On the heritability of blue-green eggshell coloration


Abstract:

Avian blue-green eggshell coloration has been proposed as a female signal of genetic or phenotypic quality to males. However, little is known about the relative importance of additive genetic and environmental effects as sources of eggshell colour variation in natural populations. Using 5 years of data and animal models, we explored these effects in a free-living population of pied flycatchers. Permanent environmental and year effects were negligible, although year environmental variance (VYear) was significant for all but one of the traits. However, we found high-moderate narrow-sense heritabilities for some colour parameters. Within-clutch colour variability showed the highest coefficient of additive genetic variation (i.e. evolvability). Previous evidence suggests that eggshell colour is sexually selected in this species, males enhancing parental effort in clutches with higher colour variability and peak values. Eggshell colour could be driven by good-genes selection in pied flycatchers although further genetic studies should confirm this possibility. © 2010 The Authors. Journal Compilation © 2010 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Año de publicación:

2010

Keywords:

  • Ficedula hypoleuca
  • Quantitative genetics
  • Additive genetic variance
  • Heritability
  • Good genes
  • Blue-green eggshell coloration
  • Sexual selection
  • animal model
  • Female ornaments

Fuente:

scopusscopus

Tipo de documento:

Article

Estado:

Acceso abierto

Áreas de conocimiento:

  • Genética
  • Biología

Áreas temáticas:

  • Temas específicos de historia natural de los animales
  • Genética y evolución
  • Mammalia