Natural and sexual selection drive the evolution of carotenoid-based bare-part ornamentation in shorebirds
Data files
Mar 13, 2026 version files 60.64 KB
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Minias_et_al_RAW_DATA.xlsx
58.24 KB
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README.md
2.40 KB
Abstract
Carotenoid-based plumage ornaments in birds have long been acknowledged to yield honest signal of individual quality and play a role in intra- and inter-sexual interactions. However, much less scientific attention has been devoted to the role and evolution of non-plumage (bare-part) avian ornamentation. Here, we aimed to investigate processes that shaped the evolution of carotenoid-based ornamentation of bare parts (bill and legs) in Charadrii and Scolopaci shorebirds. Our phylogenetically-informed comparative analysis across all extant shorebirds revealed that both natural and sexual selection contributed to the evolution of carotenoid-based bare-part ornamentation. We found evolutionary associations between carotenoid pigmentation and habitat variation, climate, and body size, advocating for the importance of ecological, environment, and life history traits. Sexual selection (mating system bias and sexual size dimorphism) was also identified as an important driver in the evolution of carotenoid-based ornamentation. Underrepresentation of combinations of carotenoid- and melanin-based ornaments suggested overlapping functions of ornamental traits with different developmental origin or excessive costs associated with their simultaneous expression. Our study adds to the understanding of the complex and multi-faceted processes responsible for the evolution of remarkably diverse avian ornamentation.
Description of the data and file structure
The dataset contains one file ("Minias_et_al_RAW_DATA.xlsx") with 30 variables:
- family - family name
- species_common - common species name
- species - scientific species name
- bill_carotenoids - occurrence of carotenoid-based pigmentation in bill (binary)
- bill_red_color - occurrence of red carotenoid-based pigmentation in bill (binary)
- bill_orange_color - occurrence of orange carotenoid-based pigmentation in bill (binary)
- bill_yellow_color - occurrence of yellow carotenoid-based pigmentation in bill (binary)
- legs_carotenoids - occurrence of carotenoid-based pigmentation in legs (binary)
- legs_red_color - occurrence of red carotenoid-based pigmentation in legs (binary)
- legs_orange_color - occurrence of orange carotenoid-based pigmentation in legs (binary)
- legs_yellow_color - occurrence of yellow carotenoid-based pigmentation in legs (binary)
- plumage_ornament_melanin - occurrence of putative melanin-based plumage ornamentation (binary)
- plumage_ornament_eumelanin - occurrence of putative eumelanin-based plumage ornamentation (binary)
- plumage_ornament_pheomelanin - occurrence of putative pheomelanin-based plumage ornamentation (binary)
- iris_color - iris coloration (dark/bright)
- diet_plants - presence of plants in diet (binary)
- diet_vertebrates - presence of vertebrates in diet (binary)
- diet_crustaceans - presence of crustaceans in diet (binary)
- diet_annelids - presence of annelids in diet (binary)
- diet_molluscs - presence of molluscs in diet (binary)
- habitat - dominant habitat (coastal/wetland/grassland/forest_riverine)
- temperature_mean - mean annual temperature (C*10)
- temperature_seasonality - temperature seasonality (SD*100)
- precipitation_mean - annual precipitation (mm)
- precipitation_seasonality - precipitation seasonality (CV)
- body_mass - body mass (g)
- sexual_size_dimorphism - sexual size dimorphism (Gonzalez-Voyer et al. 2022)
- sexual_dichromatism - sexual dichromatism (Gonzalez-Voyer et al. 2022)
- sexual_bias_mating_system - sexual bias in mating system (Gonzalez-Voyer et al. 2022)
- sexual_bias_parental_care - sexual bias in post-mating care (Gonzalez-Voyer et al. 2022)
Sharing/Access information
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Code/Software
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