DUNEDIN, New Zealand — In a remarkable discovery, a zoologist from the University of Otago has spotted an extremely rare bird displaying both male and female characteristics while vacationing in Colombia. This bird, a Green Honeycreeper, was pointed out to Sesquicentennial Distinguished Professor Hamish Spencer by an amateur ornithologist, John Murillo. The bird appears to have unique plumage, half green, which is typical of females, and half blue, characteristic of males.
“Many birdwatchers could go their whole lives and not see a bilateral gynandromorph in any species of bird. The phenomenon is extremely rare in birds, I know of no examples from New Zealand ever. It is very striking, I was very privileged to see it,” Prof. Spencer says in a university release.
The term “bilateral gynandromorph” refers to an organism that exhibits both male and female physical characteristics. In this case, the bird had an amazing split appearance, with one side clearly exhibiting female features and the other side displaying male feathers. This phenomenon is notably rare in birds.
What makes this discovery even more significant are the photographs taken of the bird, which Prof. Spencer describes as “arguably the best of a wild bilateral gynandromorphic bird of any species ever.” These photographs add substantial value to the scientific community, offering a detailed look at this rare occurrence in nature.
The discovery marks only the second recorded instance of gynandromorphism in this species in over a century. Gynandromorphism is a condition where an animal possesses both male and female characteristics in species that typically have separate sexes.
According to Prof. Spencer, such cases are vital for understanding sex determination and sexual behavior in birds. Gynandromorphism is more common among species with strong sexual dimorphism, meaning the males and females have distinctly different appearances. This phenomenon has been recorded in various animal groups, including insects (particularly butterflies), crustaceans, spiders, and even some lizards and rodents.
“This particular example of bilateral gynandromorphy – male one side and female the other – shows that, as in several other species, either side of the bird can be male or female. The phenomenon arises from an error during female cell division to produce an egg, followed by double-fertilization by two sperm,” Prof. Spencer explains.
The zoologist hopes the rare discovery will inspire others to “treasure exceptions” as they always reveal something interesting.
“Be always on the lookout for oddities – who will find the first New Zealand example of a bilateral gynandromorph in a bird?”
The discovery is published in the Journal of Field Ornithology.
You might also be interested in:
"bird" - Google News
December 12, 2023 at 10:36PM
https://ift.tt/9XIoNyQ
Amazing half-female, half-male bird spotted by scientist on vacation - Study Finds
"bird" - Google News
https://ift.tt/HIWvgJU
https://ift.tt/ulsWZdK
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Amazing half-female, half-male bird spotted by scientist on vacation - Study Finds"
Post a Comment