The Utility of Plumage Coloration for Taxonomic and Ecological Studies

Paxton, Eben H.

doi:10.2174/1874453200902010017

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 65 publications

(67 reference statements)

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“…While the pigments or structural characteristics contributing to willow flycatcher plumage coloration are unknown, green feathers are thought to be a combination of carotenoid and melanin‐based pigments. Carotenoid pigments, which would contribute the yellow coloration in flycatcher's feathers, can be strongly influenced by an individual's diet and condition (McGraw 2006), although all sources of plumage coloration are potentially subject to environmental influences (Paxton 2009). However, for the flycatchers in this study, yearly variation in plumage coloration appears to have contributed little to overall variation in plumage coloration.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geographic variation in the plumage coloration of willow flycatchers Empidonax traillii

Paxton

Sogge

Koronkiewicz³

et al. 2010

Journal of Avian Biology

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The ability to identify distinct taxonomic groups of birds (species, subspecies, geographic races) can advance ecological research efforts by determining connectivity between the non-breeding and breeding grounds for migrant species, identifying the origin of migrants, and helping to refine boundaries between subspecies or geographic races. Multiple methods are available to identify taxonomic groups (e.g., morphology, genetics), and one that has played an important role for avian taxonomists over the years is plumage coloration. With the advent of electronic devices that can quickly and accurately quantify plumage coloration, the potential of using coloration as an identifier for distinct taxonomic groups, even when differences are subtle, becomes possible. In this study, we evaluated the degree to which plumage coloration differs among the four subspecies of the willow flycatcher Empidonax traillii, evaluated sources of variation, and considered the utility of plumage coloration to assign subspecies membership for individuals of unknown origin. We used a colorimeter to measure plumage coloration of 374 adult willow flycatchers from 29 locations across their breeding range in 2004 and 2005. We found strong statistical differences among the mean plumage coloration values of the four subspecies; however, while individuals tended to group around their respective subspecies' mean color value, the dispersion of individuals around such means overlapped. Mean color values for each breeding site of the three western subspecies clustered together, but the eastern subspecies' color values were dispersed among the other subspecies, rather than distinctly clustered. Additionally, sites along boundaries showed evidence of intergradation and intermediate coloration patterns. We evaluated the predictive power of colorimeter measurements on flycatchers by constructing a canonical discriminant model to predict subspecies origin of migrants passing through the southwestern U.S. Considering only western subspecies, we found that individuals can be assigned with reasonable certainty. Applying the model to migrants sampled along the Colorado River in Mexico and the U.S. suggests different migration patterns for the three western subspecies. We believe that the use of plumage coloration, as measured by electronic devices, can provide a powerful tool to look at ecological questions in a wide range of avian species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geographic variation in the plumage coloration of willow flycatchers Empidonax traillii

Paxton

Sogge

Koronkiewicz³

et al. 2010

Journal of Avian Biology

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“…In summary, although symplesiomorphy is a hereditary explanation for downy colours and patterns, the traits relevant for habitat matching are combined in a manner which is determined (adaptation) by natural selection (Frost 1975;Paxton 2009;Peichel 2014). …”

Section: Habitat Matchingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two classes of melanin form the basis of the colours typically seen in birds namely eumelanins which is responsible for black and brown hues and phaeomelanins which is responsible for reddish-brown colours, but birds often possess a mixture of the two melanin types. These colours are not strongly influenced by environmental conditions but instead these pigments are produced in cells (Paxton 2009). It is predicted that the downy patterns of chicks have adapted to match habitat.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Plumage colouration and patterning can be used to infer evolutionary relationships (Vázquez and Gittleman 1998;Paxton 2009), and chick plumage patterns and colours have often been used to test phylogenetic relationships among bird taxa (Whetherbee 1957;Bertelli et al 2002). Chicks of related species generally appear particularly similar, which is ascribed to the lack of known selective pressures for rapid divergence in chick plumage patterns during speciation, and therefore lends itself to a phylogenetic analysis that reveals evolutionary relationships.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The phylogeny of francolins (Francolinus, Dendroperdix, Peliperdix and Scleroptila) and spurfowls (Pternistis) based on chick plumage (Galliformes: Phasianidae)

