Publications

Publications – Refereed articles (google scholar profile)

2026 Jaskiel, JE, Aichelman, HE, Anderson, G, Claassens, L, Fifer, JE, Hernandez, CM, Huzar, AK, Llopiz, JK, Witting, JW, Mullen, SP, and Rotjan, RD. Larval genomics as a viable, fisheries-independent tool for investigating population structure in tropical Pacific tunas. Molecular Ecology 35(8): e70335. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.70335

2025 Robinson, AE, Herrmann, J, Aichelman, HE, and Mullen, SP. Citizen science supports ecological predictions of phenology in North American mimetic butterflies. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 146(1): blaf068. https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blaf068

2025 Novick, I, Alqassar, JD, Aichelman, HE, Kawahara, AY, Chen, K, St Laurent, R, Fifer, JE, and Mullen, SP. Ultraconserved elements reveal the relationship between facultative keratinophagy and synanthropic evolution in clothes moths. Molecular Ecology 34(12): e17799. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.17799

2025 Dang, A, Bernard, GD, Yuan, F, Macias-Muñoz, A, Hill, RI, Lawrence, JP, Rangel Olguin, AG, Luis-Martínez, A, Mullen, SP, Llorente-Bousquets, J, and Briscoe, AD. Trichromacy is insufficient for mate detection in a mimetic butterfly. Communications Biology 8: 189. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07472-7

2025 Robinson, AE, Novick, I, Herrmann, J, DeFelice, L, Engel, A, Famin, D, Fetherston, C, Frintu, B, Meyersiek, J, Mishi, M, Nguyễn, TGH, Buston, PM, Sherratt, TN, and Mullen, SP. Is temporal synchrony necessary for effective Batesian mimicry? Proceedings of the Royal Society B 292: 20241737. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2024.1737

2024 Alqassar, JD, Aichelman, HE, Novick, IA, and Mullen, SP. De novo genome assembly and annotation for the synanthropic webbing clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella): a globally distributed, economically important pest. Genome Biology and Evolution 16(12): evae266. https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evae266

2023 Crawford, NG, McGreevy, TJ Jr, Mullen, SP, and Schneider, CJ. The genetic basis of conspicuous coloration in the Guadeloupean anole: evolution by sexual and ecological selection. Ecology and Evolution 13: e10266. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10266

2023 Smith, EJ, Vizueta, J, Younger, MA, Mullen, SP, and Traniello, JFA. Dietary diversity, sociality, and the evolution of ant gustation. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 11: 1175719. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1175719

2023 Muratore, IB, Mullen, SP, and Traniello, JFA. Transcriptomic analysis of mosaic brain differentiation underlying complex division of labor in a social insect. Journal of Comparative Neurology 531(8): 853–865. https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.25469

2022 Mallet, J, and Mullen, SP. Reproductive isolation is a heuristic, not a measure: a commentary on Westram et al. 2022. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 35(9): 1175–1182. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.14052

2021 Chazot, N, Condamine, FL, Dudas, G, Peña, C, Kodandaramaiah, U, Matos-Maraví, P, et al. Conserved ancestral tropical niche but different continental histories explain the latitudinal diversity gradient in brush-footed butterflies. Nature Communications 12: 5717. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25906-8

2020    Mullen, SP, VanKuren, NW, Zhang, W, Nallu, S, Kristiansen, EB, Wuyun, Q, Liu, K, Hill RI, Briscoe, AD, and Kronforst, MK. Disentangling population history and character evolution among hybridizing lineages. Molecular Biology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaa004

2020    Dang, A, Bernard, GD, Olguin, AR, Macias-Munoz, A, Lawrence, JP, Hill RI, Mullen, SP,  and Briscoe, AD. Color vision in Nymphalid Butterfly, Adelpha fessonia. Integrative and Comparative Biology (60): E306-E306.

2019    Semenov, GA, Safran, RJ, Smith, CCR, Turbek, SP, Mullen, SP, Flaxman, SM. Unifying theoretical and empirical perspectives on genomic differentiation.  Trends in Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2019.07.008

2019    Wuyun, Q., VanKuren, N. W., Kronforst, M., Mullen, S.P., & Liu, K. J. (2019, September). Scalable Statistical Introgression Mapping Using Approximate Coalescent-Based Inference. In Proceedings of the 10th ACM International Conference on Bioinformatics, Computational Biology and Health Informatics (pp. 504-513). ACM.

2019    Hill, RI, Mullen, SP. Adult feeding as a potential mechanism for unprofitability in Neotropical Adelpha (Limenitidini, Limenitidinae, Nymphalidae). J. Lep. Soc, 73(1): 2019.

2018    Maytin, A. K., Davies, S. W., Smith, G. E., Mullen, SP., & Buston, P. M. De novo transcriptome assembly of the clown anemonefish (Amphiprion percula): A new resource to study the evolution of fish color. Frontiers in Marine Science, 5, 284.

2018    Hill, RI, Ganeshan, W, Wourms, L, Kronforst, MR, Mullen SP, Savage WK. Effectiveness of DNA barcoding in Speyeria butterflies at small geographic scales. Diversity 10(4):10pages.

2018    Schilling, MP, Mullen SP, Kronforst MR, Safran RJ, Nosil P, Feder JL, Gompert Z, & Flaxman, SM.  Transitions from single- to multi-locus processes during speciation. Genes, Invited submission.  Genes 9(6):26

2018    Kristiansen EB, Finkbeiner SD, Hill RI, Prusa L, and Mullen SP. Testing the adaptive hypothesis of Batesian mimicry among hybridizing butterfly lineages. Evolution 72(7):1436-1448..

 2018    Finkbeiner, SD, Salazar PA, Nogales S, Rush CE, Briscoe AD, Hill RI, Kronforst MR,     Willmott KR, and Mullen SP. Frequency-dependence shapes the adaptive landscape of imperfect Batesian mimicry. Proc. Roy. Soc. B. 285(1876). pii: 20172786. doi:             10.1098/rspb.2017.2786.

2017    Finkbeiner SD, Briscoe AD, & Mullen SP. Complex dynamics underlie the evolution of imperfect wing pattern convergence in butterflies. Evolution 71(4):949-959. Doi:10.1111/evo.13165.

2017    Tibbets, E.A., Mullen, S.P., & Dale, J. Signal function drives phenotypic and genetic diversity: the effects of signaling individual identity, quality, or behavioral strategy. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. B. Biol., 372 (1724), 20160347.

2015    Ebel, E. R.*, Hill, R., Willmott, K.W., Sorenson, M., & Mullen, S. P. Rapid diversification associated with ecological specialization in Neotropical Adelpha butterflies. Molecular Ecology 24:2392-2405 DOI: 10.1111/mec.13168(*Denotes graduate student in Mullen Lab)

2015    Frentiu, F.D., Yuan, F., Savage, W.K., Bernard, G.D., Mullen, S.P., & Briscoe, A.D. Opsin clines in butterflies suggest novel roles for insect photopigments.  Mol. Biol. Evol. 32(2):369-379.

2014    Gallant, J. R**. Imhoff, V. E., Martin, A. R., Savage, W.K., Chamberlain, N., Pote, B*., Peterson, C.P.*, Smith, G.E.*, Evans, B. R., Reed, R. D., Kronforst, M. R. & Mullen, S.P.  Ancient homology underlies adaptive mimetic diversity in butterflies. Nature Communications 5. doi:10.1038/ncomms5817. (Corresponding author) (**Denotes postdoc,*undergraduate or graduate student in Mullen lab)

2014    Shaw, K.L. and Mullen, S.P. Speciation Continuum. (Invited editorial). J. of Hered. 105(S1):741-42.

2014    Kunte, K., Zhang, W., Tenger-Trolander,A., Palmer, D.H., Martin, A., Reed, R.D., Mullen, S.P., Kronforst, M.K. doublesex is a mimicry supergene. Nature 507(7491):229-32.

2014    Mullen, S.P. & Shaw, K. L. Recent progress connecting pattern to process in insect speciation. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 59:339-61. (Corresponding author)

2014    Iyengar, V. K., Castle, T. & Mullen, S. P. Signal divergence among Calopteryx damselflies correlated with increased male-male aggression. Behav. Ecol.  Sociobiol. 68:275-282. (Corresponding author).

2013    Mullen, S.P. Hybrid zones.  Oxford Bibliographies in Evolutionary Biology. Oxford University Press. http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199941728/obo-9780199941728-0040.xml.

2013    Kronforst, M.K., Kapan, D.D., Hansen, M., Crawford, N., Kulathinal, R. & Mullen, S.P. Hybridization reveals the genomic architecture of speciation. Cell reports 5(3):667-677).(Corresponding author)

2013    The FroSpects Gregynog Workshop (incl. Mullen S.P.). Hybridization and speciation. Targeted Review. J. Evol. Biol. 26(2):229-246.

