphragis 的存在被用作性冲突的代表。多元化分析在统计上拒绝了性冲突与阿克拉雷尼多元化率变化有关的假设。这一结果与早期的研究形成对比，表明推动多样化的潜在机制比以前认为的更复杂。就蝴蝶而言，与非生物因素共同作用的自然历史特征可能比性冲突在触发物种形成方面发挥更大的作用。