Publications
| hybrid speciation leads to novel male secondary sexual ornamentation of an amazonian bird. | hybrid speciation is rare in vertebrates, and reproductive isolation arising from hybridization is infrequently demonstrated. here, we present evidence supporting a hybrid-speciation event involving the genetic admixture of the snow-capped (lepidothrix nattereri) and opal-crowned (lepidothrix iris) manakins of the amazon basin, leading to the formation of the hybrid species, the golden-crowned manakin (lepidothrix vilasboasi). we used a genome-wide snp dataset together with analysis of admixture ... | 2018 | 29279398 |
| manakins can produce iridescent and bright feather colours without melanosomes. | males of many species often use colourful and conspicuous ornaments to attract females. among these, male manakins (family: pipridae) provide classic examples of sexual selection favouring the evolution of bright and colourful plumage coloration. the highly iridescent feather colours of birds are most commonly produced by the periodic arrangement of melanin-containing organelles (melanosomes) within barbules. melanin increases the saturation of iridescent colours seen from optimal viewing angles ... | 2016 | 27307543 |