New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
Frequency distribution and environmental correlates of plumage
polymorphism in the grey fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa
Kathryn Atkinson*
James V. Briskie
School of Biological Sciences
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
*Present address: Research & Consultancy, University
of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
kathryn.atkinson@canterbury.ac.nz
Abstract The grey fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa) in
New Zealand displays a striking plumage polymorphism. Some individuals
are coloured almost entirely black (the “black morph”), while other
individuals sport a contrasting brown and white plumage (the “pied
morph”). The adaptive significance of plumage polymorphism in this
species is unknown. We mapped the relative distribution and frequency
of each morph across the entire South Island range of the fantail, and
correlated the frequency of the morphs with a variety of ecological
variables. The black morph comprised <5% of individuals across the
South Island and, contrary to previous observations, was least frequent
at the southern extremes of its range. From historical records, the
frequency of the black morph also appears to have declined, although we
cannot rule out a bias in reporting rates of the black morph in the
literature. The relative frequency of the two morphs was not related to
vegetation type, annual rainfall, altitude, or mean annual temperature.
Although we could not identify an environmental variable that might
explain the distribution of the two morphs over the South Island,
changes in the relative abundance of each morph suggest a dynamic
process that warrants further long-term study.
Keywords grey fantail; morph-ratio clines;
New Zealand;
plumage polymorphism; Rhipidura fuliginosa; South Island
Z07008; Online publication date 14 September 2007; Received 5 March
2007; accepted 7 August 2007
New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 2007, Vol. 34: 273–281
0301–4223/07/3404–0273 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2007
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