The mechanisms of color production in black skin versus red skin on the heads of New World vultures

Justyn, Nicholas M.; Powers, Matthew J.; Hill, Geoffrey E.; Alexander, Kayla; Naveda‐Rodríguez, Adrián; Rush, Scott A.

doi:10.1016/j.avrs.2022.100071

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Previous work has shown that colours of birds vary not only in the plumage, but also in other integumentary structures [6][7][8][9]. One such example is skin melanization [9,10], which likely evolved over 100 times in birds from an unmelanized ancestor [9]. As in other vertebrates, including humans, dark skin is produced by the deposition of eumelanin [11,12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…many desert birds) [14], but might come at the cost of decreased UV protection. Similarly, the evolution of naked skin helps vultures consuming carrion, but also exposes them to UV irradiation [15]. Should dark skin provide any release from selection against white feathers, then the evolution of dark skin might result in increased net diversification rates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Back in black: melanin-rich skin colour associated with increased net diversification rates in birds

Nicolaï,

Vanisterbecq,

Shawkey

et al. 2023

Biol. Lett.

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Evolutionary biologists have long been interested in understanding the factors that promote diversification in organisms, often focussing on distinct and/or conspicuous phenotypes with direct effects on natural or sexual selection such as body size and plumage coloration. However, multiple traits that potentially influence net diversification are not conspicuous and/or might be concealed. One such trait, the dark, melanin-rich skin concealed beneath the feathers, evolved more than 100 times during avian evolution, frequently in association with white feathers on the crown and UV-rich environments, suggesting that it is a UV-photoprotective adaptation. Furthermore, multiple species are polymorphic, having both light and dark skin potentially aiding occupation in different UV radiation environments. As such these polymorphisms are predicted to occur in species with large latitudinal variation in their distribution. Furthermore, by alleviating evolutionary constraints on feather colour, the evolution of dark skin may promote net diversification. Here, using an expanded dataset on bird skin coloration of 3033 species we found that more than 19% of species had dark skin. In contrast to our prediction, dark skinned birds have smaller distribution ranges. Furthermore, both dark skin and polymorphism in skin coloration promote net diversification. These results suggest that even concealed traits can influence large scale evolutionary events such as diversification in birds.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Back in black: melanin-rich skin colour associated with increased net diversification rates in birds

Nicolaï,

Vanisterbecq,

Shawkey

et al. 2023

Biol. Lett.

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show abstract

“…Birds also exhibit colourful bare areas which may be used as signals, including legs, beaks, irises, pupils, and facial skin (including combs and wattles) [2,12]. These areas are pigmented (with either carotenoids or melanin) or structurally coloured in a similar fashion to feathered sections, and a few have haemoglobin-based colourations [2,[13][14][15][16]. Pigmented and structural colouration have been widely examined as condition-dependent traits in plumage signalling [17][18][19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eyes of love: Java sparrows increase eye ring conspicuousness when pair-bonded

Onaga,

Soma

2023

PLoS ONE

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Conspicuous facial features, such as blushing in primates, can communicate social/emotional/physiological states in animals. However, the role of bare facial features is less well studied in birds than in humans or primates. We investigate the Java sparrow, which is characterised by conspicuous rings of swollen and blushed bare skin around the eye. Eye rings show no clear sex difference, although the swelling is associated with breeding. Java sparrows are socially monogamous, with mutual courtships and long-term pair-bonding. Therefore, it is plausible that eye rings function in within-pair communication. Specifically, do eye rings reflect psychophysiological conditions after pair formation? We assessed variations in ring thickness in pair-bonded birds and compared them with single birds and pairs of non-bonded individuals. Over the 12-week experimental period, pair-bonded males and females had an increased ring thickness, unlike the controls. We suggest eye rings convey breeding motivations or serve as fertility signals. This would be of great importance for ensuring reproductive synchrony in tropical birds like the Java sparrow. Our results contribute to understanding the evolution of facial ornamentation in birds, which was often overlooked in the past studies.

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Integument

Ritchison

2023

Fascinating Life Sciences

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The mechanisms of color production in black skin versus red skin on the heads of New World vultures

Cited by 4 publications

References 33 publications

Back in black: melanin-rich skin colour associated with increased net diversification rates in birds

Back in black: melanin-rich skin colour associated with increased net diversification rates in birds

Eyes of love: Java sparrows increase eye ring conspicuousness when pair-bonded

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