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Hegyi G, Laczi M, Szabó G, Sarkadi F, Török J. Plumage color degradation indicates reproductive effort: an experiment. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18770. [PMID: 37907494 PMCID: PMC10618437 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45348-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Plumage color has traditionally been regarded as a static ornamental trait, but evidence is accumulating for significant color changes without molt that typically reduce the conspicuousness of ornamentation. In some species, the social partner seems to increase its reproductive investment if the color trait is experimentally enhanced, suggesting that color change could act as a signal. However, the information content of this signal is so far unclear. For example, birds in poor condition or making greater effort may deteriorate more severely. We used brood size manipulations to alter the reproductive effort of male and female collared flycatchers Ficedula albicollis. Both sexes showed less severe decline in some reflectance attribute of their white breast when their brood was experimentally reduced. In each sex, greater deterioration of the reflectance trait affected by the manipulation was accompanied by increased feeding rate by the partner. These feeding patterns do not prove, but are consistent with, a compensatory response by the partner to induced degradation. The manipulation effects on color change we detected confirm for the first time that plumage color deterioration can indicate current reproductive effort, thereby providing a potential fitness advantage to social partners that react to such deterioration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Hegyi
- Behavioral Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary.
- HUN-REN-ELTE-MTM Integrative Ecology Research Group, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Miklós Laczi
- Behavioral Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-ELTE-MTM Integrative Ecology Research Group, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary
- Barn Owl Foundation, Temesvári út 8, 8744, Orosztony, Hungary
| | - Gyula Szabó
- Behavioral Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Fanni Sarkadi
- Behavioral Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary
| | - János Török
- Behavioral Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-ELTE-MTM Integrative Ecology Research Group, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary
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2
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Mizuno A, Soma M. Star finches Neochmia ruficauda have a visual preference for white dot patterns: a possible case of trypophilia. Anim Cogn 2022; 25:1271-1279. [PMID: 35294684 PMCID: PMC9617841 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-022-01609-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Many animals have polka dot patterns on their body surface, some of which are known to have signalling functions; however, their evolutionary origins remain unclear. Dot patterns can trigger a fear response (trypophobia) in humans and are known to function as aposematic signals in non-human animals, suggesting that dots may deserve attention for biological reasons. Interestingly in many birds, plumage dot patterns serve for social/sexual signalling. To understand their evolution, we have focused on the sensory bias hypothesis, which predicts the role of pre-existing sensory preference driven by natural selection in shaping signal design. Our previous phylogenetic comparative study supported the hypothesis and showed that diet-driven visual preference promoted the evolution of plumage patterns, as there was an evolutionary correlation between termite-eating (white roundish gregarious prey) and the presence of plumage dot patterns in species of the family Estrildidae. This suggests that these species possess an intrinsic preference for dots. To test this, we compared the responses of an Estrildid species with dot plumage pattern (star finch Neochmia ruficauda) towards simultaneously presented monochrome-printed white dot vs white stripe patterns under both food-deprived and -supplied conditions. Overall, star finches preferred dots to stripes. They showed foraging-like behaviours almost only toward dots when hungry and gazed at dots frequently even when food was available, suggesting both hunger-related and hunger-neutral dot preferences. These results are rather surprising, given how strongly the subjects were attracted to abstract dot patterns without organic structure, but provided good support for the sensory bias hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayumi Mizuno
- Biosystems Science Course, The Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Masayo Soma
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0810, Japan.
