Pleiotropic effects of melanin pigmentation : haemoparasite infection intensity but not telomere length is associated with plumage morph in black sparrowhawks

There is increasing recognition of the potential pleiotropic effects of melanin pigmentation, particularly on immunity, with reports of variation in haemoparasite infection intensity and immune responses between the morphs of colour-polymorphic bird species. In a population of the black sparrowhawk (Accipiter melanoleucus) in western South Africa, light morphs have a higher haemoparasite infection intensity, but no physiological effects of this are apparent. Here, we investigate the possible effects of haemoparasite infection on telomere length in this species and explore whether relative telomere length is associated with either plumage morph or sex. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, we confirmed that dark morphs had a lower haemoparasite infection intensity than light morphs. However, we found no differences in telomere length associated with either the haemoparasite infection status or morph in adults, although males have longer telomeres than females. While differences in haemoparasite intensity between morphs are consistent with pleiotropic effects of melanin pigmentation in the black sparrowhawk, we found no evidence that telomere length was associated with haemoparasite infection. Further work is needed to investigate the implications of possible pleiotropic effects of plumage morph and their potential role in the maintenance of colour polymorphism in this species.

Sumasgutner, PetraUniversity of Vienna,University of Cape Town (författare)
Tate, GarethUniversity of Cape Town (författare)
Nilsson, Johan F.Lund University,Lunds universitet,Ekologisk och evolutionär fysiologi,Forskargrupper vid Lunds universitet,Evolutionär ekologi och infektionsbiologi,Avdelningar vid Biologiska institutionen,Biologiska institutionen,Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten,Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology,Lund University Research Groups,Evolutionary ecology and infection biology,Sections at the Department of Biology,Department of Biology,Faculty of Science(Swepub:lu)zooe-jni (författare)
Watson, HannahLund University,Lunds universitet,Evolutionär ekologi,Biologiska institutionen,Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten,Ekologisk och evolutionär fysiologi,Forskargrupper vid Lunds universitet,Molekylär ekologi och evolution,Evolutionär ekologi och infektionsbiologi,Avdelningar vid Biologiska institutionen,Evolutionary ecology,Department of Biology,Faculty of Science,Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology,Lund University Research Groups,Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab,Evolutionary ecology and infection biology,Sections at the Department of Biology(Swepub:lu)biol-hnw (författare)
Maritz, Michelle F.University of Cape Town (författare)
Ingle, Robert A.University of Cape Town (författare)
Amar, ArjunUniversity of Cape Town (författare)
University of Cape TownUniversity of Vienna (creator_code:org_t)

Av författaren/redakt...: Rodseth, Edmund; Sumasgutner, Pet ...; Tate, Gareth; Nilsson, Johan F ...; Watson, Hannah; Maritz, Michelle ...; visa fler...; Ingle, Robert A.; Amar, Arjun; visa färre...

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