Variation in bill surface area is associated with local climatic factors across populations of the plain laughingthrush.

ABSTRACT: Recent studies have found that avian bill and tarsus morphology may have evolved in response to climatic conditions, and these organs play important roles in thermoregulation and water retention in extreme environments. Here, we examined whether bill surface area and tarsus length were associated with climatic conditions in the plain laughingthrush, Garrulax davidi, which mainly occurs in north China and occupies several climatic zones from east to west. We measured bill surface area and tarsus length in 321 adults from 11 populations, almost encompassing all habitat types of the species. We analyzed the relationships among these morphological traits and local climatic factors. Bill surface area was positively correlated with maximum temperature, indicating that bill surface area te

SUBMITTER: Liu P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10534077 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature