Marta Vila

Understanding how reproductive isolation is maintained between closely related taxa is a central question in evolutionary biology. Here, we investigate the mechanisms underlying divergence and isolation between two sister butterflies, Erebia palarica and Erebia meolans , which occur in sympatry in the Cantabrian Mountains (N Spain) and in allopatry elsewhere. Using an integrative approach, we combine genetic, genome synteny and cytogenetic analyses, Wolbachia screening, and geometric morphometrics to assess their evolutionary history and elucidate potential reproductive barriers between these species. The phylogeographic pattern suggests that both species diverged in allopatry, coming into secondary contact along the Cantabrian Mountains after the last glacial maximum. Both mitochondrial and nuclear markers recover reciprocal monophyly, indicating the absence of recent hybridisation. The identical chromosome numbers in both species (2 n = 28), the absence of major chromosomal rearrangements or straightforward genitalia differentiation, and the presence of the same Wolbachia strain in all infected individuals suggest that neither chromosomal rearrangements nor Wolbachia ‐induced incompatibilities contribute to their reproductive isolation in sympatry. In contrast, morphometric analyses show a significant divergence in wing size consistent with asymmetric character displacement: sympatric populations of E. palarica exhibit larger wings relative to both allopatric conspecifics and sympatric E. meolans , whereas E. meolans shows little size variation across northern Spain. Our findings point to wing size divergence in E. palarica as a response to sympatry with E. meolans . Overall, this study provides novel empirical evidence for morphometric character displacement in the family Nymphalidae, highlights the importance of multidisciplinary approaches for understanding species differentiation, and sets a framework for future genomic studies of speciation and reproductive isolation between closely related taxa.

Montane and specialist insects are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss and climate change. The Spanish Moon Moth ( Actias isabellae ), a rare and protected species, hosts an isolated Alpine population (subspecies galliaegloria ), whose conservation status remains unclear. We combined Restriction‐site Associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) and Ecological Niche Modelling (ENM) to assess its genetic diversity, population structure and environmental vulnerability. Genomic analyses revealed extremely low genetic diversity and inbreeding in the Alpine subspecies, consistent with a historical bottleneck, reducing adaptive potential. Species distribution models predict a major contraction of suitable habitat by 2050 due to rising temperatures and declines in its primary host, Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris ). These findings highlight the compounded risks posed by genetic impoverishment and habitat loss, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted conservation measures. Our study demonstrates the value of integrating genomic and ecological approaches to evaluate extinction risk and guide management strategies for montane specialist insects under rapid environmental change.

We present a genome assembly from afor high molecular weight female specimen of Erebia triaria (de Prunner’s Ringlet; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Nymphalidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 521.30 megabases and 412.03 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (99.7%) is scaffolded into 17 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z 1 , Z 2 , and W sex chromosomes. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 15.26 kilobases. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 14,057 protein-coding genes.

LepEU, the European Lepidopteran Population Genomics Consortium, was launched in 2023 to coordinate continental‐scale collections and generate population‐level genomic data for butterflies and moths across Europe. Its whole‐genome resequencing strategy takes advantage of the growing availability of reference genomes for Lepidoptera. LepEU supports scalable, standardized sampling and sequencing to quantify genetic diversity and population resilience. These data will allow addressing long‐standing questions about geographic patterns of biodiversity in this iconic clade for evolutionary ecology, while also filling critical gaps in biodiversity monitoring and conservation. The consortium's first in‐person workshop was held in Montpellier (France) in 2025 and was supported by the COST Action 10kLepGenomes. It gathered 23 researchers from 10 countries, including experts in Lepidoptera ecology, evolution, and population genomics. Building on 2 years of video conferencing, the workshop enabled participants to draw a roadmap for trans‐continental standardized sampling, isolate DNA of specimens collected during 2024, outline key research questions for LepEU, and discuss an outreach strategy to engage additional stakeholders. LepEU is coordinating with other international networks and consortia to develop a collaborative platform for tracking European lepidopteran biodiversity and evolution. Looking ahead, LepEU is focused on training and mentoring the next generation of scientists, empowering them to integrate genomic analyses with phenotypic and ecological data to address ecological, evolutionary, and conservation questions.

Communication structures society, and is likewise shaped by relationships and shared tasks; yet, for most socially complex species, we know little of their full vocal repertoire and its functions. We investigated how communication structures the who, what, and when of social interactions in cooperative carrion crows – group-living birds who rely on coordinated behaviors, as in chick care. Leveraging machine learning to integrate large-scale data from crow-borne audio-loggers and nest cameras, we charted the vocal repertoire across 24 cooperative groups and mapped all discovered call types to behaviors and social context. We found that crows used a rich repertoire across three domains of joint behavior – flocking, chick care, and territorial display. Relatively quiet call types were abundant and included close-range calls that may coordinate chick care by announcing nest visits. Our study demonstrates how combining continuous-capture data and machine learning can reveal a holistic understanding of how vocalizations function across contexts.

Montane and specialist insects are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss and climate change. The Spanish Moon Moth ( Actias isabellae ), a rare and protected species, hosts an isolated Alpine population (subspecies galliaegloria ) whose conservation status remains unclear. We combined Restriction-site Associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) and Ecological Niche Modelling (ENM) to assess its genetic diversity, population structure, and environmental vulnerability. Genomic analyses revealed extremely low genetic diversity and inbreeding in the Alpine subspecies, consistent with a historical bottleneck, reducing adaptive potential. Species distribution models predict a major contraction of suitable habitat by 2050 due to rising temperatures and declines in its primary host, Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris ). These findings highlight the compounded risks posed by genetic impoverishment and habitat loss, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted conservation measures. Our study demonstrates the value of integrating genomic and ecological approaches to evaluate extinction risk and guide management strategies for montane specialist insects under rapid environmental change.

The reference genome of Erebia palarica (Chapman’s ringlet; Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae) provides valuable insights into evolutionary and conservation genomics. On one hand, it paves the way to unravel the speciation processes, reproductive barriers, and potential hybridisation between E. palarica and its closely related sister species, Erebia meolans. On the other hand, this genomic resource will be key for the genetic monitoring of this narrowly endemic species, restricted to the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain), facilitating the use of genomic data to estimate population genetic parameters. The genome of a female individual was assembled into 13 phased contiguous autosomes, two sex chromosomes (W and Z), and one mitochondrial genome. This chromosome-level assembly encompasses 0.51 Gb and has no gaps, making this a telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome assembly. The assembly is composed of 15 contigs with an N50 value of 36.4 Mb.

We present a genome assembly from a female specimen of Erebia triaria (de Prunner’s Ringlet; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Nymphalidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 521.30 megabases and 412.03 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (99.7%) is scaffolded into 17 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z1, Z2, and W sex chromosomes. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 15.26 kilobases.

We present a genome assembly from a female specimen of Erebia meolans (Piedmont Ringlet; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Nymphalidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 512.88 megabases and 439.35 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (95.0%) is scaffolded into 15 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the W and Z sex chromosomes. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 15.24 kilobases.