British Swallowtail Butterfly Split From European Cousins 200,000 Years Ago

A new study has found that the endangered British swallowtail butterfly, Papilio machaon britannicus, found only in the Norfolk Broads, has been a distinct subspecies for at least 200,000 years — far longer than the previously assumed 8,000 years since Doggerland was flooded. The smaller, darker butterfly was thought to have diverged recently, but the new findings could fundamentally transform conservation strategies for the species.

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