Egg recognition in Cinereous Tits(Parus cinereus):eggshell spots matter  

作　　者：Jianping Liu Canchao Yang Jiangping Yu Haitao Wang Wei Liang 

机构地区：[1]Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands,College of Life Sciences,Hainan Normal University,Haikou 571158,China [2]Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics,School of Life Sciences,Northeast Normal University,Changchun 130024,China [3]Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology,School of Life Sciences,Northeast Normal University,Changchun 130024,China [4]Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization,School of Life Sciences,Northeast Normal University,Changchun 130024,China

出　　处：《Avian Research》2019年第4期447-452,共6页鸟类学研究（英文版）

基　　金：funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.31772453 and 31970427 to WL,No.31672303 to CY and No.31770419 to HW)

摘　　要：Background:Brood parasitic birds such as cuckoos(Cuculus spp.)can reduce their host’s reproductive success.Such selection pressure on the hosts has driven the evolution of defense behaviors such as egg rejection against cuckoo parasitism.Studies have shown that Cinereous Tits(Parus cinereus)in China have a good ability for recognizing foreign eggs.However,it is unclear whether egg spots play a role in egg recognition.The aims of our study were to investigate the egg recognition ability of two Cinereous Tit populations in China and to explore the role of spots in egg recognition.Methods:To test the effect of eggshell spots on egg recognition,pure white eggs of the White-rumped Munia(Lonchura striata)and eggs of White-rumped Munia painted with red brown spots were used to simulate experimental parasitism.Results:Egg experiments showed that Cinereous Tits rejected 51.5%of pure white eggs of the White-rumped Munia,but only 14.3%of spotted eggs of the White-rumped Munia.There was a significant difference in egg recognition and rejection rate between the two egg types.Conclusions:We conclude that eggshell spots on Cinereous Tit eggs had a signaling function and may be essential to tits for recognizing and rejecting parasitic eggs.Background:Brood parasitic birds such as cuckoos(Cuculus spp.) can reduce their host’s reproductive success.Such selection pressure on the hosts has driven the evolution of defense behaviors such as egg rejection against cuckoo parasitism.Studies have shown that Cinereous Tits(Parus cinereus) in China have a good ability for recognizing foreign eggs.However,it is unclear whether egg spots play a role in egg recognition.The aims of our study were to investigate the egg recognition ability of two Cinereous Tit populations in China and to explore the role of spots in egg recognition.Methods:To test the effect of eggshell spots on egg recognition,pure white eggs of the White-rumped Munia(Lonchura striata) and eggs of White-rumped Munia painted with red brown spots were used to simulate experimental parasitism.Results:Egg experiments showed that Cinereous Tits rejected 51.5% of pure white eggs of the White-rumped Munia but only 14.3% of spotted eggs of the White-rumped Munia.There was a significant difference in egg recognition and rejection rate between the two egg types.Conclusions:We conclude that eggshell spots on Cinereous Tit eggs had a signaling function and may be essential to tits for recognizing and rejecting parasitic eggs.

关 键 词：Brood parasitism Egg recognition Egg rejection Eggshell spots Parus cinereus 

分 类 号：R57[医药卫生—消化系统]