Evidence of extra-pair paternity in two socially monogamous Australian passerines: the Crescent Honeyeater and the Yellow-faced Honeyeater
John G. Ewen A E , Kate L. Ciborowski A , Rohan H. Clarke B , Rebecca L. Boulton C and Michael F. Clarke DA Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK.
B School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Vic. 3125, Australia.
C Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
D Department of Zoology, La Trobe University, Vic. 3086, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: john.ewen@ioz.ac.uk
Emu 108(2) 133-137 https://doi.org/10.1071/MU07040
Submitted: 4 July 2007 Accepted: 25 March 2008 Published: 11 June 2008
Abstract
The advent of molecular genetic techniques to assign parentage accurately in bird species has revolutionised the view of avian mating strategies. Australia has provided some exciting examples in this modern synthesis of mating strategies, yet there remains a clear bias towards species in the northern hemisphere. We present analyses of molecular assignment of paternity in two species of Australian honeyeater (Meliphagidae), which have only recently had their social mating systems described. We find extensive extra-pair paternity in both the Yellow-faced Honeyeater (Lichenostomus chrysops) and Crescent Honeyeater (Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus). Extra-pair paternity in both species is consistent with some predictions from behavioural observations, for example, extra-territory excursions by breeding females and non-aggressive behaviour of territorial males towards extra-pair females on their territories. In Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, however, there is substantial paternal care from social males, raising interesting questions as to the fitness advantages of differing reproductive tactics of males in this species.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the Zoological Parks and Gardens Board of Victoria, to Parks Victoria and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE) Wilson’s Promontory for permission to work on reserves they manage. We are particularly grateful to Geoff Underwood, Paul Slinger, Jim Whelan and Craig McKenzie for their practical support of the project in the field. We thank Ross and Ching Crozier, Michael Goodisman, Melissa Carew and Bill Jordan for their support and advice on the molecular components of this study, and Michael Goodisman and Janet Hatt for kindly providing accommodation to JGE during laboratory work at James Cook University. The project was conducted in accordance with a colour-banding permit from the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme; Animal Experimentation and Ethics permits from La Trobe University and the Zoological Parks and Gardens Board of Victoria; and research permits from DNRE. This research was supported by an Australian Research Council grant to MFC and an Institute of Zoology post-doctoral research fellowship to JGE.
Barker, F. K. , Cibois, A. , Schikler, P. , Feinstein, J. , and Cracraft, J. (2004). Phylogeny and diversification of the largest avian radiation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 101, 11040–11045.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Birkhead, T. R. , Burke, T. , Zann, R. , Hunter, F. M. , and Krupa, A. P. (1990). Extra-pair paternity and intraspecific brood parasitism in wild zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata, revealed by DNA fingerprinting. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 27, 315–324.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jennions, M. D. , and Petrie, M. (2000). Why do females mate multiply? A review of the genetic benefits. Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society 75, 21–64.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Kikkawa, J. , and Wilson, J. M. (1983). Breeding and dominance among the Heron Island Silvereyes, Zosterops lateralis chlorocephala. Emu 83, 181–198.
Møller, A. P. (2004). Rapid temporal change in frequency of infanticide in a passerine bird associated with change in population density and body condition. Behavioral Ecology 15, 462–468.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Møller, A. P. , and Birkhead, T. R. (1994). The evolution of plumage brightness in birds is related to extrapair paternity. Evolution 48, 1089–1100.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mulder, R. A. , Dunn, P. O. , Cockburn, R. A. , Lazenby-Cohen, K. A. , and Howell, M. J. (1994). Helpers liberate female fairy-wrens from constraints on extra-pair mate choice. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences 255, 223–229.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Owens, I. P. F. , and Hartley, I. R. (1998). Sexual dimorphism in birds: why are there so many different forms of dimorphism? Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences 265(1394), 397–407.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Painter, J. N. , Crozier, R. H. , Crozier, Y. C. , and Clarke, M. F. (1997). Characterization of microsatellite loci for a cooperatively breeding honeyeater. Molecular Ecology 6, 1103–1105.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Painter, J. N. , Crozier, R. H. , Poiani, A. , Robertson, R. J. , and Clarke, M. F. (2000). Complex social organisation reflects genetic structure and relatedness in the cooperatively breeding bell miner, Manorina melanophrys. Molecular Ecology 9, 1339–1347.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Põldmaa, T. , Montgomerie, R. , and Boag, P. T. (1995). Mating system of the cooperatively breeding noisy miner Manorina melanocephala, as revealed by DNA profiling. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 37, 137–143.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Robertson, B. C. , Degnan, S. M. , Kikkawa, J. , and Moritz, C. (2001). Genetic monogamy in the absence of paternity guards: the Capricorn silvereye, Zosterops lateralis chlorocephalus, on Heron Island. Behavioral Ecology 12, 666–673.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Russell, E. M. (2000). Avian life histories: is extended parental care the southern secret? Emu 100, 377–399.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Suetin, G. , White, B. N. , and Boag, P. T. (1991). Preservation of avian blood and tissue samples for DNA analysis. Canadian Journal of Zoology 69, 82–90.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Tarvin, K. A. , Webster, M. S. , Tuttle, E. M. , and Pruett-Jones, S. (2005). Genetic similarity of social mates predicts the level of extrapair paternity in splendid fairy-wrens. Animal Behaviour 70, 945–955.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Whittingham, L. A. , Dunn, P. O. , and Magrath, R. D. (1997). Relatedness, polyandry and extra-group mating in the cooperatively-breeding white-browed scrub-wren (Sericornis frontalis). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 40, 261–270.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |