The role of sexual and natural selection in shaping patterns of sexual dichromatism in the largest family of songbirds (Aves: Thraupidae)

• DOI: 10.1111/evo.13196
• Publication Date: 2017-02-07T09:52:47Z
• Authors: Allison J. Shultz; Kevin J. Burns
• Keywords: Male; 0106 biological sciences; Sex Characteristics; Pigmentation; Spectrum Analysis; Color; Environment; Mating Preference, Animal; Biological Evolution; 01 natural sciences; Songbirds; Animals; Female; Selection, Genetic; Phylogeny

Males and females can be under different evolutionary pressures if sexual natural selection is differentially operating in each sex. As a result, many species have evolved dichromatism, or differences coloration between sexes. Although dichromatism often used as an index of the magnitude selection, composite trait. Here, we examine evolution one largest most ecologically diverse families birds, tanagers, using avian visual perspective species-level phylogeny. Our results demonstrate that decreases are more associated with larger frequent changes male plumage coloration, increases not either Furthermore, show crown ventral regions correlated males, only complexity positively dichromatism. Finally, light environment important shaping both brilliance complexity. By conducting multilevel analysis males females, evolves via mosaic