 2012    The Heliconius Genome Consortium. Butterfly genome reveals promiscuous exchange of mimicry adaptations among species.  Nature 487(7):94-98. (Co-principal investigator)

2012    Kronforst, M. R., Barsh, G. S., Kopp, A., Mallet, J., Monteiro, A., Mullen, S.P., Protas, M., Rosenblum, E. B., Schneider, C. J., & Hoesktra, H.E. Unraveling the thread of nature’s tapestry: the genetics of diversity and convergence in animal pigmentation. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 25(4):411-433.

2012    Mullen, S.P., K. Little, K., Draud, M, Brozek J., & Itzkowitz, M. Hybridization among Caribbean damselfish species correlates with habitat degradation. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 416-17:221-229. (Corresponding author).

2011    Shaw, K.L*. & Mullen, S.P*. Genes versus phenotypes in the study of speciation. Genetica 139(5): 649-661. (*Authors contributed equally).

2011    Mullen, S.P., Savage, W.K., Wahlberg, N. & Willmott, K.R. Rapid diversification and not clade age explains high diversity in neotropical Adelpha butterflies. Proc. Roy. Soc. B. 278(1713):1777-1785. (Corresponding author).

2010    Pfennig, D.W. & Mullen, S.P. Mimics without models: causes and consequences of allopatry in Batesian mimicry. Proc. R. Soc. B.  277:2577-85.

2009    Gommans, W.M., Mullen, S.P., & Maas, S. RNA editing: a driving force for adaptive evolution? Bioessays 31(10): 1137-1145.

2009    Savage, W.K. & Mullen, S.P. A single origin of Batesian mimicry among hybridizing populations of admiral butterflies (Limenitis arthemis) rejects an evolutionary reversion to the ancestral phenotype. Proc. Roy. Soc. B.276 (1677):2557-2565. (Corresponding author).

2008    Ries, L*. & Mullen, S.P*. A rare model limits the distribution of its more common mimic:  a twist on frequency-dependent Batesian mimicry. Evolution 62:1798-1803.  (*Authors contributed equally).

 2008    Mullen, S.P., Dopman, E.B. & Harrison, R.G. Hybrid zone origins, species boundaries, and the evolution of wing pattern diversity in a polytypic species complex of North American admiral butterflies (Nymphalidae: Limenitis). Evolution 62:1400-1417. (Corresponding author)

2008    Mullen, S.P., Millar, J.C., Schal, C., & Shaw, K.L. Identification and characterization of cuticular hydrocarbons from a rapid species radiation of Hawaiian Swordtailed Crickets (Gryllidae: Trigonidinnae: Laupala). J. Chem. Ecol. 34:198-204. (Corresponding author).

2007    Danley, P.D., Mullen, S.P., Lui, Quakenbush, J., & Shaw, K.L. Generation and analysis of large scale cricket expressed sequence tags (EST’s) derived from a normalized, nerve chord cDNA library. BMC Genomics 8:109.

2007    Mullen, S.P. & Andrés, J. A. Rapid evolution of sexual signals in sympatric Calopteryx damselfies: reinforcement or “Noisy-neighbor” ecological character displacement. J. Evol. Biol.  20:1637-1648. (Corresponding author).

2007    Mullen, S.P., Mendelson, T.C., Schal, C., & Shaw, K. L. 2007. Rapid evolution of cuticular hydrocarbons in a species radiation of acoustically diverse Hawaiian crickets (Gryllidae: Trigonidiinae: Laupala). Evolution 61(1):223-231. (Corresponding author).

 2007    Reudink, M.W., Mech, S.G., Mullen, S.P., & Curry, R.L. Structure and dynamics of a chickadee hybrid zone. The Auk 124.463-478.

2006    Mullen, S.P. Wing pattern evolution and the origins of mimicry among North American admiral butterflies (Nymphalidae: Limenitis). Mol. Phy. Evol.. 39 (3):747-758.

2006    Lovejoy, N*., Mullen, S.P*., Sword, G.A., Chapman, R.F., & Harrison, R.G. Ancient trans-Atlantic flight explains locust biogeography. Proc. Roy. Soc. B. 273:767-774. (*Authors contributed equally).

2003    McIntyre, P.B., Dopman, E.B. & Mullen, S.P. Elaphe obsoleta. Predation. Herpetological Review 34: 66.