Dissertation Research: Phylogenetic Examination of Novel Wing Morphology and Function in Mechanical Sound Producing Piprids (Aves: Pipridae)

University Of Kansas Center For Research Inc, Lawrence KS

Investigators

Abstract

0073289 Prum and Bostwick The Neotropical manakins are a family of ca. 40 species of birds located in Central and South America. Male manakins are strikingly colored, and perform elaborate courtship displays for females. One unusual aspect of manakin behavior is the propensity of males to use wing sounds in their displays. Relative to vocal sounds, these "mechanical sounds" are rare among birds. However, in manakins the hypothesized relationships between the species (the phylogeny), together with details about the mechanical sounds themselves (when they are produced during displays, and with which part of the wing, etc.) indicate wing sounds have evolved multiple times within the family. In fact, at least three lineages, Manacini, Ilicurini, and Piprini, independently evolved the ability to produce distinct mechanical wing sounds in courtship displays. Graduate student Kimberly Bostwick, with direction from adviser Dr. Richard Prum, is studying morphological and behavioral features of this mechanical sound production and its evolution in Pipridae birds. Specifically, the project will consider: (1) how the morphology of the wing (the form of the bones, muscles, and feathers) has evolved relative to non-mechanical sound producing birds, and whether it varies between the three mechanical sound-producing lineages, (2) how, behaviorally and physically, the modified morphology is functioning in living birds to produce the wing sounds, and (3) how the morphology, functioning of the wing, and acoustics of the mechanical sounds have evolved through time within the three different lineages. Classical anatomical description will be combined with field video-recording and modern comparative phylogenetic methods to shed light on these questions. Given that the wing sounds are used in courtship displays in which males compete with one another to mate with females, the resultant character evolution (behavioral, morphological, and functional) is likely to be in response to the selection of male displays by females. Thus, the research addresses how sexual selection via female choice has led to morphological diversity in the manakins.