Beyond morphs: Inter-individual colour variation despite strong genetic determinism of colour morphs in a wild bird.

ABSTRACT: Categorizing individuals into discrete forms in colour polymorphic species can overlook more subtle patterns in coloration that can be of functional significance. Thus, quantifying inter-individual variation in these species at both within- and between-morph levels is critical to understand the evolution of colour polymorphisms. Here we present analyses of inter-individual colour variation in the Reunion grey white-eye (Zosterops borbonicus), a colour polymorphic wild bird endemic to the island of Reunion in which all highland populations contain two sympatric colour morphs, with birds showing predominantly grey or brown plumage, respectively. We first quantified colour variation across multiple body areas by using a continuous plumage colour score to assess variation in brown-grey colorat

SUBMITTER: Mould MC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10107803 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature