Carotenoid-derived ornaments reflect parental quality in male and female yellow-eyed penguins ( Megadyptes antipodes )

Massaro, Melanie; Davis, Lloyd S.; Darby, John T.

doi:10.1007/s00265-003-0683-3

Cited by 89 publications

(66 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Consistent with these hypotheses for the maintenance of elaborate monomorphism, research has shown that elaborate traits are related to male and female mate preference (Jones and Hunter 1993;Arnold et al 2002;Hill 1993Hill , 2002Torres and Velando 2005), pairing success (Daunt et al 2003), reproductive success (Ruusila et al 2001;Massaro et al 2003), various measures of individual quality (phenotypic condition, Velando et al 2001;survival, Hõrak et al 2001; dominance, Kraaijeveld et al 2004), and to assortative pairing (Andersson et al 1998;Jawor et al 2003;Safran and McGraw 2004).…”

mentioning

confidence: 85%

Racketed tail of the male and female turquoise-browed motmot: male but not female tail length correlates with pairing success, performance, and reproductive success

Murphy

2006

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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mentioning

confidence: 85%

Racketed tail of the male and female turquoise-browed motmot: male but not female tail length correlates with pairing success, performance, and reproductive success

Murphy

2006

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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“…Increased female pigmentation is rare in birds (Amundsen 2000), and to our knowledge has never before been reported in penguins. Massaro et al (2003) found no difference in colouration between the yellow post-ocular plumage stripe of male and female Yellow-eyed Penguins, but did find that males had more deeply pigmented eyes compared with females. Jouventin et al (2008) has also demonstrated statistically significant sexual differences in plumage colouration (size of auricular patch) in King Penguins, though in this species too the sexes are visually indistinguishable to the human eye.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

“…A few research groups have recently initiated studies aimed at understanding the correlates and benefits of these striking colours. Massaro et al (2003) showed in Yellow-eyed Penguins that the intensity of plumage and eye colouration reveals the parental quality of individuals. The expression of yellow-orange plumage in King Penguins is correlated with their current health and affects rates of pairing Jouventin et al 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Annual, sexual, size- and condition-related variation in the colour and fluorescent pigment content of yellow crest-feathers in Snares Penguins (Eudyptes robustus)

McGraw

Massaro

Rivers

et al. 2009

Emu - Austral Ornithology

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Abstract. Colourful plumages observed in many birds provide ideal systems for investigating the control and function of animal signals, because we can identify the molecular currency (e.g. pigments, tissue structures) and thus the challenges associated with the production of the trait. To date, most attention has been paid to the signalling costs and benefits of the common pigmentary (e.g. carotenoid-and melanin-based) plumage colours. However, in penguins, the colour of feathers of crests or patches of head plumage is based on an unusual fluorescent pigment, presently thought to be in the class of pterin pigments, which are typically found as colourants in other animals like butterflies and amphibians. These yellow-orange colours may be used in sexual or social communication, but to date little is known about the signalling potential of such ornaments. We collected yellow crest-feathers from adult male and female Snares Penguins (Eudyptes robustus) in two years (2002 and 2003) and examined differences in colour and pigment content as a function of year, sex, body size and body condition. Unlike the typical pattern of birds, crests of female Snares Penguins contained higher concentrations of pigments than those of males. In both years, yellower feathers in females contained more yellow pigment. Birds of both sexes grew yellower and more pigment-rich feathers in 2002 -a year in which birds were in better condition -than in 2003. Males with yellower crests also tended to be larger, heavier and in better condition, regardless of year. These results highlight the potential for yellow crests in Snares Penguins to serve as a condition-dependent indicator to conspecifics. Further work is needed to determine whether or not this plumage trait is a signal of social status or attractiveness, as colourful plumage patches appear to be in other penguin species.

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“…However, this method has already been investigated on black-legged kittiwakes (Leclaire, 2010;Leclaire et al, 2011aLeclaire et al, , 2011b) and information obtained from digital pictures is still very useful as it reveals patterns and effects of biological meaning (Alonzo-Alvarez et al, 2004;Bortolotti et al, 2003;Kilner, 1997;Leclaire, 2010;Leclaire et al, 2011aLeclaire et al, , 2011bMassaro et al, 2003;Mougeot et al, 2007;Pérez-Rodríguez and Viñuela, 2008;Pérez et al, 2010b). Furthermore, using photography rather than spectrometry might be advantageous because digital photography is a much easier method for quantifying colouration of wet, hard to reach, and irregular surfaces such as gapes, irises and bills (Montgomerie, 2006).…”

Section: Colour Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies have already highlighted some correlational evidences between carotenoid-based colouration and body condition, a frequently used index of individual quality (Birkhead et al, 1998;Bustnes et al, 2007;Massaro et al, 2003;Mougeot et al, 2006Mougeot et al, , 2007Pérez-Rodríguez and Viñuela, 2008;Pérez et al, 2010b). As birds cannot synthetize carotenoids de novo, they have to acquire them through their diet and thus, carotenoid pigmentation depends on the quality and/ or quantity of food ingested (Goodwin, 1986).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integument colouration in relation to persistent organic pollutants and body condition in arctic breeding black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla)

Blévin

Tartu

Angelier

et al. 2014

Science of The Total Environment

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Vertebrates cannot synthetize carotenoids de novo but have to acquire them through their diet. In birds, carotenoids are responsible for the yellow to red colouration of many secondary sexual traits. They are also involved in physiological functions such as immunostimulation and immunoregulation. Consequently, carotenoid-based colouration is very often considered as a reliable signal for health and foraging abilities. Although a few studies have suggested that carotenoid-based coloured traits could be sensitive to environmental pollution such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) contamination, the relationships between pollutants and colouration remain unclear. Here, we examined the relationships between the colouration of carotenoid-based integuments and individual POP levels in pre-laying female black-legged kittiwakes from very high latitudes. In this area, these arctic seabirds are exposed to high POPs contamination. Additionally, we investigated the relationships between colouration and body condition, a frequently used index of individual quality. We found a negative relationship between POP levels and several components of integument colouration: saturation of eye-ring, gapes and tongue, suggesting that POPs could disrupt colouration of labile integuments in female kittiwakes. In addition, we found that females in better body condition displayed more orange and brighter gapes and tongue than females in poor body condition. These results demonstrate that hue and brightness are sensitive to the current health and nutritional status of female kittiwakes. Overall, our study shows that carotenoid-based colour integuments can be affected by several environmentaldriven variables.

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Carotenoid-derived ornaments reflect parental quality in male and female yellow-eyed penguins ( Megadyptes antipodes )

Cited by 89 publications

References 60 publications

Racketed tail of the male and female turquoise-browed motmot: male but not female tail length correlates with pairing success, performance, and reproductive success

Racketed tail of the male and female turquoise-browed motmot: male but not female tail length correlates with pairing success, performance, and reproductive success

Annual, sexual, size- and condition-related variation in the colour and fluorescent pigment content of yellow crest-feathers in Snares Penguins (Eudyptes robustus)

Integument colouration in relation to persistent organic pollutants and body condition in arctic breeding black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla)

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