This butterfly hybrid thrived against evolutionary odds.

A parent butterfly species called Heliconius pardalinus. These insects are found throughout Central and South America and are known for the variety of wing patterns within the genus.

For a deeper look into Heliconius’ evolution, the team on this new study harnessed the power of whole-genome sequencing. All living organisms have DNA that is made of four nucleotide bases–adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine. If you know the sequence of bases, you can identify the organism’s unique DNA fingerprint called a pattern. Sequencing determines these patterns and whole genome sequencing in a lab can determine the orders of these bases in one process.