Article
A supergene determines highly divergent male reproductive morphs in the ruff.
Nature genetics - 1 Jan 2016
Küpper Clemens, Stocks Michael, Risse Judith E, Dos Remedios Natalie, Farrell Lindsay L, McRae Susan B, Morgan Tawna C, Karlionova Natalia, Pinchuk Pavel, Verkuil Yvonne I, Kitaysky Alexander S, Wingfield John C, Piersma Theunis, Zeng Kai, Slate Jon, Blaxter Mark, Lank David B, Burke Terry
Abstract excerpt
Three strikingly different alternative male mating morphs (aggressive 'independents', semicooperative 'satellites' and female-mimic 'faeders') coexist as a balanced polymorphism in the ruff, Philomachus pugnax, a lek-breeding wading bird. Major differences in body size, ornamentation, and aggressive and mating behaviors are inherited as an autosomal polymorphism. We show that development into satellites and...
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