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3
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Mikula P, Toszogyova A, Albrecht T. A global analysis of aerial displays in passerines revealed an effect of habitat, mating system and migratory traits. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220370. [PMID: 35440206 PMCID: PMC9019522 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aerial displaying is a flamboyant part of the sexual behaviour of several volant animal groups, including birds. Nevertheless, little attention has been focused on identifying correlates of large-scale diversity in this trait. In this study, we scored the presence and absence of aerial displays in males of 1732 species of passerine birds (Passeriformes) and employed Bayesian phylogenetically informed mixed models to test for associations between aerial displays and a set of life-history and environmental predictors. Our multi-variate models revealed that species with males that perform aerial displays inhabited open rather than closed (forested) habitats. These species also exhibited higher levels of polygyny, had more elongated wings, migrated over longer distances and bred at higher latitudes. When we included species where the sexual function of displays has not been explicitly described but is likely to occur, we found that aerial displaying was also associated with smaller body size and increased male plumage coloration. Our results suggest that both sexual selection and natural selection have been important sources of selection on aerial displays in passerines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Mikula
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, Brno 603 65, Czech Republic.,Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 12844, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Toszogyova
- Centre for Theoretical Study, Charles University and the Czech Academy of Sciences, Jilská 1, 110 00 Prague 1, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Albrecht
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, Brno 603 65, Czech Republic.,Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 12844, Czech Republic
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4
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Khatiwada S, Burmeister SS. Quantity discrimination in a spontaneous task in a poison frog. Anim Cogn 2021; 25:27-32. [PMID: 34322772 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01528-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The use of quantitative information underlies a range of animal behaviors. There are thought to be two parallel systems for judging quantity: a precise representation of small numbers of objects, typically less than 4, that can be tracked visually (object tracking system) and an imprecise system for larger quantities (approximate number system) governed by Weber's law. Using a spontaneous discrimination task with live prey, we examined the ability of the poison frog Dendrobates auratus to discriminate quantities of low (1-4) or high (4-16) numerosity over a range of ratio contrasts (0.33, 0.5, 0.67, 0.75). Similar to a previous study in treefrogs, we found that the poison frogs chose the larger quantity of flies when choosing between 1 and 3 and between 1 and 2. However, their performance was near chance when choosing between 2 and 3 and below chance when choosing between 3 and 4. When the numerosity of flies was higher, they did not discriminate between the larger and smaller quantity. Our findings are consistent with the ability of poison frogs to discriminate small quantities of objects using an object tracking system, but could also reflect a singular vs. plural discrimination. We did not find evidence of an approximate number system governed by Weber's law, nor evidence of a speed-accuracy tradeoff. However, total set size was associated with lower accuracy and longer latencies to choose. Future studies should explore quantity discrimination in additional contexts to better understand the limits of these abilities in poison frogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Khatiwada
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 27599, USA
| | - Sabrina S Burmeister
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 27599, USA.
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5
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Nie C, Qu L, Li X, Jiang Z, Wang K, Li H, Wang H, Qu C, Qu L, Ning Z. Genomic Regions Related to White/Black Tail Feather Color in Dwarf Chickens Identified Using a Genome-Wide Association Study. Front Genet 2021; 12:566047. [PMID: 33995468 PMCID: PMC8120320 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.566047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the genetic foundation of chicken body feather color has been extensively explored, that of tail feather color remains poorly understood. In the present study, we used a synthetic chicken dwarf line (DW), derived from hybrids bred between a black tail chicken breed, Rhode Island Red (RIR), and a white tail breed, dwarf layer (DL), to investigate the genetic rules associated white/black tail color. Even though the body feathers are predominantly red, the DW line still comprises individuals with black or white tails after more than 10 generations of self-crossing and selection for the body feather color. We first performed four crosses using the DW chickens, including black-tailed males to females, reciprocal crosses between the black and white, and white males to females to elucidate the inheritance pattern of the white/black tail. We also performed a genome-wide association (GWA) analysis to determine the candidate genomic regions underlying the tail feather color using black tail chickens from the RIR and DW lines and white individuals from the DW line. In the crossing experiment, we found that (i) the white/black tail feather color is independent of body feather color; (ii) the phenotype is a simple autosomal trait; and (iii) the white is dominant to the black in the DW line. The GWA results showed that seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosome 24 were significantly correlated with tail feather color. The significant region (3.97-4.26 Mb) comprises nine known genes (NECTIN1, THY1, gga-mir-1466, USP2, C1QTNF5, RNF26, MCAM, CBL, and CCDC153) and five anonymous genes. This study revealed that the white/black tail feather trait is autosome-linked in DW chickens. Fourteen genes were found in the significant ~0.29 Mb genomic region, and some, especially MCAM, are suggested to play critical roles in the determination of white/black tail feather color. Our research is the first study on the genetics underlying tail feather color and could help further the understanding of feather pigmentation in chickens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changsheng Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Liang Qu
- Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xinghua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihua Jiang
- Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Kehua Wang
- Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yangzhou, China
| | - Haiying Li
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Huie Wang
- College of Animal Science, Tarim University, Xinjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Xinjiang, China
| | - Changqing Qu
- Engineering Technology Research Center of Anti-aging Chinese Herbal Medicine of Anhui Province, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang, China
| | - Lujiang Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhonghua Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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Krishnan A, Singh A, Tamma K. Visual signal evolution along complementary color axes in four bird lineages. Biol Open 2020; 9:bio052316. [PMID: 32878876 PMCID: PMC7520455 DOI: 10.1242/bio.052316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Avian color patterns function in varied behavioral contexts, most being produced by only a handful of mechanisms including feather nanostructures and pigments. Within a clade, colors may not occupy the entire available space, and incorporating complementary colors may increase the contrast and efficacy of visual signals. Here, we describe plumage patterns in four ecologically and phylogenetically diverse bird families to test whether they possess complementary colors. We present evidence that plumage colors in each clade cluster along a line in tetrachromatic color space. Additionally, we present evidence that in three of these clades, this line contains colors on opposite sides of a line passing through the achromatic point (putatively complementary colors, presenting higher chromatic contrast). Finally, interspecific color variation over at least some regions of the body is not constrained by phylogenetic relatedness. By describing plumage patterns in four diverse lineages, we add to the growing body of literature suggesting that the diversity of bird visual signals is constrained. Further, we tentatively hypothesize that in at least some clades possessing bright colors, species-specific plumage patterns may evolve by swapping the distributions of a complementary color pair. Further research on other bird clades may help confirm whether these patterns are general across bird families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand Krishnan
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pashan Road, Pune 411008, India
| | | | - Krishnapriya Tamma
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, India
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7
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Mizuno A, Soma M. Potential role of sensory bias in plumage pattern evolution: termite-eating and polka-dots in estrildid finches. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2020.1803414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ayumi Mizuno
- Biosystems Science Course, The Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810, Japan
| | - Masayo Soma
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810, Japan
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8
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Badás EP, Autor A, Martínez J, Rivero-de Aguilar J, Merino S. Individual Quality and Extra-Pair Paternity in the Blue Tit: Sexy Males Bear the Costs. Evolution 2020; 74:559-572. [PMID: 31944288 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Adaptive explanations for the evolution of extra-pair paternity (EPP) suggest that females seek extra-pair copulations with high quality males. Still, the link between ornamentation, individual quality, and paternity remains unclear. Moreover, honest signaling is essential when explaining EPP because it is needed for sexual selection to occur; yet, it is understudied in multiple ornaments. Because blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) show variable color expression in several plumage patches, we tested: (i) over two seasons, whether males in better condition, more ornamented and less infected by blood parasites gain EPP and have higher reproductive success, and (ii) over three seasons, whether mating patterns affect color change. Males with more saturated yellow feathers, brighter tails, and in better condition had higher reproductive success in one of the seasons. Contrary to expectation, in another season, males that gained EPP were parasitized by blood parasites, suggesting increased vector exposure during extra-pair copulations. Our results for two seasons show that males siring more extra-pair young were older and grew brighter cheek or tail feathers for the following season. Despite the increased mating costs, in socially monogamous avian systems, high quality males incur in EPP without compromising traits that may be under sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa P Badás
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, CSIC, Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.,School of Biology, The Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, Leeds, UK
| | - Amaia Autor
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, CSIC, Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Martínez
- Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology (Area of Parasitology), University of Alcalá de Henares, Autovia A2, 28805, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Rivero-de Aguilar
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Department of Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Santiago, Chile
| | - Santiago Merino
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, CSIC, Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
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9
