Asymmetrical expression of transsexual phenotypes in hummingbirds

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
I present evidence for asymmetry in the expression of transsexual traits in adult hummingbirds. Among females, individuals with male–like plumage are common and define a continuous range of variation. Among males, individuals with female–like plumage are rare and define discontinuous plumage morphs. Quantitative characters also distinguish transsexuals from other members of their sex, but the characters involved differ for male–like females (bill length) and female–like males (bill, wing and tail length). Gonadal development is correlated with transsexuality only in males; female–like males have significantly smaller testes than male–like males. Both sexes demonstrate a significant negative association between plumage brightness and bill length. This association suggests an ecological basis for transsexuality because differences in plumage and bill morphology are associated with differences in foraging behaviour within and between hummingbird species. Morphological differences between transsexuals and non–transsexuals imply that plumage sexual dimorphism is more likely to evolve through changes in the frequency of female, rather than male, transsexual variants.