First record of leucism for the Toco Toucan, Ramphastos toco (Piciformes: Ramphastidae)

Several factors can alter bird coloration patterns and reports exist for different groups of birds. Regarding the different types of color alterations, leucism appears to be the most common type. Despite being the most common color pattern alteration in birds, no record was made for this species, th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brazilian journal of biology 2020-07, Vol.80 (3), p.680-681
Main Authors: Guimaraes Santos, Eduardo, Sousa de Paula, William
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Albinism
Animal behavior
Birds
Color
Coloration
Geographical distribution
Leukosis
Mutation
Ornithology
Ramphastidae
Ramphastos toco
Urban areas
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Summary:Several factors can alter bird coloration patterns and reports exist for different groups of birds. Regarding the different types of color alterations, leucism appears to be the most common type. Despite being the most common color pattern alteration in birds, no record was made for this species, the Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco). The family Ramphastidae comprises about 50 species distributed in 5 genera, whose distribution is restricted to Central and South America. They have a Iong, narrow and brightly colored beak with either small or large serrations. To date, only three cases of leucism have been recorded for this family. Additionally, a distinct type of leukosis aberration, called schizochroism, occurs in Pteroglossus eiythropygius. Here, a case of leucism in the Toco Toucan is highlighted. The record was made on Apr 4, 2013 in an urban area of Brasilia, Brazil. The Toco Toucan has a distinct coloration, with the body being predominantly black, while the chat, throat and rump are white, and red undertail coverts.
ISSN:1519-6984
1678-4375
DOI:10.1590/1519-6984.218532