灰椋鸟身体大小和内脏器官形态的两性差异

鸟类性二态现象广泛存在,比如身体大小、羽色等,性二态很可能是自然选择和性选择共同作用的结果。为了探索和更好地了解雀形目鸟类身体大小性二态的进化,在2019年繁殖季节早期研究了灰椋鸟(Sturnus cineraceus)野外种群身体大小和内脏器官形态的两性差异。结果表明,除嘴宽外,其他身体特征参数均雄性显著大于雌性,表现出雄性偏向的身体大小二态性。内脏器官大小两性间无显著差异。灰椋鸟是聚群生活的鸟类,雌雄鸟常一起觅食,食性相似,雌雄鸟内脏器官和消化道形态差异不显著,暗示食性分化在灰椋鸟身体大小性二态进化中的作用并不明显;雄鸟体型较大的原因可能是其在巢址竞争、配偶保护中适应进化的结果。本研究明确了灰椋鸟身体大小的两性差异,对于该物种身体大小性二态进化的确切原因,尚需更多研究。     

麻雀身体大小的性二态和基于身体量度的性别判定

身体大小的性二态是鸟类中较为普遍的现象。性二态的研究是理解性选择的关键,也能为性二态鸟类的野外快速性别判定提供依据。麻雀Passer montanus通常被认为是一种性单态鸟类,野外很难通过外在特征识别性别,有关麻雀性二态和性别判定的研究很少。2017—2018年每年的1—3月,在甘肃省庆阳市陇东学院校园内用雾网捕捉到67只麻雀成鸟,并测量了这些麻雀的10个身体量度。通过观察生殖腺鉴定了性别,确定为31只雄鸟和36只雌鸟。结果发现,总体上麻雀身体量度存在显著的两性差异(MANOVA:Pillai's Trace=0.492,F_(10,56)=5.426,P0.001),雄鸟的全长、尾长、翅长、跗跖长和中趾长显著大于雌鸟(t-test:P0.05)。利用这5个身体量度变量构建判别方程来判定麻雀性别,发现:在所有的单变量判别方程中,翅长构建的判别方程具有最高的性别判定准确率,达77.6%;由5个身体量度变量构建的典型判别方程,性别判定准确率为82.1%;而由全长和翅长构建的逐步判别方程,性别判定准确率为79.1%。麻雀存在身体大小的性二态,而这使得野外通过测量身体量度构建判别方程能较容易、准确地判定麻雀的性别。     

大蹼铃蟾的两性异形

2018年6—8月,测量采自云南省昆明市金殿水库后山的71只(47♂,24♀)大蹼铃蟾Bombina maxima成体的体长、头长、头宽等15项形态特征指标并检验该物种的两性异形。结果表明:雄性平均体长为53.54 mm±1.14 mm,雌性平均体长为52.74 mm±1.45 mm,雄性与雌性平均体长比为1.015,两性异性指数为0.01;大蹼铃蟾的体长、体质量与性别之间的差异无统计学意义;除了雌性的眼间距外,其余13项形态特征与体长均有极显著相关性;以体长为协变量的协方差分析结果显示,大蹼铃蟾的头长、吻长、前臂宽、腿或后肢全长、胫长、胫宽和跗足长在两性间的差异有高度统计学意义;雄性的这7项形态特征随体长的生长速率大于雌性。性选择假说能解释大蹼铃蟾的两性异形现象。     

笼养0～15周龄黑颈长尾雉生长曲线拟合与分析

为了探讨黑颈长尾雉Syrmaticus humiae雏鸟的生长发育规律,本研究对0~15周龄黑颈长尾雉的体重、跗跖长、嘴峰长、体长和翅长进行了测定,利用Logistic、Gompertz和von Bertalanffy三种非线性模型对黑颈长尾雉的各量度指标进行了拟合和分析。结果表明,体重、跗跖长、嘴峰长和体长的生长过程用Logistic模型拟合效果更佳(R20.97),而翅长更适合用von Bertalanffy模型拟合(R2=0.9899),其生长拐点分别为:体重(16.31 w,439.552 g)、跗跖长(7.70 w,38.519 mm)、嘴峰长(2.52 w,8.810 mm)、体长(5.01 w,180.020 mm)和翅长(1.82 w,81.055 mm)。运用三种模型对黑颈长尾雉雏鸟生长曲线的拟合是可行的,黑颈长尾雉的体重、跗跖长、嘴峰长、体长和翅长之间的相关性均极显著(P0.01),其中跗跖长与其他各指标间的相关性最好(R2均在0.94以上),跗跖长可作为衡量黑颈长尾雉雏鸟生长发育的参考指标。     

Polyploidization and sexual dimorphism of floral traits in a subdioecious population of Dasiphora glabra

银露梅亚雌雄异株种群的多倍化和花特征性二态 性二态是性别分离植物的常见性状,对植物的雌性和雄性功能可能产生不同的影响。本文以青藏高原特有植物银露梅(Dasiphora glabra)为研究对象,利用银露梅同时存在两性、雌性和雄性植株的种群,探讨银露梅与传粉相关的花特征性二态现象及其对传粉者访问、花粉流和结实的影响。另外,本文还利用流式细胞仪检查了两性植株、雄性植株和雌性植株之间基因组大小的差异。研究结果表明：银露梅雌性植株和雄性植株数量约占种群中植株总数量的40%,表明银露梅两性植株数量多于雄性和雌性的植株数量。两性植株的花数量显著多于雄性和雌性植株的花数量。雄花的花大小显著大于雌花和两性花的花大小。雄花的花粉数量与两性花的花粉数量没有差异,但是雌花的胚珠数量显著高于两性花的胚珠数量。双翅目的蝇类是银露梅最主要的访花者,尽管访花者偏好访问更大的花,但是在花间连续访问对大花没有表现出偏好。模拟花粉流实验表明,两性植株和雄性植株的有效花粉转移都很低,从而导致较低的结实率。雌性植株和雄性植株的DNA含量约为两性植株的4倍,并且单性植株和两性植株之间相互授粉不能结实。以上结果表明,与两性花相比,雌花和雄花在与传粉相关的花特征二态性上分别在雌性和雄性功能上表现出优势,但这种优势在很大程度上被低效的花粉转移所掩盖。银露梅的雌性植株和雄性植株经历了多倍化事件,导致与两性植株之间存在繁殖隔离,从而维持了3种性别植株的共存。     

饰纹姬蛙的两性异形及雌性繁殖能力

用采自云南省西双版纳傣族自治州勐腊县的53只(28♂♂,25♀♀)成体饰纹姬蛙(Microhyla fissipes),测量全部个体的体长、头长、头宽、体重等16项形态特征和雌体怀卵量数据,通过独立样本t检验和协方差检验该物种所有形态特征的两性差异,进而采用线性回归方法分析雌雄成体局部形态特征与体长的相关性,以及雌性成体怀卵量与局部形态特征的相关性。结果表明,饰纹姬蛙平均体长雌性为(25.08±0.40)mm,雄性为(24.78±0.31)mm,体长和体重在雌雄两性间差异不显著(P 0.05),两性个体大小基本同形。该蛙的所有局部形态特征与体长均存在极显著正相关性(P 0.01);雌雄两性间只在头宽和前臂及手长这两个形态特征上存在显著差异(P 0.05),且随体长的增大其生长速率也存在显著差异。雌性成体的怀卵量与体长、体重、眼间距、前臂宽、胫宽和跗足长均存在显著正相关性(P 0.05),且与体重存在极显著正相关性(P 0.01)。分析认为,饰纹姬蛙成体两性异形主要表现在头宽和前臂及手长,与生存竞争中对食物的获取能力及雄性争夺交配权的成功率有关;而雌性个体可以通过增加体长和体重,相应地增加腹腔容量来提高繁殖输出,该结果符合生育力选择假说。     

基于形态特征判定五种鹬类性别的可靠性

快速准确地鉴定两性同型鸟类个体性别在鸟类生态学研究中具有重要意义。本文选择2008年春季迁徙期在崇明东滩停歇的大滨鹬(Calidris tenuirostris)、红腹滨鹬(C.canutus)、红颈滨鹬(C.ruficollis)、尖尾滨鹬(C.acuminata)及翘嘴鹬(Xenus cinereus)5种两性同型的鹬类,用分子生物学方法进行性别鉴定,并基于个体的形态特征(体重、翅长、喙长、头喙长及跗跖长)采用判别分析方法对性别进行判定。结果表明,尖尾滨鹬雄性各形态特征均显著大于雌性,其他4种鹬类则相反。5种鹬类形态特征的性别差异指数在0.5%~25.3%之间,重叠度在29.4%~98.6%之间。5种鹬类判别分析判定性别的准确率在(0.69±0.06)~(0.96±0.01)之间,其中,尖尾滨鹬判别准确率(0.96)最高,翘嘴鹬判别准确率(0.69)最低。形态特征在两性间的差异程度影响性别的判别准确率。另外,两性性比对性别判别的准确率也有影响:性比偏雄性鸟类的雄性判别准确率高于雌性,而性比偏雌性鸟类的雌性判别准确率高于雄性。采用判别分析估测的性比与分子生物学鉴定结果相似,表明判别分析在判定种群的性比方面具有较高的可靠性。     

甘肃密点麻蜥三个地理种群的两性异形研究

通过测量和比较采自甘肃省兰州市、张掖市和民勤县3个地区的密点麻蜥Eremias multiocellata成体样本的8个形态学量度指标,分析密点麻蜥雌雄间的两性差异和异速生长。结果表明,密点麻蜥兰州种群和张掖种群体长的两性差异无统计学意义,民勤种群雄性体长显著大于雌性。3个种群的头部大小、附肢长、尾部及最大腹宽在两性间均存在差异,具有两性异形现象。雄性个体头部较大、附肢和尾部较长;而最大腹宽在不同种群中有所不同,兰州种群和张掖种群雄性的最大腹宽显著小于雌性,民勤种群雄性则显著大于雌性。在个体发育过程中,前肢长、后肢长、头长、头宽、头高、尾长及最大腹宽均出现了不同程度的异速生长。     

四川盆地的陆地岛屿效应——基于树麻雀的形态变异

以树麻雀Passer montanus为研究对象,采集四川盆地及周边地区558个样本的7项形态指标,控制纬度因子的偏相关分析表明,树麻雀的体质量、尾长、跗跖长与海拔极显著正相关(P0.01),体长与海拔显著正相关(P0.05);控制海拔因子的偏相关分析表明,树麻雀的体质量、翅长与纬度极显著正相关(P0.01)。按照海拔将树麻雀分为3组:四川盆地(海拔平均值:484.25 m,海拔范围:219~725 m)、华中平原(海拔平均值:250.70 m,海拔范围:46~784 m)、盆地周边山地(海拔平均值:2 260.42 m,海拔范围:807~4 472 m)。单因素方差分析表明:3个树麻雀种群的体质量、翅长、尾长、跗跖长之间的差异有高度统计学意义(P0.01),盆地周边山地树麻雀种群的体质量显著或极显著大于四川盆地及华中平原(P0.05或P0.01)。综上,树麻雀体型随海拔升高而显著增大,说明树麻雀的形态变异与海拔变化密切相关,符合贝格曼定律。同时,四川盆地与华中平原树麻雀种群在体质量、体长、尾长、翅长、跗跖长、嘴峰、嘴裂上的差异均无统计学意义(P0.05),未能体现出四川盆地的陆地岛屿效应。     

中国林蛙种群形态特征及雌体生殖力的地理差异

为了比较中国林蛙(Rana chensinensis)不同种群的形态特征、两性异形和雌体生殖力等方面的地理变异,在中国林蛙分布范围的南部(河南郑州)和北部(内蒙古扎兰屯)采集标本共130只,测量了两性的体长、体重等26项形态特征和雌体的生殖力。结果表明:(1)中国林蛙的形态特征及两性异形方面存在显著的地理变异,雌性显著大于雄性,扎兰屯种群显著大于郑州种群;(2)中国林蛙形态特征的地理变异符合贝格曼定律,但四肢的形态变化规律不符合阿伦规律,体形较大的扎兰屯种群存在两性异形的形态特征数量少,但差异程度大,与伦施法则不符;(3)雌性是中国林蛙两性中形态特征地理变异最明显的一方,在对寒冷气候的适应过程中,雌性比雄性的体长和体重增加的程度更明显。由此可知,两性间身体大小变化趋势的不一致暗示不同性别的个体适应环境变化的策略可能存在较大差异,这是造成中国林蛙不同种群两性异形和雌体生殖力地理变异的主要原因。     

Is natural selection promoting sexual dimorphism in the Green-backed Firecrown Hummingbird ( Sephanoides Sephaniodes )?

In many hummingbird species there is an opposite pattern of sexual dimorphism in bill length and other morphometric measures of body size. These differences seem to be closely related with differences in foraging ecology directly associated with a different resource exploitation strategy. The aim of this study was to assess if natural selection is acting on wing length and bill size in hummingbird males and females with different resource exploitation strategies (i.e., territorial males and non-territorial females). If competition for resources promotes sexual dimorphism as a selective pressure, males should be subjected to negative directional selection pressure for wing length and no selection pressure over bill size, while females should undergo positive directional selection pressure for both bill size and wing length. The morphometric data we collected suggests that there is no selection for wing length and bill size in male hummingbirds. In contrast, our females exhibited positive directional selection for both wing length and bill size. Although we cannot reject sexual selection acting on sexually dimorphic traits, this study suggests that natural selection may promote sexual dimorphism in traits that are closely related with hummingbird foraging ecology and resource exploitation strategies.     

青藏高原褐背拟地鸦表型特征的性别差异与地理变异

将数值分类用于鸟类分类学研究时,对于雌雄的形态特征差异没有被重视,尤其是对于雌雄同形的鸟类。本文以雌雄同形的褐背拟地鸦Pseudopodoces humilis为材料,运用SPSSl0．0FORwINDOwS统计分析软件对108号褐背拟地鸦标本(51♀♀,57♂♂)的数量性状(体长、跗跖长、翅长、尾长、嘴宽、嘴高、上喙长、下喙长、嘴裂、第3趾爪长、第1趾爪长)的原始数据进行分析,结果表明雌、雄性状在翅长(n＝51,P＝0．012)和嘴高(n＝57,P＝0．043)上有明显差异,但在体长、跗跖长、尾长、嘴宽、上喙长、下喙长、嘴裂、第3趾爪长、第1趾爪长等数值特征上却没有明显的差异。所以在以后对于褐背拟地鸦的地理种群变异和亚种分化的研究中,翅长和嘴高两特征应该根据雌雄分别讨论。通过对不同性状量度和纬度的相关回归分析,发现在测量标本所涉及的采集地范围内,即主要在青藏高原东南部地区,褐背拟地鸦体长和雄乌的翅长在地理分布上随纬度的增加而变小,而其它性状特征没有明显的地理分布纬度上的变化。     

The evolution of sexual size dimorphism in the house finch. III. Developmental basis

Sexual size dimorphism of adults proximately results from a combination of sexually dimorphic growth patterns and selection on growing individuals. Yet, most studies of the evolution of dimorphism have focused on correlates of only adult morphologies. Here we examined the ontogeny of sexual size dimorphism in an isolated population of the house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus). Sexes differed in growth rates and growth duration; in most traits, females grew faster than males, but males grew for a longer period. Sexual dimorphism in bill traits (bill length, width, depth) and in body traits (wing, tarsus, and tail length; mass) developed during different periods of ontogeny. Growth of bill traits was most different between sexes during the juvenile period (after leaving the nest), whereas growth of body traits was most sexually dimorphic during the first few days after hatching. Postgrowth selection on juveniles strongly influenced sexual dimorphism in all traits; in some traits, this selection canceled or reversed dimorphism patterns produced by growth differences between sexes. The net result was that adult sexual dimorphism, to a large degree, was an outcome of selection for survival during juvenile stages. We suggest that previously documented fast and extensive divergence of house finch populations in sexual size dimorphism may be partially produced by distinct environmental conditions during growth in these populations.     

Sexual size dimorphism and sex identification using morphological traits of two Aegithalidae species

The black-throated tit, Aegithalos concinnus, and long-tailed tit, A. caudatus, are two widely-distributed species of Aegithalidae. They are thought to be monomorphic and thus difficult to differentiate between sexes in the field. We determined the sex of 296 black-throated tits and 129 long-tailed tits using DNA analysis, evaluated their sexual size dimorphism, and developed discriminant models to identify sex based on morphometries, including bill length, bill depth, bill-head length, maximum tarsus length, tarsus width, wing length, tail length, total body length, and body mass. Both species were sexually dimorphic in size, with males having larger measurements than females, except for bill length in black-throated tits, and both bill length and body mass in long-tailed tits. Moreover, both species showed similar sexual size dimorphism (SSD) among the morphological features, with tail length having the highest SSD value. The multivariate discriminant models for sex identification had an accuracy of 82% for both species, which was slightly higher than the best univariate discriminatory model for each species. Because of the complicated nature of the multivariate model, we recommend univariate models for sex identification using D = 0.491 × tail length - 24.498 (accuracy 80%) for black-throated tits and D = 0.807 × wing length - 45.934 (accuracy 78%) for long-tailed tits. Females in both species showed generally higher morphological variation than did males, resulting in lower accuracies in all discriminate functions regardless of univariate or multivariate approach. This could be the result of a sex-biased selective pressure in which males have higher selective pressures for these morphological features.     

Variation in the magnitude of sexual size dimorphism in nestling Coal Tits (Periparus ater)

The magnitude of sexual size dimorphism can be affected by sex differences in environmental sensitivity early in ontogeny that result in differential growth rates of male and female nestlings. Here, the larger sex might either be more sensitive because of higher food demands or less sensitive due to greater competitive ability. When environmental conditions deteriorate during the breeding season, this “environmental stress” hypothesis predicts differential seasonal declines in the performance of male and female offspring. Based on a sample of molecularly sexed Coal Tit (Periparus ater) nestlings from 2 years, we investigated sexual size dimorphism in body mass, condition (i.e. size-corrected mass), tarsus and wing length and whether its magnitude changed from early to late broods. Male offspring were heavier, larger (in terms of tarsus and wing length) and had higher size-corrected mass than their female nest mates (the same was evident in adult breeders). In 2002 (the year with the longer effective breeding season), body mass and condition declined with progressing hatching date and this effect was significantly more pronounced in male than in female nestlings. There was also a seasonal decline in male wing length, while female wing length remained relatively constant, which resulted in males having shorter wings than females in late broods. Tarsus length was unaffected by time of breeding, except that the difference between males and females was relatively smaller in late (i.e. second) broods in 2002. While these results are in accordance with the idea of an increased environmental sensitivity of the larger males, confounding effects of sex-differential hatching order cannot be ruled out. Dedicated to Doris Winkel.     

Morphology of the Hooded crow Corvus corone cornix in relation to age, sex and latitude

The morphological variation of the Hooded crow at Trondheim, Norway, was studied, based on a sample of 734 birds collected during a six year period. Mouth colour, plumage colour, skull thickness and feather length were found to be characters which could readily be used to separate juveniles from adults. Females aged 15–19 months had a thinner skull roof than older female birds. Low coefficients of variation were found for the lengths of the third primary and of the tail feathers. A discriminant analysis showed that of the various body dimensions studied bill height and bill length distinguished the sexes most precisely. A high degree of sexual dimorphism was also found to exist in body weight and in the thickness of the skull roof.
Those body structures which develop at about the same stage during the juvenile growth period were associated with the same principal component, viz. the lengths of bony structures, parts that develop early on in life, were intercorrelated (wing bones, tarsus, bill basis and the width of foramen magnum). The lengths of the primaries and of tail feathers were also intercorrelated, structures which develop late.
The mean body weight of the Hooded crow population studied in Norway was intermediate between that of the Hooded crow in Germany and of the Carrion and Hooded crows in England and Scotland. No such differences were found in wing length. Norwegian Hooded crows have shorter tails than German ones, but their bills are much larger, in particular for the females. Therefore, the degree of sexual dimorphism in bill size seems to be reduced at high latitudes.     

SEXUAL SELECTION IN THE BARN SWALLOW (HIRUNDO RUSTICA). IV. PATTERNS OF FLUCTUATING ASYMMETRY AND SELECTION AGAINST ASYMMETRY

The patterns of variation in fluctuating asymmetry were studied in four morphological characters of the barn swallow Hirundo rustica. The level of absolute and relative asymmetry was larger in the secondary sexual character “outer tail length” than in three nonsexual morphological traits (wing, central tail, and tarsus length). The extent of individual asymmetry in outer tail length was negatively correlated with tail-ornament size, whereas the relationship between asymmetry of all other morphological characters and their size was flat or U-shaped. Asymmetry in outer tail length was unrelated to asymmetry in other morphological characters, whereas asymmetries in the length of wing, central tail, and tarsus were positively correlated. Male bam swallows exhibited larger asymmetry in outer tail length than females. Asymmetry of most morphological traits exhibited intermediate repeatabilities between years, with the exception of male and female outer tail length, which were highly repeatable. Tail asymmetry of offspring weakly, though significantly, resembled that of their parents. Asymmetry in wing and outer tail length was also significantly related to several fitness components. Male barn swallows that acquired a mate were less asymmetric in wing and outer tail length than unmated males. Females with more asymmetrical tails laid eggs significantly later. Annual reproductive success was unrelated to fluctuating asymmetry. Male barn swallows that survived were less asymmetric in wing and outer tail length than nonsurvivors, whereas female survivors were less asymmetric in outer tail length than nonsurvivors. These results suggest that levels of fluctuating asymmetry in barn swallows are associated with differences in fitness.     

Blue Tit song repertoire size, male quality and interspecific competition

A recent hypothesis suggested that bird song repertoire size is a reliable indication of male quality because the number of songs emitted by an individual and the expression of many traits important for fitness are highly dependent on developmental conditions. To test this hypothesis, we studied the relationship between song repertoire size and a trait known to be strongly affected by developmental conditions: tarsus length of Blue Tits Parus caeruleus . We studied this relationship in three populations presenting differences in density, quantity of food available and relative and absolute densities of Great Tits Parus major . Great Tit density may be an important factor because this species is supposed to be in competition for acoustic space with the Blue Tit. We found a positive correlation between Blue Tit dawn repertoire size and tarsus length in the three study populations which is consistent with the tested hypothesis. However, this correlation was only significant in the population with the lower Great Tit density. We discuss the significance of this variation and propose that interspecific competition may limit the action of sexual selection on song repertoire size.     

Sex determination of Antarctic Petrels Thalassoica antarctica by discriminant analysis of morphometric characters

We present data on sexual dimorphism in some morphological measurements (wing length, head length, bill depth and bill length) in the Antarctic Petrel Thalassoica antarctica. Males were on average larger than females for all measurements. Sexual dimorphism was on average largest for bill depths whereas wing lengths discriminated least between the sexes. A discriminant function including bill depth, head length and wing length correctly sexed 92% of the sample. Due to between-measurer variation it is recommended that morphometric measurements obtained by others on sexed birds are compared with ours before proceeding with the use of the discriminant function on unsexed individuals.Publication No. 116 of the Norwegian Antarctic Research Expeditions (1991/92)