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Robinson CM, Creanza N. Species-level repertoire size predicts a correlation between individual song elaboration and reproductive success. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:8362-8377. [PMID: 31380095 PMCID: PMC6662282 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Birdsong has long been considered a sexually selected trait that relays honest information about male quality, and laboratory studies generally suggest that female songbirds prefer larger repertoires. However, analysis of field studies across species surprisingly revealed a weak correlation between song elaboration and reproductive success, and it remains unknown why only certain species show this correlation in nature. Taken together, these studies suggest that females in numerous species can detect and prefer larger repertoires in a laboratory setting, but larger individual repertoires correlate with reproductive success only in a subset of these species. This prompts the question: Do the species that show a stronger correlation between reproductive success and larger individual repertoires in nature have anything in common? In this study, we test whether between-species differences in two song-related variables-species average syllable repertoire size and adult song stability over time-can be used to predict the importance of individual song elaboration in reproductive success within a species. Our cross-species meta-analysis of field studies revealed that species with larger average syllable repertoire sizes exhibited a stronger correlation between individual elaboration and reproductive success than species with smaller syllable repertoires. Song stability versus plasticity in adulthood provided little predictive power on its own, suggesting that the putative correlation between repertoire size and age in open-ended learners does not explain the association between song elaboration and reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicole Creanza
- Department of Biological SciencesVanderbilt UniversityNashvilleTennessee
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10
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Hegyi G, Jenni-Eiermann S, Boross N, Garamszegi LZ, Laczi M, Kötél D, Krenhardt K, Jablonszky M, Markó G, Nagy G, Rosivall B, Szász E, Török J. Ornaments and condition: plumage patch sizes, nutritional reserve state, reserve accumulation, and reserve depletion. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2701-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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11
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Morales J, Cuervo JJ, Moreno J, Soler JJ. Juvenile plumage whiteness is associated with the evolution of clutch size in passerines. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The offspring of many animals are conspicuous during parental dependence, despite juveniles generally suffering from high predation risk. However, to date, it is unclear whether offspring structural ornaments play a role in intrafamily communication. This is the case of conspicuous plumage in young birds, which is worn unchanged during a long period after fledging, when they still depend on their parents. If plumage color facilitates intrafamily interactions, its role should be more important in large-brooded species, where the strength of intrafamily conflict is potentially stronger. We therefore performed a comparative study in 210 passerine bird species to test whether an offspring structural trait, white plumage, evolves more frequently in lineages with larger clutches. We also explored the number of broods raised per year as another source of intrafamily conflict. First, we found that juvenile whiteness was more frequent in open-nesting species. Moreover, in agreement with our prediction, the presence of juvenile white tail/wing patches was strongly and positively associated with clutch size. This relationship was not due to the strong resemblance between offspring and adult plumage, which was controlled for in the statistical analyses. Moreover, the association remained significant after taking into account predation risk, for which there was information for a subset of species. In contrast, juvenile whiteness was not associated with the number of broods raised per year. These results may suggest that the evolution of juvenile conspicuousness is favored in species with potentially stronger intrabrood sibling conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Morales
- National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Javier Cuervo
- National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Moreno
- National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan José Soler
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Ctra. de Sacramento s/n, La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, Spain
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13
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Simpson RK, McGraw KJ. Two ways to display: male hummingbirds show different color-display tactics based on sun orientation. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Richard K Simpson
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, E. Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Kevin J McGraw
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, E. Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, USA
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14
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Møller AP. Experimental manipulation of size and shape of tail spots and sexual selection in barn swallows. Curr Zool 2018; 63:569-572. [PMID: 29492016 PMCID: PMC5804199 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zow098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2016] [Accepted: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Barn swallows Hirundo rustica have white spots on their tail feathers, and they have been hypothesized to be a handicap because white spots are prone to feather breakage, ectoparasites are disproportionately common in white spots, and size of white spots increases with tail length. Here I test for attractiveness of narrow and long tail spots by manipulation of their shape while using complete painting of spots and an absence of treatment as a control. Female barn swallows are known to differentially invest in reproduction when mated to attractive males. Spot manipulation took place during laying of the first clutch, and there were no effects of treatment on clutch size or brood size of first or second broods. In contrast, the incidence of second clutches and the total number of eggs and fledglings produced during the breeding season was larger in males with painting of the side of tail spots rather than painting of the tip of spots, painting of entire spots, or no treatment. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that it is the shape rather than the size of tail spots that affects differential reproductive effort by female barn swallows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders P Møller
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay F-91400, France
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15
