Genome-model
Guides
Danaus
tiger milkweed butterflies, tigers, milkweeds, monarchs, wanderers, queens
Danaus is a genus of butterflies in the tiger butterfly tribe (Danaini), commonly known as tiger milkweed butterflies, monarchs, wanderers, and queens. The genus includes some of the most recognizable butterflies worldwide, notably the migratory monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). Species in this genus are characterized by their association with milkweed host plants (Asclepias spp.), from which larvae sequester cardiac glycosides for chemical defense. The genus has a global distribution spanning North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Indonesia, and Australia, and serves as an important model system for studying migration, plant-insect coevolution, and genome evolution.
Pogonomyrmex californicus
California harvester ant
Pogonomyrmex californicus is a seed-harvesting ant native to southwestern North America. It is the most widely distributed species in the genus Pogonomyrmex. The species exhibits a striking social polymorphism: most populations have single-queen colonies (monogyny), but some California populations show primary polygyny where multiple unrelated queens cooperate in colony founding and coexist in mature colonies. It possesses a powerful sting and has been used historically by Indigenous peoples for ritual and medicinal purposes. The species is a prominent model for studying the evolution of social behavior, cooperation, and epigenetic regulation of aggression.