Conserved Genetic Basis of a Quantitative Plumage Trait Involved in Mate Choice

A key question in evolutionary genetics is whether shared genetic mechanisms underlie the independent evolution of similar phenotypes across phylogenetically divergent lineages. Here we show that in two classic examples of melanic plumage polymorphisms in birds, lesser snow geese (Anser c. caerulesc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2004-03, Vol.303 (5665), p.1870-1873
Main Authors: Mundy, Nicholas I., Badcock, Nichola S., Hart, Tom, Scribner, Kim, Janssen, Kirstin, Nadeau, Nicola J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alleles
Animal reproduction
Animals
Arctic Regions
Biological and medical sciences
Biological Evolution
Birds
Birds - anatomy & histology
Birds - genetics
Birds - physiology
Chen caerulescens
Chen caerulescens caerulescens
Color
Evolutionary genetics
Feathers
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Geese
Geese - anatomy & histology
Geese - genetics
Geese - physiology
Gene Frequency
Genetic aspects
Genetic variation
Genetics
Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution
Haplotypes
Individualized Instruction
Male
Melanins - analysis
Melanism (Evolutionary biology)
Melanocytes - metabolism
Melanosis
Phenotype
Phenotypes
Phylogeny
Pigmentation - genetics
Plumage
Population genetics, reproduction patterns
Quantitative Trait, Heritable
Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1 - chemistry
Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1 - genetics
Sexual Behavior, Animal
Snow
Stercorarius parasiticus
Vertebrata
Waterfowl
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Summary:A key question in evolutionary genetics is whether shared genetic mechanisms underlie the independent evolution of similar phenotypes across phylogenetically divergent lineages. Here we show that in two classic examples of melanic plumage polymorphisms in birds, lesser snow geese (Anser c. caerulescens) and arctic skuas (Stercorarius parasiticus), melanism is perfectly associated with variation in the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene. In both species, the degree of melanism correlates with the number of copies of variant MC1R alleles. Phylogenetic reconstructions of variant MC1R alleles in geese and skuas show that melanism is a derived trait that evolved in the Pleistocene.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1093834