sexually selected male plumage color is testosterone dependent in a tropical passerine bird, the red-backed fairy-wren (malurus melanocephalus)性选择雄性羽毛颜色是热带雀形目鸟鸟,睾丸激素依赖的红背fairy-wren(malurus melanocephalus).pdfVIP

Sexually Selected Male Plumage Color Is Testosterone Dependent in a Tropical Passerine Bird, the Red-Backed Fairy-Wren (Malurus melanocephalus) 1 2 1 Willow R. Lindsay *, Michael S. Webster , Hubert Schwabl 1 School of Biological Sciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America, 2 Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America Abstract Background: Sexual signals, such as bright plumage coloration in passerine birds, reflect individual quality, and testosterone (T) may play a critical role in maintaining signal honesty. Manipulations of T during molt have yielded mixed effects on passerine plumage color, in most cases delaying molt or leading to production of drab plumage. However, the majority of these studies have been conducted on species that undergo a post-nuptial molt when T is low; the role of T in species that acquire breeding plumage during a pre-nuptial molt remains largely unexplored. Methodology/Principal Findings: We experimentally tested the effects of increased T on plumage color in second-year male red-backed fairy-wrens (Malurus melanocephalus), a species in which after-second-year males undergo a pre-nuptial molt into red/black (carotenoid and melanin-based) plumage and second-year males either assume red/black or brown breeding plumage. T treatment stimulated a rapid and early onset pre-nuptial molt and resulted in red/black plumage acquisition, bill darkening, and growth of the sperm storage organ, but had no effect on body condition or corticosterone concentrations. Control males molted later and assumed brown plumage. T treated males produced feathers wit