Pioneering AI-powered research on butterflies has probed the under-studied evolution of females and adds to a debate between the founding fathers of evolution.Darwin thought males had more variation, as females often chose mates based on male appearance.For over a century, scientists have mostly studied males because their differences are more obvious, while females, with more subtle evolutionary changes, had been less studied.
Dr Hoyal Cuthill, from the School of Life Sciences, said:"This is an exciting time, when machine learning is enabling new, large-scale tests of longstanding questions in evolutionary science. It found that while males often have more distinct shapes and patterns, both males and females contribute to the overall diversity.
"In this case study of birdwing butterfly photographs, it is sex that appears to have driven the greatest evolutionary change, including extreme male shapes, colours and patterns.