Inconsistent phylogenetic topologies reveal genomic admixture in Kallima butterflies(Lepidoptera:Nymphalidae)
Kallima butterflies are famous for their leaf-mimicking wing patterns.Yet the characterization of Kallima species is still under debate owing to their high phenotypic similarity.With the release of the K.inachus reference genome,phylogenetic studies based on genome-wide data have been carried out,thus improving the understanding of the evolutionary relationships of the genus Kallima.However,we noticed that there is some conflict between genome-based phylogenies and morphological classifications in butterflies.We further examined the cause of this conflict by conducting an in-depth study of the relationships among Kallima butterflies to test possible reticulate phylogenetic topologies.We constructed phylogenies based on various datasets(including SNPs in single-copy genes,coding sequences,neutral regions and all remaining sites across the genome)to compare the topologies,revealing the complex evolutionary history of Kallima butterflies.Our results suggest that the reticulate species topology may constitute a pervasive pattern present not only in species with adaptive radiations but also in gradually evolving species,with Kallima butterflies as an example.