• Question: why are butterflies symmetrical?

    Asked by vickytheviking13 to Charlotte, Jo, Kevin, Louise, Valeria on 19 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Kevin Mahon

      Kevin Mahon answered on 19 Jun 2012:

      Firstly, symmetry isn’t something unique to butterflies – it’s found throughout the biological world in all manner of species.

      There are symmetrical as it is encoded in their genes – being symmetrical is the most advantagous way for a butterfly to be (in order to fly). Hyptotherically – Asymmetrical mutant butterflies would not be able to establish themselves as natural selection would be working against them, they wouldn’t be able to fly correctly!

    • Photo: Joanna Cruden

      Joanna Cruden answered on 19 Jun 2012:

      it would be like getting on a plane with one wing shorter or a different shape to the other one 🙂

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