title: Is sexual ornamentation an honest signal of male quality in the Chinese grouse (Tetrastes sewerzowi)?
abstract: We examined the variation in sexual ornamentation of male Chinese grouse (Tetrastes sewerzowi) in the Gansu Province, China, seeking to identify factors involved in whether ornament size and brightness are honest signals of male quality. Compared to unmated males, mated males had significantly larger and redder combs and, although they did not have significantly larger territories, they defended them more vigorously. Mated males had significantly higher blood carotenoid and testosterone levels, significantly better body condition, and significantly lower parasite loads than unmated males. Our findings are thus consistent with the hypothesis that comb size and color are honest signals of better male quality in the grouse, mediated through lower parasite loads and/or higher testosterone levels.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. of China ; Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, P. R. of China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. of China ; Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, P. R. of China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. of China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. of China.
authors.forename: Yue-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001824:Body Constitution; D002681:China; D003116:Color; D003129:Comb and Wattles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003463:Cues; D046094:Galliformes / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013731:Territoriality; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone