10.5061/DRYAD.FC384RK
Dobson, Ana E.
Griffith University
Schmidt, Daniel J.
Griffith University
Hughes, Jane M.
Griffith University
Data from: Heritability of plumage colour morph variation in a wild
population of promiscuous, long-lived Australian magpies
Dryad
dataset
2019
Cracticus tibicen
plumage variation
2019-02-21T16:00:57Z
2019-02-21T16:00:57Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41437-019-0212-4
24540646 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Colour polymorphisms have evolutionary significance for the generation and
maintenance of species diversity. Demonstrating heritability of
polymorphic traits can be challenging for wild populations of long-lived
species because accurate information is required on trait expression and
familial relationships. The Australian magpie Cracticus tibicen has a
continent-wide distribution featuring several distinct plumage morphs,
differing primarily in colour of back feathers. Black or white backed
morphs occur in eastern Australia, with intermediate morphs common in a
narrow hybrid zone where the two morphs meet. This study investigated
heritability of back colour phenotypes in a hybrid zone population
(Seymour, Victoria) based on long-term observational data and DNA samples
collected over an 18 year period (1993 – 2010). High extra-pair paternity
(~36% offspring), necessitated verification of parent-offspring
relationships by parentage analysis. A total of 538 birds (221 parents and
317 offspring) from 36 territories were analysed. Back colour was a
continuous trait scored on a five-morph scale in the field (0-4). High and
consistent estimates of back colour heritability (h2) were obtained via
weighted midparent regression (h2=0.94) and by animal models (h2=0.92,
C.I. 0.80-0.99). Single-parent heritability estimates indicated neither
maternal nor paternal non-genetic effects (e.g. parent body condition)
played a large role in determining offspring back colour, and
environmental effects of territory group and cohort contributed little to
trait heritability. Distinctive back colouration of the Australian magpie
behaves as a quantitative trait that is likely polygenic, although
mechanisms responsible for maintaining these geographically structured
morphs and the hybrid zone where they meet are unknown.
HDY-18-AO311 Microsatellite genotype dataExcel spreadsheet file containing
genotype scores for eight microsatellite loci used for parentage analysis.
Column 1 “ind_code” = code number of individual bird; Column 2
“territory_code” = code of social territory group to which individual bird
was a member; Columns 3-18 = allele scores for eight microsatellite loci
where the two alleles of each locus appear in separate columns. Locus
names in header: 43, 115b, 115a, 112, 67, 201, 206, 208.- HDY-18-AO311
Back colour morph scoresExcel spreadsheet file containing back colour
morph scores recorded for individual birds at the time they were first
trapped and also for all subsequent field observations made on that
individual. Each row represents data for an individual bird. Column 1
“territory_code” = code of social territory group to which individual bird
was a member; Column 2 “ind_code” = code number of individual bird; Column
3 “Notes_when_trapped” = data on age, sex and back colour morph score
recorded when bird was first trapped and banded (**see key below);
“Average_back_score” = mean back colour morph score across all
observations of an individual bird; “back_score_when_trapped” = back
colour morph score recorded when bird was trapped and in the hand;
“back_scores_when_sighted” = remaining values in row represent back colour
morph scores recorded for subsequent field observations of that
individual. Number of observation vary across individuals. **key to “Notes
when trapped”: This code contains information on age, sex and back colour
morph score. The letter represents age and sex (if adult) i.e. C = chick;
J = juvenile (sometimes recorded as “S” subadult); M = adult male; F =
adult female. The number represents the back colour morph score recorded
when bird was trapped and in the hand (see Supplementary File 1 for
information on back colour morph score coding). For example, “C1” means a
chick with back colour morph score of 1.HDY-18-AO311 Back colour morph
scores for genetically assigned family groupsExcel spreadsheet file
containing back colour morph scores for family groups where chicks have a
genetically assigned mother and father. Column 1 “territory_code” = code
of social territory of family group; Column 2 “parent_midP” = mean back
colour morph score of mother and father; Column 3 ”mom_BC” = back colour
morph score of mother; Column 4 “dad_BC” = back colour morph score of
father; Column 5 “#full_sibs” = number of full sib offspring assigned to
mother and father combination; Column 6 “chick_BC” = back colour morph
score of individual chick; Column 7 “mean_sibs_bc” = mean back colour
morph score across full sibs assigned to mother and father combination;
Column 8 “sibs_BC_SD” = standard deviation of back colour morph score
across full sibs assigned to mother and father combination; Column 9
“unique_identifier” = unique identifier for family group.HDY-18-AO311
animal model R scriptScript containing R commands used for running animal
models using R package MCMCglmm. Requires libraries: MCMCglmm, pedigree,
MasterBayes. Associated input data required is in files “pedigreetxt.txt”
(see File 5) and “phenotypestxt.txt” (see File 6).pedigreetxtText file
containing data on pedigree relationships among individual birds used for
calculating heritability using animal models (see File 4 animal model R
script). This file is required input data for running animal
models.phenotypestxtText file containing data for individual birds on back
colour morph score “BC”, year of birth i.e. cohort “YEAROFBIRTH”, and
territory membership i.e. social group “TERRITORY”. This file is required
input data for running animal models (see File 4 animal model R script).
Australia