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Aggressive behaviour is genetically determined and important for reproductive success. An international research team including researchers from the Universities of Sheffield and Edinburgh (UK), Simon Fraser University Burnaby, Canada, and the University of Graz, Austria has now described the genetic changes required that in the ruff, a peculiar wading bird, some males can hit it off with females without fighting other males. The research is published today in the journal Nature Genetics.
Like ancient gladiators, ruff males in elaborated plumage meet in mating arenas every spring to fight vigorously their competitors over females. The most successful fighters are rewarded with the hearts of most of the visiting ladies. However, certain males use other strategies to entice the females, explains Clemens Küpper, an author of the study, who works at the Institute of Zoology at the University of Graz. “There are three kinds of ruffs. Most ruffs use an aggressive so-called ‘independent’ strategy to get the best territory and the attention of the females. However, Satellite and Faeder males are competitive without having to fight other males”, Küpper says.
Satellites are characterised by conspicuous light breeding plumage, whereas Faeder males ‘cross-dress’ as females to avoid being hassled by aggressive ruffs. The two alternative male types use the confusion that frequently arises during the fights among Independents in the mating arenas to rapidly mate with present females.
“The strategy that each ruff adopts is determined by its genes”, Küpper states. Funded by a Marie Curie European Fellowship and a grant of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Küpper and his colleagues analysed genome sequences of Faeder, Satellite and Independent males. They found that an inversion, a rare aberration at one of the chromosomes, is the basis for the behavioural differences between ruff males: “The initial genetic change destroyed one of the genes and can be lethal.” Satellite and Faeder males, however, seem to have evolved other qualities to compensate for this handicap. The inverted part of the chromosome contains several candidate genes for aggressive behaviour, which Küpper plans to study in more detail in the future.
Picture for free download https://public.sharepoint.uni-graz.at/sites/bilderpool/Pool/Forms/DispForm.aspx?...
Ruff males: Satellite (left) and ruff who uses an aggressive strategy
Photo: Clemens Küpper
Contact for further information:
Dr. Clemens Küpper
Institute of Zoology at the University of Graz
Tel. +43 (0)316 380-5605
E-Mail: clemens.kuepper@uni-graz.at
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