Sex Determination by Morphology in New Holland Honeyeaters, Phylidonyris Novaehollandiae: Contrasting Two Popular Techniques Across Regions STEVEN MYERS, DAVID C
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December 2012 1 Sex determination by morphology in New Holland Honeyeaters, Phylidonyris novaehollandiae: contrasting two popular techniques across regions SteVeN MYeRS, dAVid C. PAtoN ANd SoNiA KLeiNdoRFeR Abstract dichromatism or dimorphism. In such cases, Sex determination of individuals is often required sex may be determined non-invasively using for ecological and behavioural studies but is difficult behavioural cues (Baeyens 1981), or by the to carry out in the field for species that are only presence of a brood patch on incubating females slightly dimorphic. To address this issue, researchers or a protruding cloaca in males. However, may use a variety of methods that rely solely on these approaches are usually only possible with morphological measurements for sex determination. sexually active individuals during the breeding There are two main groups of morphological methods; season. (1) based on discriminant analysis, and (2) based on resolving mixed-modal distributions. Here, we The difficulties of sex determination for species use one method from each of the two groups to sex with only slight sexual dimorphism may the slightly dimorphic New Holland Honeyeater, be overcome by examining morphological Phylidonyris novaehollandiae, in South Australia, measurements. Two techniques that can be used and we compare results of the two methods in relation to determine sex based solely on morphological to a genetic standard. We found that performance of measurements are cited above all others: (1) both methods was comparable, but varied between more traditional methods based on resolving populations. We also found regional differences in the mixed-modal distributions (Disney 1966; Rogers best discriminating variables for morphological sex et al. 1986; Rogers and Rogers 1995; Higgins and determination. This regional variation in performance Peter 2002; Twedt 2004; Morgan 2005), and (2) of methods indicates that a single method for a more recently emerging method that utilises morphological sex determination cannot be applied discriminant analysis (Phillips and Furness 1997; across regions, even within species; furthermore, Bavoux et al. 2006; Kesler, Lopes and Haig 2006; average morphological trait values should be reviewed Alarcos et al. 2007; Hermosell et al. 2007; Jakubas across years given the possible role of selection or drift and Wojczulanis 2007; Svagelj and Quintana to influence phenotype. We suggest that when accurate 2007; Kochert and McKinley 2008; Pitzer et sex discrimination is important, an alternate, reliable al. 2008). Discriminant analysis explores the method, such as anatomical or genetic identification, predictive ability of a number of user-defined should be favoured above morphological methods. independent variables on a single categorical dependent variable. The best linear combination of traits is used to calculate the discriminant IntRoductioN function. The probability that an individual with given measurements will belong to either sex Sex determination of individuals is often can be calculated from the discriminant function. required for ecological and behavioural studies On the other hand, for the mixed modal method, where sex ratio, paternity, and parental care are researchers identify the single best predictor commonly investigated. For sexually dimorphic trait, and the mean and standard deviation species, visual inspection of individuals is for each sex for this trait are used to construct sufficient for determining sex. However, many normal density curves. The probability that bird species lack consistently observable sexual an individual with a given measurement will 2 South Australian Ornithologist 38 (1 & 2) belong to either sex can be calculated from these development of methods arises through regional curves. This information is used to develop variation in body size (Latham 1790; Mathews upper and lower cut-off values for which any 1918-27; Salomonsen 1966; Pyke and Armstrong individual having a measurement above or 1993; Higgins and Peter 2002). below can be assigned a sex with a given margin of uncertainty chosen by the user. Our study area spans two geographically distinct regions, Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo The New Holland Honeyeater, Phylidonyris Island, for which previous body size variation novaehollandiae, is a common Australian has been observed (Mathews 1918-27). In this passerine that plays a key role in ecosystem study on P. novaehollandiae in South Australia, function (Ford & Paton 1977; Ford, Paton, and we (1) genetically sex individual birds for which Neville 1979; Paton 1981, 1982; Driskell and we have morphological data, (2) investigate Christidis 2004). Sex determination has been an the extent of sexual size dimorphism for all ongoing challenge in P. novaehollandiae (Disney measured morphological traits in Kangaroo 1966; Rogers et al. 1986; Pyke and Armstrong Island and Fleurieu Peninsula, (3) develop 1993; Rogers and Rogers 1995). Disney (1966) criteria for sex determination by