Table Of ContentSHORT COMMUNICATIONS 289
The Wilson Journal ofOrnithology 119(2):289-291, 2007
Bilateral Gynandromorphy in a White-ruffed Manakin (Corapipo altera)
Jeffrey M. DaCosta,'’2-* Garth M. Spellman,' and John Klicka'
—
ABSTRACT We report bilateral gynandromorphy genetic samples from multiple tissue types and toe
in aWhite-ruffedManakin {Corapipoaltera)collected pads from both feet. This report is a novel record of
near Santa Fe, Panama in 2004. The specimen had an gynandromorphy inasuboscinepasserine.Received22
oviduct and ovary on the left side and a single testis July 2006. Accepted 10 September 2006.
on the right. The plumage was phenotypically female
on the right side and male on the left. The weight and
genetic affinity oftheWspecimen werecharacteristically Gynandromorphy is a rare state in which an
female. Both Z and chromosomes were detected in individual exhibits both male and female
traits. This condition often results in a clear
‘ Barrick Museum ofNatural History, University of bilateral demarcation ofmale and female mor-
Nevada Las Vegas, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Box
454012, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA. phology in sexually dimorphic species with
^Currentaddress: Boston University, Departmentof bilateral symmetry. Gynandromorphy is rare
Biology, 5 Cummington St., Boston, MA02215, USA. in birds, but has been observed in a number
^Corresponding author; e-mail: [email protected] of avian families, and is most commonly re-
FIG. 1. Ventral views offemale (A), immature male (B), mature male (C), and bilateral gynandromorph(D)
White-ruffed Manakin skins.
290 THE WILSON JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY • Vol. 119, No. 2, June 2007
FIG. 2. Dorsal views offemale (A), immature male (B), mature male (C), and bilateral gynandromorph (D)
White-ruffed Manakin skins.
ported in the Fringillidae (Kumerloeve 1987, Kumerloeve 1954). The plumage patterns of
Patten 1993). The general pattern in gynan- avian gynandromorphs can be driven by ge-
dromorphs is female plumage characters on netic or hormonal factors, although direct
the left side and male characters on the right, mechanisms are not well known; it is possible
corresponding to the orientation of the ovary that a variety ofpathways can lead to the con-
and testis in birds (Crew and Munroe 1938, dition (Graves et al. 1996).
A White-ruffed Manakin (Corapipo altera)
bilateral gynandromorph was collected on 3
— ABC DE — March 2004 near Santa Fe, Panama during a
G
F scientific expedition co-sponsored by the Bar-
rick Museum of Natural History (MBM) and
III
• « the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
The bird was collected during passive mist
netting and was not observed before its cap-
ture. This specimen was deposited in the
MBM MBM
(voucher 15715) and represents
the first record of a bilateral gynandromorph
FIG. 3. Gel electrophoresis of amplified CHD in a suboscine passerine.
products. Male heart (A), female heart (B), and nega-
Mature male White-ruffed Manakins have a
tive (G) controls were run with gynandromorph prod-
ucts from heart (C), pectoral muscle (D), left (E), and glossy blue-black plumage with white under-
right (F) toe pads. tail coverts and throat. Females are mostly ol-
SHORT COMMUNICATIONS 291
ive green with a pale gray throat, while im- This is the first record of bilateral gynan-
mature males have a patchy appearance where dromorphy in Pipridae, but this condition
blue-black feathers are mixed with a generally could be easily overlooked in the field. Im-
olive green plumage (Snow 2004). The ventral mature male White-ruffed Manakins look like
side ofthe gynandromorph specimen has male females or display a mosaic of female and
plumage characters on the left side and female male plumage characters making the detection
characters on the right (Fig. 1). This config- of a gynandromorph difficult in the field.
