A freshly eclosed S. curiosolus on silvery lupine (Lupinus argenteus).
If creationists had even a basic understanding of scientific evidence, they could hardly fail to recognise how thoroughly it refutes creationism. This may help explain why creationist advocates work so hard to ensure their followers remain ignorant of that evidence—or only encounter a distorted version of it. It's also why many creationists willingly participate in their own deception by avoiding fact-checking and reading genuine scientific literature, preferring instead to consume misinformation circulated within their echo chambers.
Foremost among the misconceptions is the claim that mainstream biologists are increasingly finding evolutionary theory inadequate and are therefore turning to Intelligent Design (ID) creationism as a superior alternative.
A close second is the notion that there is no evidence to support the scientific view that species have diverged from common ancestors through evolutionary processes. These processes include environmental selection acting on genetic variation—differentially favouring some alleles while eliminating others—thereby shifting the gene pool over time towards greater reproductive fitness in a given environment.
If they were able to comprehend this, and if they had the intellectual honesty to accept it, creationists would realise that recent findings—such as the discovery of a new butterfly species that appears to have been isolated in a small region of the Canadian Rockies for around 40,000 years—completely undermine these two core dogmas.
Satyrium curiosolus.
Their findings are published open access in the journal ZooKeys and summarised in a PenSoft blog article.
What information do you have on the evolution and distribution of the Satyrium genus of butterflies? The genus Satyrium comprises a diverse group of hairstreak butterflies within the family Lycaenidae, predominantly distributed across the Holarctic region, encompassing much of North America, Europe, and Asia. These butterflies are typically associated with woodland habitats, forest edges, and areas abundant in flowering plants.
Evolutionary Background
Satyrium species exhibit a range of morphological and ecological adaptations. Many possess characteristic tails on their hindwings and display varied coloration patterns, often serving as camouflage or for signalling. Larval host plants are diverse, including species from families such as Rosaceae, Fagaceae, and Rhamnaceae. Some species have evolved mutualistic relationships with ants, wherein caterpillars provide sugary secretions in exchange for protection.
Distribution
The distribution of Satyrium species is extensive:
- North America: Species like the Banded Hairstreak (S. calanus), California Hairstreak (S. californica), and Coral Hairstreak (S. titus) are widespread across various habitats.
- Europe and Asia: Species such as the White-letter Hairstreak (S. w-album) and Blue Spot Hairstreak (S. spini) inhabit regions from Western Europe to East Asia, including Japan.
The recent identification of Satyrium curiosolus, the Curiously Isolated Hairstreak, in Alberta, Canada, underscores the genus's evolutionary complexity. This species has been isolated for approximately 40,000 years, exhibiting unique genetic and ecological traits distinct from its relatives, such as S. semiluna.
Conservation Considerations
While many Satyrium species maintain stable populations, others face conservation challenges due to habitat loss, climate change, and reduced genetic diversity. The specialized ecological requirements and limited distribution of species like S. curiosolus highlight the importance of targeted conservation efforts to preserve these unique evolutionary lineages.
Curious isolation: new butterfly species discovered
Curious isolation: new butterfly species discovered
In the heart of Canada’s Rocky Mountains, an unassuming yet remarkable butterfly has been quietly flying under our scientific radar for years. With a wingspan of an inch to an inch and a half, and wings that are brown on top and greyish brown with black spots below, this population was long thought to belong to the Half-moon Hairstreak (Satyrium semiluna). However, the isolated hairstreak butterflies of Blakiston Fan in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, have now been recognized as a distinct species: Satyrium curiosolus, or the Curiously Isolated Hairstreak.
A recent study by an international collaborative team, published in ZooKeys, uncovered the unique evolutionary history of this population. The results were striking: Satyrium curiosolus has been completely isolated from its closest relatives for quite a while—possibly up to 40,000 years— becoming more and more genetically and ecologically unique along the way.
The science behind the discovery
Our whole-genome sequencing of S. curiosolus revealed strikingly low genetic diversity and exceptionally high levels of historical inbreeding compared to the geographically nearest S. semiluna populations in British Columbia and Montana, more than 400 km distant.