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Badás EP, Martínez J, Rivero-de Aguilar J, Ponce C, Stevens M, Merino S. Colour change in a structural ornament is related to individual quality, parasites and mating patterns in the blue tit. Naturwissenschaften 2018; 105:17. [PMID: 29404701 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-018-1539-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Revised: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Carry-over effects refer to processes that occur in one season and influence fitness in the following. In birds, two costly activities, namely reproduction and moult, are restricted to a small time window, and sometimes overlap. Thus, colour in newly moulted feathers is likely to be affected by the costs of reproduction. Using models of bird vision we investigated male colour change in a free-living population of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) in three sampling occasions: spring 1, winter and spring 2. We related crown, tail, breast and cheek feather colouration after the moult (winter) to the intensity of infections by blood parasites during reproduction (spring 1). In the following spring (spring 2), we explored mating patterns with respect to changes in feather colour (springs 1 vs. 2). Males that were less intensely infected by the malaria parasite Plasmodium while breeding showed purer white cheek feathers in winter, which may indicate higher feather quality. Increased brightness in the white cheek was associated with better body condition during reproduction. In the following season, males with brighter cheeks paired with females that had noticeably brighter cheek patches compared to the male's previous mate. These results suggest that the conditions experienced during reproduction are likely to affect moult and thus feather colouration, at least in the white patch. High quality individuals may allocate resources efficiently during reproduction increasing future reproductive success through variation in mating patterns. Carry-over effects from reproduction might extend not only to the non-breeding phase, but also to the following breeding season.
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Affiliation(s)
- E P Badás
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | - J Martínez
- Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Alcalá de Henares, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km 33600, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - J Rivero-de Aguilar
- Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Alcalá de Henares, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km 33600, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - C Ponce
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Stevens
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - S Merino
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
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16
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Shi R, Chen K, Li S. A novel gene organization of the rock sparrow Petronia petronia (Aves: Passeriformes) revealed by complete mitochondrial genome. MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B-RESOURCES 2017; 2:858-859. [PMID: 33474011 PMCID: PMC7800464 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2017.1407709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The whole sequence of the Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia) mitochondrial genome was determined using La-PCR and conserved primer walking approaches. The entire mitogenome was 17,426 bp in length and harboured 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 23 tRNA genes, and 1 noncoding control region. The mitogenome of this species resembled other avian species in gene arrangement and composition, except that tRNA-Glu had two copies and the control region contained two parts. One part of the control region is between tRNA-Glu and tRNA-Phe and a second between the two tRNA-Glu copies. The overall nucleotide composition are A (30.7%), T (23.8%), G (14.4%), and C (31.1%) with 54.5% A + T content. These mitochondrial data are potentially important for the study of molecular evolution and conservation genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruirui Shi
- Institute of Biomedicine, College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Kai Chen
- Institute of Biomedicine, College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Shaobin Li
- Institute of Biomedicine, College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China.,Ecological Security and Protection Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Mianyang Normal University, Mianyang, China
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17
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Cline MH, Hatt JL, Conroy MJ, Cooper RJ. Experimental evidence for a phenotypic trait as an age-dependent intrasexual social signal between familiar individuals. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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18
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Cornuau JH, Schmeller DS, Pigeault R, Sibeaux A, Tourat A, Loyau A. Information-content of morphological and behavioural sexual traits in the Palmate newt (Lissotriton helveticus). Behav Processes 2014; 108:36-42. [PMID: 25241307 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2014.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2013] [Revised: 06/29/2014] [Accepted: 09/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The question of why females evaluate more than one sexual trait to choose their mates has received increasing attention in recent years. Here, we investigated the information-content of both morphological and behavioural sexual traits that have been identified as predictors of male reproductive success in the palmate newt, Lissotriton helveticus. We examined the co-variation of multiple traits with one aspect of male quality, the male body condition, using both a correlative study and an experimental diet restriction. We found that the development of the three morphological sexual traits (filament length, hind-foot-web size, and crest size) was positively inter-correlated, and was correlated to body condition. In contrast, courtship activity, an important indicator for male reproductive success, was uncorrelated to male body condition. Our results suggest that females likely obtain redundant information on male condition when evaluating filament length, hind-foot-web size and crest size during mate choice. Contrary to our expectations, display activity was not a reliable indicator of male condition, leaving the information-content of this trait unraveled. Our results further suggest that complex, multiple traits may evolve because redundant message, unreliable signals and, possibly, multiple messages can coexist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérémie H Cornuau
- Station d'Ecologie Expérimentale du CNRS à Moulis, 2-4 Route du CNRS, Moulis Village, 09200 Saint Girons, France; TerrOïko, 2 rue Clémence Isaure, 31250 Revel, France.
