title: Semiochemical compounds of preen secretion reflect genetic make-up in a seabird species.
abstract: Several vertebrates choose their mate according to genetic heterozygosity and relatedness, and use odour cues to assess their conspecifics' genetic make-up. In birds, although several species (including the black-legged kittiwake) exhibit non-random mating according to genetic traits, the cues used to assess genetic characteristics remain unknown. The importance of olfaction in birds' social behaviour is gaining attention among researchers, and it has been suggested that, as in other vertebrates, bird body scent may convey information about genetic traits. Here, we combined gas chromatography data and genetic analyses at microsatellite loci to test whether semiochemical messages in preen secretion of kittiwakes carried information about genetic heterozygosity and relatedness. Semiochemical profile was correlated with heterozygosity in males and females, while semiochemical distance was correlated with genetic distance only in male-male dyads. Our study is the first to demonstrate a link between odour and genetics in birds, which sets the stage for the existence of sophisticated odour-based mechanisms of mate choice also in birds.
authors.affiliation: CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, ENFA, UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique), Toulouse, France. sarah.leclaire@free.fr
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leclaire
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Merkling
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Raynaud
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mulard
authors.forename: Jean-Marie
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bessière
authors.forename: Emeline
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lhuillier
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hatch
authors.forename: Etienne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Danchin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D046091:Charadriiformes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006120:Grooming; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D010675:Pheromones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D012903:Smell; D012919:Social Behavior
chemical_list: D010675:Pheromones