Dr. Zac MacDonald, co-first author.
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Canada
And the University of California
Los Angeles, CA USA.
Despite its small population size, genetic data suggest that S. curiosolus has likely maintained itself as a stable, independent lineage for tens of thousands of years.Like the Channel Island Fox, S. curiosolus may have purged some of its harmful recessive genetic variation through a long, gradual history of inbreeding, allowing it to persist as a small and completely isolated population today.
Dr. Zac MacDonald.
Satyrium curiosolus is found in a distinct habitat unlike any other population of S. semiluna that we know of. While its relatives thrive in sagebrush steppe, S. curiosolus occupies a single alluvial fan that is more accurately described as prairie-grassland, where it associates with different plants and ant species. Satyrium curiosolus relies exclusively on silvery lupine (Lupinus argenteus) for larval development, a plant not known to be used by S. semiluna populations in British Columbia.
Furthermore, we recently discovered that S. curiosolus larvae have mutualistic relationships with a particular species of ant (Lasius ponderosae), which has not been observed in other S. semiluna populations,.
James R. N. Glasier, co-author
Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, Calgary, Canada.
Satyrium curiosolus caterpillars provide the Lasius ants with a sugary excretion called honeydew to eat, while in return the ants protect the caterpillar from parasites and predators. Caterpillars also retreat into ant galleries when disturbed, or when it gets too hot out, and adult females have been observed laying eggs right near the entrances to Lasius colonies under Silvery Lupines.
Why it matters
The recognition of S. curiosolus as a species has important implications, highlighting its unique evolutionary trajectory and emphasizing an urgent need for tailored conservation strategies.
Satyrium curiosolus faces a somewhat unique challenge: its long-term isolation has resulted in very low genetic diversity, which means that the species has a reduced potential to adapt to changing climatic conditions. While conservationists often consider genetic rescue—introducing individuals from related populations to boost genetic diversity—as a solution to low genetic diversity, the distinctiveness of S. curiosolus raises concerns about potential outbreeding depression when mixed with S. semiluna. It is likely that the two species are not even reproductively compatible, meaning S. curiosolus may be on its own. Conservation efforts must now consider new solutions, such as establishing additional S. curiosolus populations, to help this butterfly persist as climate change threatens ecological change at Blakiston Fan.
A case study in genomics and conservation
The discovery of S. curiosolus is a powerful demonstration of how genomics is revolutionizing taxonomy and conservation. While traditional taxonomic methods often rely on morphology alone, our study underscores the importance of integrating genomic and ecological data to uncover hidden diversity. With the rise of genomic tools, previously unrecognized species like S. curiosolus are being discovered, highlighting the need for conservation strategies that account for cryptic biodiversity.
Assistant Professor Julian Dupuis, co-first author
Department of Entomology
University of Kentucky.
Collaboration in conservation
Our studies on S. curiosolus and S. semiluna highlight the importance of collaboration between academic scientists, nonprofit organizations, and conservation managers. All of this work was made possible through partnerships between academic researchers, Parks Canada, and the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo. By combining expertise in genomics, field ecology, and conservation management, we were able to produce findings that not only reshape our understanding of biodiversity but also provide actionable insights for species protection. Moving forward, these interdisciplinary collaborations will be critical for tackling complex conservation challenges and ensuring the long-term survival of species like S. curiosolus.
Dr. Zac MacDonald.
The future of Satyrium curiosolus
Recognizing S. curiosolus as a distinct species is just the beginning, the researchers say. Future research should explore its evolution and interactions with other species like host plants and ants. Additionally, long-term monitoring by Parks Canada and the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo will be essential to assess how this species copes with climate change and what conservation actions are appropriate.
S. curiosolus larvae being attended to by Lasius ponderosae ants.
This is a wonderful example of how such monitoring can connect diverse approaches and impactful answers to a simple question like ‘that’s odd – why is it there?’ For now, the Curiously Isolated Hairstreak reminds us that even the smallest and most overlooked species can hold extraordinary scientific and conservation significance.
