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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 109(4)

High levels of extra-pair paternity in Superb Fairy-wrens in South Australia despite low frequency of auxiliary males

Diane Colombelli-Négrel A , Beth E. Schlotfeldt A and Sonia Kleindorfer A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: sonia.kleindorfer@flinders.edu.au

Emu 109(4) 300-304 https://doi.org/10.1071/MU09035
Submitted: 5 May 2009  Accepted: 3 October 2009   Published: 24 November 2009

Abstract

The Superb Fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus) is a model system in which to study cooperative breeding and extra-pair paternity. Previous studies in this species have shown that 61–76% of nestlings were extra-pair young and 92–95% of nests contained at least one extra-pair young. Furthermore, the probability of extra-pair paternity was higher when auxiliary males were present. We studied group size and extra-pair paternity in South Australia where, unlike other study sites, auxiliary males were relatively uncommon: 16% of nests had one auxiliary male compared to 37–80% with at least one auxiliary per nest in other studies. We predicted a lower incidence of extra-pair paternity, given the shortage of auxiliary males. Our results did not support this prediction: we found extra-pair paternity among 67% of nestlings and 83% of nests.


Acknowledgements

We thank the Australian Research Council, Department for Environment and Heritage (SA), Sir Mark Mitchell Research Foundation, Holsworth Foundation, and Nature Foundation of South Australia for financial support. The Flinders University Animal Welfare Committee (permit No. E190) and the Department for Environment and Heritage (SA) (permit No. Z24699 5) approved the research.


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