A Test of the Female Mimicry Hypothesis in Painted Buntings (Passerina ciris) Metadata

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Title

  • Main Title A Test of the Female Mimicry Hypothesis in Painted Buntings (Passerina ciris)

Creator

  • Author: Gurley, Christine E
    Creator Type: Personal

Contributor

  • Chair: Johnson, Jeff A.
    Contributor Type: Personal
    Contributor Info: Thesis Co-Advisor
  • Chair: Bednarz, James C
    Contributor Type: Personal
    Contributor Info: Thesis Co-Advisor
  • Committee Member: Dunn, Peter O
    Contributor Type: Personal

Publisher

  • Name: University of North Texas
    Place of Publication: Denton, Texas
    Additional Info: www.unt.edu

Date

  • Creation: 2021-05
  • Embargoed Until: 2021-12-01

Language

  • English

Description

  • Content Description: While female mimicry and lower status signaling hypotheses of delayed plumage maturation have received much discussion in the literature, the experimental tests of these hypotheses have been infrequent. Those experimental tests often use a simulated intruder method with artificial model intruders rather than using live conspecific birds as intruders. Subadult male painted buntings (Passerina ciris) possess delayed plumage maturation where they appear visually identical to adult females during their first potential breeding season, while adult males are strikingly different in plumage coloration. Here I test the behavioral responses in a territorial population of painted buntings that exhibits extreme delayed plumage maturation using a simulated territorial intrusion experiment to measure territorial male behavioral response when presented with live caged intruders of both subadult and adult males. Territorial adult males were significantly more likely to initiate an attack and continue to attack caged adult male intruders than compared to caged subadult male intruders. This result supports both the female mimicry and status signaling hypotheses, and does not support the cryptic hypothesis. Additionally, in anecdotal observations, territorial males occasionally performed mating display behaviors to caged subadult male intruders. These results further suggest that territorial male painted buntings may identify subadult males as potential mates, supporting the female mimicry hypothesis for subadult males in this species. To what degree subadult males may benefit from DPM deserves further study.
  • Physical Description: v, 32 pages

Subject

  • Keyword: female mimicry
  • Keyword: delayed plumage maturation
  • Keyword: status signaling
  • Keyword: Passerina ciris
  • Keyword: plumage color
  • Keyword: intruder experiment

Collection

  • Name: UNT Theses and Dissertations
    Code: UNTETD

Institution

  • Name: UNT Libraries
    Code: UNT

Rights

  • Rights Access: public
  • Rights Holder: Gurley, Christine E
  • Rights License: copyright
  • Rights Statement: Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights Reserved.

Resource Type

  • Thesis or Dissertation

Format

  • Text

Identifier

  • Accession or Local Control No: submission_2349
  • Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metadc1808360

Degree

  • Degree Name: Master of Science
  • Degree Level: Master's
  • Academic Department: Department of Biological Sciences
  • College: College of Science
  • Degree Discipline: Biology
  • Degree Publication Type: thesi
  • Degree Grantor: University of North Texas

Note

  • Embargo Note: The full text of this work residing in the UNT Digital Collection of the UNT Libraries will be completely unavailable for 6 months, beginning with the 1st day of the month following graduation month. Embargo expires on 2021-12-01.
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