The development of plumage polymorphism in male Madagascar paradise flycatcher Terpsiphone mutata

The development of plumage polymorphism in male Madagascar paradise flycatcher Terpsiphone mutata (Linnaeus, 1766) was investigated in north‐western Madagascar. Four distinct morphs were observed, namely, white‐coloured with long tails (WL), rufous‐coloured with long tails (RL), rufous‐coloured with tails of middle length (RM), and rufous‐coloured with short tails (RS). Females were rufous and had short tails. Indivudual males were marked and re‐observed during 1994–98. RS males changed to RM in the following seasons. Among RM males, some individuals retained RM, others changed to RL or WL. RM males which changed to WL in the next season had possessed white patches on their belly, whereas RM males which changed to RL had not had such patches. Neither WL nor RL males changed their morphs. Nestlings were rufous regardless of their father's morph. One nestling changed to RS in the next season. From these results and the difference of body size among four morphs, it is deduced that RS males are one year old, and change to RM males in the next season. RM males change to RL or WL males after one or two years. RL and WL are two stable terminal plumages, and they may be genetically determined morphs.     

Polymorphic microsatellite loci for paternity analysis in the Madagascar paradise flycatcher (Terpsiphone mutata: Aves)

Nine polymorphic microsatellite loci from the Madagascar paradise flycatcher Terpsiphone mutata were isolated using nonradioactive polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐based techniques to screen an enriched genomic library. Seven polymorphic loci showed no evidence of null alleles and exhibited high levels of variation in 18 unrelated individuals (mean diversity = 0.80, mean number of alleles = 13.6). These loci are therefore suitable for analysis of population structure and paternity (exclusion probability for six unlinked loci = 0.9998).