A journey to evolution of butterfly

Fossils tell the history• The earliest butterfly fossils are from the

early Cretaceous[Of or belonging to the geologic time] period, about 130 million years ago.

• Like the 40 million year old Prodryas Persophone.

• They are remarkably similar to modern day forms .

• fossil record sheds little light on the origin of today's butterflies.

• Butterflies developed during the Cretaceous Period, often called the "Age of Flowering Plants," 65 million to 135

million years ago.

•Biologists generally agree that moths gave rise to butterflies.

• Butterflies may be far more ancient creatures than previously believed, reveals a new study of fossil

specimens exquisitely preserved in amber.

Development

•Our understanding of butterfly origins is based on the study of living Lepidopteran species.

• We can often learn about evolution from the fossil record, but there are relatively few butterfly fossils.

•Evolution is closely linked to the evolution of flowering plants (angiosperms) since both adult butterflies and caterpillars feed on flowering plants.

Evolution

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