Sequence variation in melanocortin-1-receptor and tyrosinase-related protein 1 genes and their relationship with melanin-based plumage trait expression in Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) males

Corti, Margherita; Podofillini, Stefano; Griggio, Matteo; Gianfranceschi, L.; Ducrest, Anne–Lyse; Roulin, Alexandre; Cecere, Jacopo G.; Saino, Nicola; Rubolini, Diego

doi:10.1007/s10336-018-1537-0

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 17 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…colour polymorphism) were not explained by the variation of the MC1R gene (e.g. Derelle et al 2013;Farrell et al 2015;Riyahi et al 2015;Corti et al 2018), suggesting that other mechanisms can also be important.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Sex-specific signalling of individual personality by a mutual plumage ornament in a passerine

Fülöp

Lukács

Fábián

et al. 2021

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The significance of colour signals in species with strong sexual dimorphism and/or elaborated visual ornaments is rather well-understood. Less attention has, however, been devoted to study colour signals in species with weak or no apparent sexual dimorphism. In such species, an interesting possibility arises as both sexes can bear the same colour ornament(s) (i.e. sexes are mutually ornamented), but their signalling value might differ in males and females. We aimed to explore this possibility by investigating the phenotypic correlates of the black bib, a melanin-based plumage ornament, in the Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus). More specifically, we studied the sex-dependent relationships between bib size and three aspects of individuals’ phenotype: body condition (i.e. size-corrected body mass), physiology (i.e. cellular innate immunity/inflammation status, expressed through total leucocyte counts, and chronic physiological stress, expressed through the ratio of heterophils to lymphocytes) and individual personality (i.e. activity in a novel environment). We found that bib size was not associated with body condition and cellular innate immunity/inflammation status, but was positively related to physiological stress levels independent of sex. Furthermore, bib size was negatively associated with activity in males but positively in females. Our findings bring important correlative evidence that mutual ornamental traits may have sex-specific signalling value. Significance statement The signalling role of elaborated colourful ornaments, that are usually possessed only by males in sexually dimorphic species, is well-established. The function of various colour traits which are borne by both sexes (i.e. mutual ornaments), however, is less obvious. Do they have a signalling value in both sexes? If yes, do they signal the same information in males and females? Or, most intriguingly, can they convey different information in the two sexes? To test these alternatives, we studied the signalling value of the black bib, a melanin-based mutual plumage ornament, in Eurasian tree sparrows (Passer montanus). Apart from being correlated with chronic stress in both sexes, bib size was positively related to activity in females but negatively in males. Our results suggest that the information content of the same colour trait in males and females can be different in mutually ornamented species.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%