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Related Concept Videos

Mate Choice01:20

Mate Choice

Mate choice—the decision about whom to mate with—is a type of natural selection, since animals must reproduce to pass down their genes. Mate choice is also called intersexual selection because the behavior occurs between the sexes.
Frequency-dependent Selection01:21

Frequency-dependent Selection

When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.Positive Frequency-Dependent SelectionIn positive...
Complementation Tests00:49

Complementation Tests

A complementation test is a simple cross to identify whether the two mutations are located on the same gene or different genes. It was first performed by Edward Lewis in the 1940s while working on fruit flies. He developed the test to identify the location and arrangement of different mutations on chromosomes.
Organisms heterozygous for different mutations are crossed pairwise in all combinations. If present on different genes, the mutations can complement each other by providing the missing...
What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.The Theory of Natural...
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.For one, natural selection can only act upon existing genetic variation. Hypothetically, redtusks may enhance elephant survival by deterring ivory-seeking poachers. However, if there are no gene variants—or alleles—for redtusks, natural selection cannot increase the prevalence of...
Epistasis01:39

Epistasis

In addition to multiple alleles at the same locus influencing traits, numerous genes or alleles at different locations may interact and influence phenotypes in a phenomenon called epistasis. For example, rabbit fur can be black or brown depending on whether the animal is homozygous dominant or heterozygous at a TYRP1 locus. However, if the rabbit is also homozygous recessive at a locus on the tyrosinase gene (TYR), it will have an unshaded coat that appears white, regardless of its TYRP1...

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Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments
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Published on: May 21, 2019

Cosmetic coloration in birds: occurrence, function, and evolution.

Kaspar Delhey1, Anne Peters, Bart Kempenaers

  • 1Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, PO Box 1564, D-82305 Seewiesen, Germany. delhey@orn.mpg.de

The American Naturalist
|May 12, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Birds may use cosmetic coloration, altering feather color with maintenance substances, as a novel sexual signal. This widespread phenomenon, observed across 13 families, highlights plumage

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Area of Science:

  • * Behavioral Ecology
  • * Animal Communication
  • * Ornithology

Background:

  • * Colorful bird plumages serve as vital social signals, often reflecting an individual's quality.
  • * Mature feathers are typically viewed as static signals, unchanging after molting.
  • * Feather deterioration between molts necessitates significant maintenance investment by birds.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To propose and review cosmetic coloration as a novel type of sexual signal in birds.
  • * To explore the origins and prevalence of cosmetic coloration across avian taxa.
  • * To examine the potential signaling role of cosmetic coloration in intraspecific interactions.

Main Methods:

  • * Literature review of existing studies on bird plumage maintenance and coloration.
  • * Analysis of documented instances of cosmetic coloration in various bird families.
  • * Examination of patterns in cosmetic use related to sex, age, and season.

Main Results:

  • * Cosmetic coloration, where maintenance substances alter feather color, is identified as a potential sexual signal.
  • * This phenomenon is more widespread than previously recognized, occurring in at least 13 bird families.
  • * Cosmetic substances originate from both self-production (secretions, powder) and environmental sources (soil, iron oxide).
  • * Intraspecific patterns suggest cosmetic use functions as a sexual signal, with variations across sex, age, and seasons.

Conclusions:

  • * Cosmetic coloration represents a widespread and potentially significant sexual signal in birds.
  • * Further research is needed to fully understand the functions, mechanisms, and costs associated with cosmetic coloration.
  • * Confirming the signaling role of cosmetic coloration is crucial for understanding its evolutionary significance.