| | - Dirk S Schmeller
- Department of Conservation Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; Université de Toulouse; UPS, INPT; EcoLab (Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement), 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France; CNRS, EcoLab, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Romain Pigeault
- Station d'Ecologie Expérimentale du CNRS à Moulis, 2-4 Route du CNRS, Moulis Village, 09200 Saint Girons, France; IRD 224-UM1-UM2, Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC), 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Adelaïde Sibeaux
- Station d'Ecologie Expérimentale du CNRS à Moulis, 2-4 Route du CNRS, Moulis Village, 09200 Saint Girons, France
| | - Audrey Tourat
- Station d'Ecologie Expérimentale du CNRS à Moulis, 2-4 Route du CNRS, Moulis Village, 09200 Saint Girons, France
| | - Adeline Loyau
- Department of Conservation Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; Université de Toulouse; UPS, INPT; EcoLab (Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement), 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France; CNRS, EcoLab, 31062 Toulouse, France
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19
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Evans SR, Sheldon BC. Colour in a new light: a spectral perspective on the quantitative genetics of carotenoid colouration. Funct Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon R. Evans
- Edward Grey Institute Department of Zoology University of Oxford South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
- Department of Animal Ecology Evolutionary Biology Centre Uppsala University Norbyvägen 18 D 752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Ben C. Sheldon
- Edward Grey Institute Department of Zoology University of Oxford South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
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20
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Krištofík J, Darolová A, Majtan J, Okuliarová M, Zeman M, Hoi H. Do females invest more into eggs when males sing more attractively? Postmating sexual selection strategies in a monogamous reed passerine. Ecol Evol 2014; 4:1328-39. [PMID: 24834329 PMCID: PMC4020692 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2013] [Revised: 02/18/2014] [Accepted: 02/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal investment can play an important role for offspring fitness, especially in birds, as females have to provide their eggs with all the necessary nutrients for the development of the embryo. It is known that this type of maternal investment can be influenced by the quality of the male partner. In this study, we first verify that male song is important in the mate choice of female Eurasian reed warblers, as males mate faster when their singing is more complex. Furthermore, female egg investment varies in relation to male song characteristics. Interestingly, clutch size, egg weight, or size, which can be considered as an high-cost investment, is not influenced by male song characteristics, whereas comparably low-cost investment types like investment into diverse egg components are adjusted to male song characteristics. In line with this, our results suggest that female allocation rules depend on investment type as well as song characteristics. For example, egg white lysozyme is positively correlated with male song complexity. In contrast, a negative correlation exists between-song speed and syllable repetitiveness and egg yolk weight as well as egg yolk testosterone concentration. Thus, our results suggest that female egg investment is related to male song performance in several aspects, but female investment patterns regarding various egg compounds are not simply correlated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ján Krištofík
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of SciencesDúbravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 84506, Slovakia
| | - Alžbeta Darolová
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of SciencesDúbravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 84506, Slovakia
| | - Juraj Majtan
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of SciencesDúbravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 84506, Slovakia
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical UniversityLimbová 12, 833 03, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Monika Okuliarová
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius UniversityMlynská dolina, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Michal Zeman
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius UniversityMlynská dolina, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Herbert Hoi
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine ViennaSavoyenstr. 1a, Vienna, A – 1160, Austria
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21
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Dias RI, Oliveira RF, Podos J, Macedo RH. The importance of novelty: male-female interactions among blue-black grassquits in captivity. Behav Processes 2014; 103:211-7. [PMID: 24406508 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2013.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2013] [Revised: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 12/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mate choice is a primary mechanism driving the evolution of sexually selected traits such as elaborate displays and ornaments. In a majority of taxa studied to date, females are seen to actively sample and evaluate multiple males, presumably to optimize mating opportunities. During this process females may encounter males both familiar and novel, a distinction that might influence how mate choice proceeds. Using a socially monogamous passerine, the blue-black grassquit (Volatinia jacarina), we studied how females respond to novel versus familiar ("paired") males, and how encounters with novel males influence subsequent interactions with their paired males. Additionally, we measured the hormonal response of males after visualizing their paired females interacting with novel males. We found that females were attentive to novel males irrespective of these males' phenotypic attributes, suggesting that in these interactions novelty is highly relevant. After exposure to novel males, females tended to respond aggressively towards their paired males; by contrast, the behaviour of males towards their paired females did not change. Moreover, we did not detect any hormonal responses of males to viewing their paired females interacting with novel males. Together these results suggest that the distinction between familiarity and novelty may hold special relevance for females in mate choice, a finding that bears upon our understanding of the evolution of extra-pair paternity and reproductive behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael I Dias
- PPG em Biologia Animal, Departamento de Zoologia - IB, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF 70910-900, Brazil.