the two reported a morphological sex difference in P. morphologic methods (mixed-modal and novaehollandiae and proposed that measurement discriminant analysis), and (4) compare the of the extreme wingspan could discriminate predictive power of both morphologic methods. between the sexes. However, taking this measurement in live, wild birds is difficult MetHodS and can trigger undesired stress response in small birds; hence, this measurement is seldom We mist-netted birds across sites over a five- taken. A more common measurement that year period, between 2004 and 2008 (see also has been used for sex determination in birds, Oorebeek and Kleindorfer 2008a, b; Oorebeek, including honeyeaters, is the bill-head length Sharrad and Kleindorfer 2009; Oorebeek and measurement (Rooke 1976). Many highly Kleindorfer 2009; Chapman et al. 2009). To regarded bird manuals report use of bill-head minimise sampling bias across the sampling length with the mixed modal method for sex period, banding trips to each site were carried discrimination (Rogers et al. 1986; Schodde and out annually during the same months (May, June, Mason 1999; Higgins and Peter 2002); however, September). We caught and measured a total of reliable criteria for P. novaehollandiae have not 417 adult birds. Each bird was banded with an been published. aluminium identification band, measured for morphological characteristics, and sampled for One factor impeding the development of blood that was stored on FTA paper for DNA morphological methods for sex determination analysis (see Kleindorfer, Lambert and Paton has been the need for a large sample size 2006; Myers et al. 2009). to accurately represent the overall study population (Rogers and Rogers 1995). The Morphologic data were collected at seven sites development of primers for genetic sexing in within South Australia: (1) Newland Head birds (Griffiths et al. 1998; Kahn, St John and Conservation Park, (2) Scott Conservation Park, Quinn 1998; Jensen, Pernasetti and Durrant (3) Cox Scrub Conservation Park, (4) Sandy Creek 2003) enables a reliable method for sex Conservation Park, (5) Scott Creek Conservation determination that can be easily applied to large Park, (6) Flinders Chase National Park, and (7) sample sizes. This approach allows examination Pelican Lagoon Conservation Park. The sites of morphological sex variation at a large scale. span two geographically distinct regions; (1) In P. novaehollandiae, further impediment in Fleurieu Peninsula (FP), and (2) Kangaroo Island December 2012 3 (KI). Dominant flora at each site is described We examined eight morphological traits that in Rix (1976), Ford and Paton (1977, 1982), have been shown to correlate with body size Westphal et al. (2003), Kleindorfer, Lambert and in birds (Rising and Somers 1989; Piersma and Paton (2006), Schlotfeldt and Kleindorfer (2006), Davidson 1991; Senar and Pascual 1997): (1) McGuire and Kleindorfer (2007), and Galligan bill-head length; (2) bill length from the tip of and Kleindorfer (2008). the bill to the base of the bill, where the feathers begin (bill-feathers length); (3) bill length from We determined sex of each bird by genetics the tip of the bill to the anterior extreme of using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) the nostril (bill-nostril length); (4) bill depth, method of Kahn, St John and Quinn (1998) and measured at the base of the bill (bill depth); (5) conditions outlined by Jensen, Pernasetti and bill width at the base of the bill (bill width); Durrant (2003). Briefly, each PCR contained 1x (6) tarsometatarsus length (tarsus); (7) length Taq polymerase buffer, 4 mM MgCl2, 0.8 mM of the flattened wing (wing); and (8) mass. To dNTPs, 0.16μM each primer, and 0.02 U/μL Taq determine the extent of sexual dimorphism in polymerase (AmpliTaq Gold). The temperature P. novaehollandiae and the influence of region, profile included an initial denaturation at we carried out MANOVA using the eight 94°C for 9 min; followed by 35 cycles of 94°C morphological traits as independent variables for 45 s, 56°C for 45 s, and 72°C for 45 s; and and sex, as identified by genetics, as a fixed a final extension of 72°C for 6 min. All 417 factor, as well as region (SPSS 14.0; SPSS birds had sex successfully assigned using this Inc., Chicago, IL). The MANOVA showed a method. We assumed 100% accuracy of sex significant effect of sex (F = 52.510; P < 0.001; assignments; however, there is likely to be Wilk’s Lambda = 0.491; Partial ETA2 = 0.509) a small degree of error associated with this and region (F = 17.589; P < 0.001; Wilk’s Lambda method (~ 0.5%) due to contaminating agents = 0.743; Partial ETA2 = 0.257) on morphological entering the PCR (Daniel et al. 2007). While variation, and no significant interaction there are methods available to minimise and effect between sex and region. This result essentially eradicate this error, they are costly suggests that, in this system, regions should be and time consuming, and a 0.5% error is not considered separately for the development of likely to have a significant effect on the results. morphologic methods of sex determination; and Therefore, we opted against using methods to this is how we proceeded. alleviate this small degree of error.