https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:4771 Genetic and phenotypic variation in wood tiger moths from the Caucasus: insights into male warning color variation Galarza, Juan A. Juan A. Galarza 0000-0003-3938-1798 Ecology and Genetics Research Unit University of Oulu Oulu Finland Ottocento, Cristina Cristina Ottocento Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland Rojas, Bibiana Bibiana Rojas 0000-0002-6715-7294 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Valkonen, Janne K. Janne K. Valkonen Department of Biological and Environmental Science University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylä Finland Chunashvili, Tamar Tamar Chunashvili Invertebrate Research Center, Tetritsklebi Telavi Georgia Tasane, Tõnis Tõnis Tasane Fauna NPO Harju maakond Estonia Jiggins, Chris D. Chris D. Jiggins Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge United Kingdom Mappes, Johanna Johanna Mappes Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland Nokelainen, Ossi Ossi Nokelainen Brien, Melanie N. Melanie N. Brien Wiley journal article open access eng Online Version of Record before inclusion in an issue Coloration plays a pivotal role in shaping how species adapt to their environment, influencing their interactions with predators, prey, and potential mates. The aposematic wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) is sexually dimorphic. Males are polymorphic in their hindwing coloration across the Holarctic distribution range, while females exhibit continuous variation in their coloration. In the Caucasus region, a striking exception can be found, where both sexes exhibit a continuous orange-red hindwing coloration. Yet, it remains uncertain whether significant color variations exist within the spectrum of male orange-red coloration and whether these differences can be associated with genetic structure or other phenotypic traits such as size. Using population genetics and image analyses methods, we find that males from the Lesser Caucasus have predominantly large red wings and constitute mostly a single genetic population. Males from the Greater Caucasus, in contrast, appear genetically isolated and are relatively small with orange hindwings. We discuss these findings in the context of both contemporary and historical environmental factors that may have influenced male color variation in the region. Arctiinae Color Polymorphism Genetic Structure Georgia Lepidoptera Multispectral Imaging http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:4771/download 10.1111/1744-7917.70101 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:605 application/pdf Insect Science issn:1672-9609 VoR Insect Science 1.14 MB 2025