Evolution of Yolk Androgens in Birds: Development, Coloniality, and Sexual Dichromatism

2007 ◽  
Vol 169 (6) ◽  
pp. 802-819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Gil ◽  
Clotilde Biard ◽  
André Lacroix ◽  
Claire N. Spottiswoode ◽  
Nicola Saino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dichromatism ◽  
Yolk Androgens

Evolution of Yolk Androgens in Birds: Development, Coloniality, and Sexual Dichromatism

2007 ◽  
Vol 169 (6) ◽  
pp. 802
Author(s):  
Gil ◽  
Clotilde Biard ◽  
André Lacroix ◽  
Spottiswoode ◽  
Saino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dichromatism ◽  
Yolk Androgens

Cryptic sexual dichromatism occurs across multiple types of plumage in the Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus

Ibis ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 149 (2) ◽  
pp. 264-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRISTOPHER HOFMANN ◽  
WEN-SUI LO ◽  
CHENG-TE YAO ◽  
SHOU-HSIEN LI
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dichromatism

Bluegill Coloration as a Sexual Ornament: Evidence From Ontogeny, Sexual Dichromatism, and Condition Dependence

Ethology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (5) ◽  
pp. 416-428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen M. Cogliati ◽  
Lynda D. Corkum ◽  
Stéphanie M. Doucet
Keyword(s):  
Condition Dependence ◽  
Sexual Dichromatism ◽  
Sexual Ornament

scholarly journals Maternal yolk androgens stimulate territorial behaviour in black-headed gull chicks

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 586-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendt Müller ◽  
Cor Dijkstra ◽  
Ton G. G. Groothuis
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Territorial Behaviour ◽  
Social Competition ◽  
Maternal Environment ◽  
Yolk Androgens ◽  
The Social ◽  
Food Conditions ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Colonial Breeding ◽  
Parasite Exposure

Avian eggs contain substantial amounts of maternal androgens. The concentrations of these yolk androgens are affected by the maternal environment, such as the level of social competition, parasite exposure or food conditions. Since yolk androgens have been shown to affect a wide array of offspring traits, they may adjust the chicks to the expected post-hatching environment, but experimental evidence is still scarce. We investigate in colonial breeding black-headed gulls whether high concentrations of yolk androgens, such as those found in environments with high numbers of social interactions, facilitate aggressiveness and territorial behaviour of the chicks. Black-headed gulls are highly suitable for this, as the semi-precocial chicks defend the natal territory and food against intruders. We manipulated yolk androgen concentrations and investigated their role in both within-nest and between-nest aggression. We found that chicks hatching from androgen-treated eggs defended the natal territory more often than their nest mates from control eggs, without increasing sibling aggression. This suggests that variation in yolk androgen concentrations in relation to the social environment of the mother may indeed allow adjustment of the offspring's behaviour to the expected frequency of territorial interactions with conspecifics post-hatching.

Sexual Dichromatism in Birds: Importance of Nest Predation and Nest Location for Females Versus Males

Evolution ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 2454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas E. Martin ◽  
Alexander V. Badyaev
Keyword(s):  
Nest Predation ◽  
Sexual Dichromatism ◽  
Nest Location

scholarly journals Multiple origins of sexual dichromatism and aposematism within large carpenter bees

Evolution ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (9) ◽  
pp. 1874-1889 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bonnie B. Blaimer ◽  
Jonathan R. Mawdsley ◽  
Seán G. Brady
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dichromatism ◽  
Multiple Origins ◽  
Carpenter Bees

Sexual Dichromatism

2017 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Thad Q. Bartlett ◽  
Lydia E. O. Light
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dichromatism

scholarly journals Plumage iridescence is associated with distinct feather microbiota in a tropical passerine

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronika Gvoždíková Javůrková ◽  
Erik D. Enbody ◽  
Jakub Kreisinger ◽  
Kryštof Chmel ◽  
Jakub Mrázek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Selection ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Plumage Coloration ◽  
Microbial Load ◽  
Sexual Dichromatism ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Fitness Consequences ◽  
Future Work

Abstract Birds present a stunning diversity of plumage colors that have long fascinated evolutionary ecologists. Although plumage coloration is often linked to sexual selection, it may impact a number of physiological processes, including microbial resistance. At present, the degree to which differences between pigment-based vs. structural plumage coloration may affect the feather microbiota remains unanswered. Using quantitative PCR and DGGE profiling, we investigated feather microbial load, diversity and community structure among two allopatric subspecies of White-shouldered Fairywren, Malurus alboscapulatus that vary in expression of melanin-based vs. structural plumage coloration. We found that microbial load tended to be lower and feather microbial diversity was significantly higher in the plumage of black iridescent males, compared to black matte females and brown individuals. Moreover, black iridescent males had distinct feather microbial communities compared to black matte females and brown individuals. We suggest that distinctive nanostructure properties of iridescent male feathers or different investment in preening influence feather microbiota community composition and load. This study is the first to point to structural plumage coloration as a factor that may significantly regulate feather microbiota. Future work might explore fitness consequences and the role of microorganisms in the evolution of avian sexual dichromatism, with particular reference to iridescence.

scholarly journals Sexual dichromatism of the Blue-throated Starfrontlet, Coeligena helianthea, hummingbird plumage

2019 ◽  
Vol 161 (1) ◽  
pp. 289-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Sosa ◽  
Juan L. Parra ◽  
Doekele G. Stavenga ◽  
Marco A. Giraldo
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Optical Properties ◽  
Spectral Data ◽  
Reflectance Spectra ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Sexual Dichromatism ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Optical Modelling ◽  
The Many

Abstract Among the many richly coloured birds, hummingbirds with their brilliant colouration are outstanding. We studied the plumage of male and female Blue-throated Starfrontlet, Coeligena helianthea, which exhibits a marked sexual dichromatism. The wide diversity of coloured feathers (blue, purple, golden, green, red) makes it an attractive species to investigate the structural basis of the colouration and to study the connection between the displayed colours and the perception by conspecifics. We analysed the optical properties of the feather barbules, applying spectrophotometry, scatterometry, and electron microscopy. Using the anatomical results, the spectral data can be interpreted by optical modelling. The reflectance spectra of the feathers of male C. helianthea strikingly overlap with the spectral sensitivities of bird photoreceptors, which suggests that the feather and photoreceptor spectra are tuned.

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