[Leps-l] Eastern Tiger Swallowtail intermediate morphs

[Tony Thomas]

A Canadian Tiger Swallowtail was photographed recently in New Brunswick, 
Canada that had white forewings:

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__birdingnewbrunswick.ca_group_bnbbutterflygroup_forum_topics_tiger-2Dswallowtail&d=CwIC-g&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=tVAKMFPe3UCcsMWUFXo0FeX0xe1JUAj77B74DAI3DKI&m=BiInUTkPysBFHBJWvNomShhrGhWkmEBSlvvlMJQPZRI&s=CF88rrdWbyOVKwr2jyQU14PiGux7tTj3JtRoFRNenFk&e= 

On 21/06/2016 4:38 PM, David Hamilton Cox wrote:
>   In the May 2016 issue of the "Potomac Appalachian Newsletter", available here:
>
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.patc.net_PATC_Library_Newsletter-5FArchives.aspx&d=CwICAg&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=tVAKMFPe3UCcsMWUFXo0FeX0xe1JUAj77B74DAI3DKI&m=nrCHxoOnUXnPVsa6s8KQTU8N2CkpZ_0Jd6Vrln758rs&s=KXFWodLt7AXdJeLkv7rvmlicJ3RBvmQn5uo-pX_u2wE&e=
>
>   an articled entitled "HIKER'S NOTEBOOK: EASTERN TIGER SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY
> THE LADY AND THE TIGER" by William Needham, starting on page 7, states on
> page 9 that:
>
> "Recent genomic research of this phenomenon has revealed that it is a very
> simple process; melanism is controlled by a single gene that converts the
> yellow background to black."
>
>   I occasionally see female Tiger Swallowtails that appear to be intermediate
> between the yellow and black morph, such as this one I photographed in Madison
> County, Virginia on April 15 of this year:  https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.nyx.net_-7Edhcox_tiger.jpg&d=CwICAg&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=tVAKMFPe3UCcsMWUFXo0FeX0xe1JUAj77B74DAI3DKI&m=nrCHxoOnUXnPVsa6s8KQTU8N2CkpZ_0Jd6Vrln758rs&s=K5pLHggxDhG64gUBuYLKyQz7tMzOXQ15jArX_28pcvM&e=
>
>   How can this partial change occur if only one gene is involved? I realize
> I am probably displaying a rather complete lack of how genes work but
> thought I would at least ask.
>
> -David Cox
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