uration is “reversed” in regards to the orien- Manakins are well known for their lekking be-
tation ofthe gonads, which is a rare condition havior and courtship displays, and White-
for avian gynandromorphs (Kumerloeve ruffed Manakin males engage in a variety of
1954). There is some overflow of sexual traits solitary and coordinated displays (Rosselli et
across the bilateral line with mostly male traits al. 2002). It is unknown how this, or other,
extending toward the right side. The dorsal gynandromorphic Pipridae might behave in
side ofthe specimen has a mosaic ofmale and such a system.
female colors throughout (Fig. 2), similar to ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
known specimens ofEvening Grosbeak (Coc-
cothraustes vespertinus) gynandromorphs We thank the Smithsonian Tropical Research Insti-
(Laybourne 1967). tute for collaboration and support of the expedition
producing this record, particularly Eldredge Berming-
Female White-ruffed Manakins are gener- ham, Matthew Miller, and Peggy Miller. Donald Bae-
ally larger than males, but there is consider- plerpreparedthe gynandromorph specimen. Thisman-
able overlap in wing, tail, and tarsus measure- uscript was improved by the reviews ofG. R. Graves
ments (Wetmore 1972). Weights (mean ± SD) and M. A. Patten.
for a series ofmales (10.99 ± 0.69 g, n = 16) LITERATURE CITED
and females (12.69 ± 0.96 g, n = 12) were
measured in the field during the same expe- Crew, F. A. E. and S. S. Munroe. 1938. Gynandro-
morphism and lateral asymmetry in birds. Pro-
dition; females had significantly greater mass
ceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 58:
(two-tailed independent r-test, ^25 ~ —5.36, P 114-135.
< 0.001). The gynandromorph specimen Graves, G. R., M. A. Patten, and J. L. Dunn. 1996.
weighed 13.1 g, differing from the distribution Comments on a probable gynandromorphic
of male weights (P = 0.001) but not from fe- Black-throated BlueWarbler. Wilson Bulletin 108:
males (P = 0.33). An oviduct and granular 178-180.
olevfatrsyid(e7.w0itXh 3a.5tesmtims)(2w.e5reX o1b.s5emrvme)d oonn tthhee GriefMDioatlhwess,counlR..a,r1ME9.c9o8l.Co.gAyDoD7u:bN1lA0e7,1t-eK1s.t07Ot5or.rs,exanmdosRt.bJi.rdGs..
right side. During preparation of the gynan- Kumerloeve, H. 1954. On gynandromorphism in
dromorph specimen, three MBM staffverified birds. Emu 54:71-72.
observations ofboth male and female gonads. Kumerloeve, H. 1987. Le gynandromorphisme chez
The specimen had a fully ossified skull and les oiseaux recapitulation des donnees connues.
Alauda 55:1-9.
internal organs appeared normal with pectoral
Laybourne, R. 1967. BilateralgynandrisminanEven-
muscle, liver, and heart samples collected and ing Grosbeak. Auk 84:267-272.
frozen. Patten, M. A. 1993. A probable bilateral gynandro-
The genetic affinity of the specimen was morphic Black-throated Blue Warbler. Wilson
assessed by amplification of the sex-linked Bulletin 105:695-698.
chromo-helicase-DNA-binding (CHD) genes Rosselli, L., P. Vasquez, and 1. Ayub. 2002. The
(Griffiths et al. 1998). The utility of the CHD croufufretdshiMpandiaskpilnaysinanCdosstocaiaRliscay.steWmilosfotnheBuWlhliettei-n
protocol was tested in this species with male 14:165-178.
1
and female controls, which produced single Snow, D. 2004. Family Pipridae (Manakins). Pages
and double bands, respectively. DNA was ex- 110-169 in Handbook of the birds of the world.
tracted from heart, pectoral muscle, and toe Volume 9. Cotingas to pipits and wagtails (J. del
pad samples of the left and right foot of the Hoyo, A. Elliot, and J. Sargatal, Editors). Lynx
Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.
gynandromorph. All samples produced double Wetmore, A. 1972. The Birds ofthe Republic ofPan-
bands, indicating a female genetic affinity ama. Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington,
(ZW) throughout the body (Fig. 3). D.C., USA.
