Repository logo
 

Condition- and parasite-dependent expression of a male-like trait in a female bird

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorMartinez-Padilla, J.
dc.contributor.authorVergara, P.
dc.contributor.authorPerez-Rodriguez, L.
dc.contributor.authorMougeot, F.
dc.contributor.authorCasas, F.
dc.contributor.authorLudwig, S. C.
dc.contributor.authorHaines, Jessica A.
dc.contributor.authorLudwig, S. C.
dc.contributor.authorRedpath, S. M.
dc.date.accessioned2022-05-16
dc.date.accessioned2022-05-31T01:50:57Z
dc.date.available2022-05-31T01:50:57Z
dc.date.issued2011
dc.description.abstractIn many species, females display brightly coloured and elaborate traits similar to those that males use in intra- and inter-sexual selection processes. These female characters are sometimes related to fitness, and might function as secondary sexual characteristics that have evolved through sexual selection. Here, we used descriptive data from 674 females in 10 populations and an experimental removal of Trichostrongylus tenuis parasites in four populations, to examine the effects of season, age, condition, and parasites on the size of supra-orbital combs displayed by female red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus. We found that comb size (i) was greater during the breeding than the non-breeding season, (ii) was greater in adult than in young females, (iii) was positively correlated with body condition, and (iv) negatively correlated with parasite abundance. Experimentally, we showed that comb size increased proportionally to the number of worms removed after parasite dosing. Our findings provide a better understanding of proximate mechanisms behind the expression of a male-like trait in females, and we discuss its possible function as a female ornament.
dc.description.urihttps://library.macewan.ca/cgi-bin/SFX/url.pl/C3W
dc.identifier.citationMartinez-Padilla, J., Vergara, P., Perez-Rodriguez, L., Mougeot, F., Casas, F., Ludwig, S. C., Haines, J. A., Ludwig, S. C., Redpath, S. M. (2011). Condition- and parasite-dependent expression of a male-like trait in a female bird. Biology Letters, 7(3), 364-367. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2010.0991
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2010.0991
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14078/2648
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsAll Rights Reserved
dc.subjectfemale
dc.subjectcomb size
dc.subjectTrichostrongylus tenuis
dc.subjectred grouse
dc.subjectbody condition
dc.titleCondition- and parasite-dependent expression of a male-like trait in a female birden
dc.typeArticle

Files

Collections

Department of Biological Sciences