Is Leg Brightness an Indicator of Physical Condition?

Identifier

199

Author

Sarah Michelle Coleman

Date

2022

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Major

Biology

Committee Member

James S. Adelman

Abstract

In numerous animals, dramatic color (e.g., bright reds and yellows) often indicates potential fitness, but it is less clear whether subtle coloration (e.g., greys and browns) could also encode such signals. To determine if subtle coloration could indicate health in a bird species with colorful feathers, house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus), I used spectrometry to quantify leg color during bacterial infection. Birds infected with a more virulent pathogen isolate had paler legs than those infected with a mild isolate. In a separate experiment, legs became darker near the peak of infection and paler during the recovery periods. These results suggest that subtle colors could reliably indicate infection status, and therefore survival potential.

Comments

Undergraduate Honor's Thesis

Library Comment

Honors thesis originally submitted to the Local University of Memphis Honor’s Thesis Repository.

Notes

Data is provided by the student.

Recommended Citation

Coleman, Sarah Michelle, "Is Leg Brightness an Indicator of Physical Condition?" (2022). Honors Theses. 127.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/honors_theses/127