Is sexual ornamentation an honest signal of male quality in the Chinese grouse (Tetrastes sewerzowi)?
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Yang C
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3873284 | biostudies-literature | 2013
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Is sexual ornamentation an honest signal of male quality in the Chinese grouse (Tetrastes sewerzowi)?
Yang Chen C Wang Jie J Fang Yun Y Sun Yue-Hua YH
PloS one 20131226 12
We examined the variation in sexual ornamentation of male Chinese grouse (Tetrastes sewerzowi) in the Gansu Province, China, seeking to identify factors involved in whether ornament size and brightness are honest signals of male quality. Compared to unmated males, mated males had significantly larger and redder combs and, although they did not have significantly larger territories, they defended them more vigorously. Mated males had significantly higher blood carotenoid and testosterone levels, ...[more]
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