People

Marcus R. Kronforst, PhD

We study adaptation and speciation, with a special focus on the genetic basis of wing pattern mimicry in butterflies. Other topics of study in the lab include mate preference evolution in butterflies, monarch butterfly migration, and poison dart frog color patterning. Our work is highly integrative, spanning genomics, population genetics, molecular and developmental biology, animal behavior, and field work.

Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Bauer Fellow - Systems Biology
2012

University of Texas
Austin, Texas
post-doc - Evolutionary Biology
2007

University of Texas
Austin, Texas
Ph.D. - Ecology, Evolution & Behavior
2004

University of Miami
Miami, Florida
B.S. - Biology
1998

Seasonal plasticity in morphology and metabolism differs between migratory North American and resident Costa Rican monarch butterflies.
Seasonal plasticity in morphology and metabolism differs between migratory North American and resident Costa Rican monarch butterflies. Ecol Evol. 2023 Feb; 13(2):e9796.
PMID: 36844673

Butterfly mimicry rings run in circles.
Butterfly mimicry rings run in circles. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 01 24; 120(4):e2220680120.
PMID: 36649418

Museum genomics reveals the Xerces blue butterfly (Glaucopsyche xerces) was a distinct species driven to extinction.
Museum genomics reveals the Xerces blue butterfly (Glaucopsyche xerces) was a distinct species driven to extinction. Biol Lett. 2021 07; 17(7):20210123.
PMID: 34283930

The evolution and genetics of sexually dimorphic 'dual' mimicry in the butterfly Elymnias hypermnestra.
The evolution and genetics of sexually dimorphic 'dual' mimicry in the butterfly Elymnias hypermnestra. Proc Biol Sci. 2021 01 13; 288(1942):20202192.
PMID: 33434461

Divergence, gene flow, and the origin of leapfrog geographic distributions: The history of colour pattern variation in Phyllobates poison-dart frogs.
Divergence, gene flow, and the origin of leapfrog geographic distributions: The history of colour pattern variation in Phyllobates poison-dart frogs. Mol Ecol. 2020 10; 29(19):3702-3719.
PMID: 32814358

Migration behaviour of commercial monarchs reared outdoors and wild-derived monarchs reared indoors.
Migration behaviour of commercial monarchs reared outdoors and wild-derived monarchs reared indoors. Proc Biol Sci. 2020 08 12; 287(1932):20201326.
PMID: 32752991

Genomic evidence for gene flow between monarchs with divergent migratory phenotypes and flight performance.
Genomic evidence for gene flow between monarchs with divergent migratory phenotypes and flight performance. Mol Ecol. 2020 07; 29(14):2567-2582.
PMID: 32542770

The roles of hybridization and habitat fragmentation in the evolution of Brazil's enigmatic longwing butterflies, Heliconius nattereri and H. hermathena.
The roles of hybridization and habitat fragmentation in the evolution of Brazil's enigmatic longwing butterflies, Heliconius nattereri and H. hermathena. BMC Biol. 2020 07 03; 18(1):84.
PMID: 32620168

Disentangling Population History and Character Evolution among Hybridizing Lineages.
Disentangling Population History and Character Evolution among Hybridizing Lineages. Mol Biol Evol. 2020 05 01; 37(5):1295-1305.
PMID: 31930401

A shared genetic basis of mimicry across swallowtail butterflies points to ancestral co-option of doublesex.
A shared genetic basis of mimicry across swallowtail butterflies points to ancestral co-option of doublesex. Nat Commun. 2020 01 03; 11(1):6.
PMID: 31900419

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Biological Sciences Division Distinguished Investigator Award
University of Chicago
2016

NSF CAREER Award
University of Chicago
2015

Pew Biomedical Scholar
University of Chicago
2015 - 2020

Neubauer Family Endowed Assistant Professorship
University of Chicago
2012 - 2017

Bauer Fellows Program
Harvard University
2007 - 2012

NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant
2002

Summa cum laude
University of Miami
1998

Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
University of Miami
1997