PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Anupama Prakash AU - Antónia Monteiro TI - <em>apterous A</em> specifies dorsal wing patterns and sexual traits in butterflies AID - 10.1101/131011 DP - 2017 Jan 01 TA - bioRxiv PG - 131011 4099 - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/04/26/131011.short 4100 - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/04/26/131011.full AB - Butterflies have evolved different color patterns on their dorsal and ventral wing surfaces to serve different signaling functions, yet the developmental mechanisms controlling surface-specific patterning are still unknown. Here, we mutate both copies of the transcription factor apterous in Bicyclus anynana butterflies using CRISPR/Cas9 and show that apterous A functions both as a repressor and modifier of ventral wing color patterns, as well as a promoter of dorsal sexual ornaments in males. We propose that the surface-specific diversification of wing patterns in butterflies proceeded via the co-option of apterous A into various gene regulatory networks involved in the differentiation of discrete wing traits. Further, interactions between apterous and sex-specific factors such as doublesex may have contributed to the origin of sexually dimorphic surface-specific patterns. Finally, we discuss the evolution of eyespot pattern diversity in the family Nymphalidae within the context of developmental constraints due to apterous regulation.