A tale of two tails: asymmetry in Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) ...
Abstract Background Asymmetry in the wild is a controversial, and to date, unresolved subject. Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) is the developmental instability (intra-individual variation) while, directional asymmetry (DA) expresses the asymmetry of the population mean. Methods We analysed 63 Great Grey...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | unknown |
| Published: |
figshare
2018
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3971766 https://springernature.figshare.com/collections/A_tale_of_two_tails_asymmetry_in_Great_Grey_Shrike_Lanius_excubitor_/3971766 |
| Summary: | Abstract Background Asymmetry in the wild is a controversial, and to date, unresolved subject. Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) is the developmental instability (intra-individual variation) while, directional asymmetry (DA) expresses the asymmetry of the population mean. Methods We analysed 63 Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) skins at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands. The black markings on the tails were digitized in order to evaluate the symmetry of the two sides of each shrike. Ptilochronology helped understand if nutritional condition affected symmetry. Results ANOVA revealed no significant differences in size of the tail between sexes (F = 1.67, p > 0.05). However, there was significant difference in the shape of the black area in feathers between the sexes (F = 2.14, p < 0.05), and males had more elongated and slender black areas. Further, DA was observed only in males, but FA was noted in both sexes. Spearman correlation showed no significant association between FA score ... |
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