| | - Rui F Oliveira
- Unidade de Investigação em Eco-Etologia, Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada, Portugal; Champalimaud Neuroscience Program, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras 2780-156, Portugal
| | - Jeffrey Podos
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Regina H Macedo
- Departamento de Zoologia - IB, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF 70910-900, Brazil
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22
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Seddon N, Botero CA, Tobias JA, Dunn PO, Macgregor HEA, Rubenstein DR, Uy JAC, Weir JT, Whittingham LA, Safran RJ. Sexual selection accelerates signal evolution during speciation in birds. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20131065. [PMID: 23864596 PMCID: PMC3730587 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.1065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection is proposed to be an important driver of diversification in animal systems, yet previous tests of this hypothesis have produced mixed results and the mechanisms involved remain unclear. Here, we use a novel phylogenetic approach to assess the influence of sexual selection on patterns of evolutionary change during 84 recent speciation events across 23 passerine bird families. We show that elevated levels of sexual selection are associated with more rapid phenotypic divergence between related lineages, and that this effect is restricted to male plumage traits proposed to function in mate choice and species recognition. Conversely, we found no evidence that sexual selection promoted divergence in female plumage traits, or in male traits related to foraging and locomotion. These results provide strong evidence that female choice and male-male competition are dominant mechanisms driving divergence during speciation in birds, potentially linking sexual selection to the accelerated evolution of pre-mating reproductive isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Seddon
- Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, , South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.
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23
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Järvistö PE, Laaksonen T, Calhim S. Forehead Patch Size Predicts the Outcome of Male-Male Competition in the Pied Flycatcher. Ethology 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Toni Laaksonen
- Department of Biology; University of Turku; Turku; Finland
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24
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Zanollo V, Griggio M, Robertson J, Kleindorfer S. Males with a Faster Courtship Display have More White Spots and Higher Pairing Success in the Diamond Firetail,Stagonopleura guttata. Ethology 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Zanollo
- School of Biological Sciences; Flinders University of South Australia; Adelaide; SA; Australia
| | - Matteo Griggio
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology; Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution; University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna; Vienna; Austria
| | - Jeremy Robertson
- School of Biological Sciences; Flinders University of South Australia; Adelaide; SA; Australia
| | - Sonia Kleindorfer
- School of Biological Sciences; Flinders University of South Australia; Adelaide; SA; Australia
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25
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Moreno-Rueda G, Hoi H. Female house sparrows prefer big males with a large white wing bar and fewer feather holes caused by chewing lice. Behav Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arr182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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26
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Crowhurst CJ, Zanollo V, Griggio M, Robertson J, Kleindorfer S. White Flank Spots Signal Feeding Dominance in Female Diamond Firetails, Stagonopleura guttata. Ethology 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2011.01986.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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27
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Muck C, Goymann W. Throat patch size and darkness covaries with testosterone in females of a sex-role reversed species. Behav Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arr133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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