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- Title
Asymmetric iris heterochromia in birds: the dark crescent of buttonquails.
- Authors
Gutiérrez-Expósito, Carlos
- Abstract
I describe for the first time the unique coloured pattern of the iris of buttonquails (Turnicidae). This unique pattern is due to the presence of a dark-brown crescent in the iris below the pupil, whose form and extent varies in response to light conditions. This dark crescent is present in the eyes of all individuals of Turnix species at every life stage, a consistency that has not been previously observed for the iridal marks found in other avian groups. This consistency suggests that the crescent-shaped spot in buttonquails' eyes is a character subjected to natural selection, probably related to light regulation. This possibility deserves further study.
- Subjects
TURNICIDAE; NATURAL selection; BIRDS; PUPIL (Eye); TURNIX sylvaticus
- Publication
Journal of Ornithology, 2019, Vol 160, Issue 1, p281
- ISSN
2193-7192
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10336-018-1606-4