Niekerk

Mandiwana‐Neudani

2018

Avian Res

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Background: This paper describes the chick plumage of spurfowl (Pternistis) and francolin (Francolinus, Dendroperdix, Peliperdix and Scleroptila) chicks, tests its significance for phylogenetic relationships and also explores the patterns of character evolution in the francolin and spurfowl lineages. Previously regarded as monophyletic, the two evolutionarily distant clades are now divided into five genera. Questions considered were whether chick plumage supports the dichotomy between spurfowls and francolins and what role habitat matching plays. Methods:The study was based mainly on photographs of chick skins from the American Museum of Natural History and the Natural History Museum at Tring. Eight plumage characters were selected for comparative scoring, summarised in a matrix. These characters were subsequently analysed phylogenetically and their evolution was traced on the existing molecular phylogeny using a parsimony approach.Results: Based on chick plumage the phylogeny of species groups among francolins and spurfowls, was largely unresolved possibly ascribed to a high degree of symplesiomorphy inherent among the Phasianids. This possibly could have resulted in a high degree of polytomy particularly among the spurfowls and francolins. Furthermore, the ancestral state reconstructions revealed high prevalence of symplesiomorphic states and reversals which do not help in the classification of groups. Although the differences are described that separate some African francolins from spurfowls, other francolins (in Asia and Africa) share remarkably similar characteristics with spurfowls. Plain dark dorsal plumage is probably advantageous for avoiding detection by predators in forests, while facial stripes optimise the breaking of body shapes in dense grass cover (as in Scleroptila spp.) and semi-striped faces are advantageous for stationary camouflage under tree and bush cover (as in Pternistis spp.). Conclusions:Although symplesiomorphy is a hereditary explanation for downy colours and patterns, the traits relevant for habitat matching are combined in a manner which is determined (adaptation) by natural selection.

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“…According to Paxton (2009), the dominant red with combined gold and darkmaroon coloration in roosters and brown colorations in hens could be due to varying levels of two classes of melanin pigments, eumelanin and phaeomelanin. However, eumelanin gives rise to black and dark brown hues, and phaeomelanin produces a reddish-brown color (McGraw 2006).…”

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confidence: 99%

Qualitative Traits and Genetic Characterization of Native Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) in Selected Areas of Eastern and Western Samar, Philippines

Godinez

Nishibori

Espina

2020

ATR

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The Philippines has a number ofchicken genetic groups, mostly of non-descript and indigenous type. In view of the need to expand the information on native chicken diversity, this study was conducted to identify distinct qualitative traits and estimate genetic diversity and relationship among native chicken populations in selected areas of Eastern and Western Samar, Philippines. A total of 100 native chickens were qualitatively analyzed using a non-parametrictest, and 43 generated mtDNA sequences were used in the genetic analysis. Results revealed significantly different distributions of plumage color among male native chickens and shank color in female native chickens (p<0.05). The occurrence of plumage pattern, earlobecolor and shank colorfor male native chickens and plumage color, plumage pattern, and earlobe color for female native chickens across Samar Island is not different (p>0.05). The genetic relationship showed 41.2% native chicken populations clustered to a group shared by Red junglefowl and native chicken, 29.4% clustered to a group closer to White Leghorn, and White Plymouth Rock chicken breeds, 17.6% clustered to a group shared by G, g. spadiceus and a commercial line, and 11.7% clustered to a group closer to Rhode Island Red and a commercial egg layer line. Samar native chickens had red (wild-type, e+) laced (lg) and brown (eg) pencilled (Pg) plumage in rooster and hen, respectively. The phenotypic and genetic information concluded that there is considerable diversity of native chickens in Samar, Philippines. There is a tremendous opportunity to work with larger sample size in the areas where a number of indigenous chickens have notyetbeen characterized.

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The Utility of Plumage Coloration for Taxonomic and Ecological Studies

Cited by 14 publications

References 65 publications

Geographic variation in the plumage coloration of willow flycatchers Empidonax traillii

Geographic variation in the plumage coloration of willow flycatchers Empidonax traillii

The phylogeny of francolins (Francolinus, Dendroperdix, Peliperdix and Scleroptila) and spurfowls (Pternistis) based on chick plumage (Galliformes: Phasianidae)

Qualitative Traits and Genetic Characterization of Native Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) in Selected Areas of Eastern and Western Samar, Philippines

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