Condition- and parasite-dependent expression of a male-like trait in a female bird
Condition- and parasite-dependent expression of a male-like trait in a female bird
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雌鸟中雄性样特征的条件和寄生虫依赖性表达
作者：
J. Martínez;J. Martínez;P. Vergara;P. Vergara;L. Pérez‐Rodríguez;L. Pérez‐Rodríguez;F. Mougeot;F. Casas;F. Casas;Sonja C. Ludwig;J. A. Haines;M. Zeineddine;S. Redpath
在许多物种中，雌性表现出与雄性在性内和性间选择过程中使用的特征相似的色彩鲜艳和复杂的特征。这些女性特征有时与适应性有关，可能是通过性选择进化而来的第二性征。本研究利用10个种群674只雌松鸡的描述性数据，并对4个种群进行了去除细毛圆线虫寄生虫的实验，研究了季节、年龄、环境和寄生虫对雌性Lagopus Lagopus scoticus超眶梳大小的影响。结果表明：(1)巢型在繁殖期大于非繁殖期，(2)成虫大于幼虫，(3)巢型与体况呈正相关，(4)巢型与寄生虫丰度呈负相关。实验表明，添加寄生虫后，梳子的大小与去除的蠕虫数量成比例地增加。我们的研究结果更好地理解了在女性中表达男性特征背后的近似机制，并讨论了其作为女性装饰品的可能功能。
In 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.