Melanocortin-1-receptor (MC1R) variation is not associated with parasite burdens in neotropical bird, the bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)

MacColl, Andrew D. C., Stevenson, Ian R. and Richardson, David ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7226-9074 (2013) Melanocortin-1-receptor (MC1R) variation is not associated with parasite burdens in neotropical bird, the bananaquit (Coereba flaveola). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 108 (4). pp. 882-888. ISSN 0024-4066

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Abstract

It has been suggested that selection on melanocortin-1-receptor (MC1R) polymorphism, a common cause of melanic colour variation in vertebrates, results from pleiotropic effects of the gene in the immune system. Here we present the first test of whether MC1R variation is associated with differences in parasite abundance in a natural population. Bananaquits (Coereba flaveola) (Linnaeus, 1758) living on Grenada in the Caribbean exhibit a melanic plumage dimorphism as a result of a mutation in MC1R. The proportion of black individuals increases clinally towards the central, wetter parts of the island. We captured bananaquits through the cline and quantified parasite abundances. Avian malaria, feather mites, and mallophaga lice varied significantly in abundance across the cline; however, neither these infections, nor coccidia, nor arboviruses showed overall differences between the morphs. Feather mites tended to be more abundant on black individuals, in areas where the black morph was more common. This may result from differences in microhabitat use by the two morphs. These patterns do not support the idea that MC1R variation in itself results in differing susceptibility to parasites. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	sdg 3 - good health and well-being ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Organisms and the Environment
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	06 Jul 2013 08:52
Last Modified:	17 May 2023 00:47
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/42697
DOI:	10.1111/bij.12009

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