Professor Felix Sperling, co-corresponding author
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Canada.
Publication:
AbstractIn this example we have speciation without major morphological change, as evidence by the fact that this has only just been recognised as a distinct species and not a local population of the related Satyrium semiluna. Speciation and genetic isolation had occurred because of changes in the food plant and in the mutualist association with the Lasius ponderosae ants.
We describe a highly isolated population of hairstreak butterfly from Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada, as a new species, Satyrium curiosolus sp. nov., previously recognized as Satyrium semiluna (Half-moon Hairstreak). We propose “Curiously Isolated Hairstreak” as the common name due to its disjunct and unusual distribution. Previous whole-genome analyses revealed S. curiosolus has extremely low genomic diversity and is highly divergent from the nearest S. semiluna populations in British Columbia and Montana, more than 400 km distant. Further analysis suggested prolonged inbreeding and isolation for up to ~40,000 years BP. Ecological niche modeling indicated that S. curiosolus occupies environmental conditions that are distinct from S. semiluna, suggesting niche divergence driven by long-term geographical and ecological separation. While host plant and ant associations have not been definitively resolved, they likely differ between S. curiosolus and S. semiluna. As part of this description, we provide whole-genome consensus sequences for each individual of the type series and identify 21,985 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are divergently fixed between S. curiosolus and S. semiluna, including 117 unlinked SNPs distributed across the genome as putative diagnostic markers. Previously listed as Endangered in Canada as the Waterton population of S. semiluna, S. curiosolus should retain this conservation status due to its extreme isolation, small population size, and flatlined genomic diversity. We propose species recognition as a testable hypothesis under the General Lineage Concept and recommend further research to explore the taxonomy, ecological relationships, and conservation of the greater species complex, including S. curiosolus, S. semiluna, and S. fuliginosa.
Introduction
The northernmost populations of a North American butterfly, Half-moon Hairstreak (Satyrium semiluna Klots; sometimes called “Sagebrush Sooty Hairstreak”), have received recent study by MacDonald et al. (2025), but their taxonomic status remains in question. Although S. semiluna is “apparently secure” across its range in the USA (COSEWIC 2006, 2022; ECCC 2016; NatureServe 2024), the species’ northern range limit extends into Canada, where it is listed as Endangered under the “Species at Risk Act”. All but one Canadian population occur in south-central British Columbia, with an estimated aggregate abundance of 5,000–15,000 individuals. Based on continuity of both suitable habitat and the species’ occurrence records, British Columbia populations are presumably well connected to others south of the USA–Canada border and likely represent an example of political boundaries dictating protection rather than range-wide conservation concern. British Columbia populations have been recommended for downlisting to Threatened (COSEWIC 2022). The single other Canadian population persists on a ~300 ha alluvial fan (Blakiston Fan) in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, where it is isolated from all other S. semiluna populations by a distributional gap of more than 400 km. This population was recently recommended for uplisting to Critically Endangered based on its uniqueness, small size, and considerable isolation (COSEWIC 2022).
The Alberta population is small, with genomically based estimates of contemporary effective population size (Ne) around 500 individuals and surveys suggesting that between 1,000 and 10,000 adults fly annually (COSWEIC 2022; MacDonald et al. 2025). Aside from enigmatic island insect populations, such as the Lord Howe Island stick insect (Dryococelus australis (Montrouzier)) (Priddel et al. 2003) and some Hawaiian drosophilids (O’Grady and DeSalle 2018), few if any other insects have been documented with such a small population size and high degree of long-term isolation. The Alberta population’s environmental and ecological associations are also unique, adding to its scientific interest. Blakiston Fan receives an average summer precipitation of ~200 mm, while the locations of all other S. semiluna populations in the central-northern portion of the species' range receive between 32 and 154 mm (mean = 71 mm) (MacDonald et al. 2025). This difference in precipitation manifests in different habitat characteristics—Populations throughout British Columbia and the USA inhabit steppe-like habitats dominated by big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.). In contrast, occupied habitat at Blakiston Fan is best described as prairie/grassland dominated by sedges, grasses, and herbaceous plant species.
Another possible axis of niche divergence is larval host-plant association. Populations throughout British Columbia and the USA Pacific Northwest feed on silky lupine (Lupinus sericeus Pursh) and possibly Pacific lupine (Lupinus lepidus Lindl.) (James and Nunnallee 2011), while the Alberta population feeds only on silvery lupine (Lupinus argenteus Pursh), even though L. sericeus is common at the site. Host associations of most other populations east of the continental divide in the USA are unknown and require investigation. Myrmecophily presents a third possible axis of niche divergence (MacDonald et al. 2025). Larvae of the Alberta population exhibit a mutualistic relationship with Lasius ponderosae Schär, Talavera, Rana, Espadaler, Cover, Shattuck & Vila. In British Columbia, L. ponderosae is absent in S. semiluna habitat, and larvae associate with Formica and Camponotus species. Similar associations with Formica and Camponotus have been observed in California (Runquist 2012).
Given the Alberta population’s small size and considerable isolation, inbreeding depression and loss of adaptive potential were identified by Parks Canada and the Half-moon Hairstreak Conservation Committee as likely threats to its long-term persistence. In these situations, genetic rescue is often assumed to be an effective conservation strategy (Storfer 1999; Weeks et al. 2011.1; Frankham et al. 2017; Ralls et al. 2020; Clarke et al. 2024.1). To assess whether genetic rescue is indeed appropriate for the Alberta population, MacDonald et al. (2025) generated the first chromosome-level genome assembly for the species and whole-genome resequencing data for the Alberta population, British Columbia populations, and the nearest USA population in Montana. Based on genetic divergence, environmental and ecological differences and a very long inferred history of isolation with no evidence of contemporary or recent gene flow, we, together with Parks Canada and the Half-moon Hairstreak Conservation Committee, determined that the Alberta population satisfies requirements of a distinct species that has long been on an independent evolutionary trajectory. Species-level recognition highlights the unique ecology and evolution of this butterfly, demonstrates a clear need for continued consideration under the “Species at Risk Act” and International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and provides an important case study on the utility of genomics in taxonomy. Genomics has an increasingly important role in taxonomic descriptions (Fennessy et al. 2016.1; Nater et al. 2017.1; Zhou et al. 2018.1; Stanton et al. 2019). However, chromosome-level genome assemblies for new species, along with whole-genome consensus sequences for the type series, remain rare (see Brandão‐Dias et al. 2022.1).
MacDonald ZG, Dupuis JR, Glasier JRN, Sissons R, Moehrenschlager A, Shaffer HB, Sperling FAH (2025)
Genomic and ecological divergence support recognition of a new species of endangered Satyrium butterfly (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae). ZooKeys 1234: 291-307. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1234.143893
Copyright: © 2025 The authors.
Published by Pensoft Publishers. Open access.
Reprinted under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0)
This discovery illustrates how speciation can arise not through dramatic morphological changes—as creationists often insist must be present—but through behavioural shifts that lead to reproductive isolation just as effectively as geographical separation. The newly described species, *Satyrium curiosolus*, has diverged genetically from its close relative *S. semiluna* to the extent that researchers questioned whether interbreeding is still possible. That doubt is reinforced by the absence of any evidence that such interbreeding has occurred over the past several tens of thousands of years.
By any reasonable definition of a species—particularly the biological species concept, which emphasises reproductive isolation—*S. curiosolus* qualifies as a distinct species. This is the very criterion that creationists themselves often cite when claiming that interbreeding capability defines a “kind.” Yet, in this case, the lack of interbreeding and the clear genetic divergence are precisely what confirm evolutionary divergence—contradicting creationist claims.
And, crucially, there is no suggestion in the research that these findings are inexplicable within an evolutionary framework. At no point do the scientists propose that Intelligent Design creationism offers a superior explanation. Yet, despite the complete lack of evidence for any such shift in mainstream biology, creationists continue to promote the absurd notion that evolutionary theory is being discarded in favour of ID creationism—a concept grounded in untestable supernatural causes, incapable of making predictions, and therefore entirely unfit as a scientific hypothesis.
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