Article Abstract:
Allozyme analysis showed that the northern flicker has minimal geographic variation across three subspecies and across thecontinental US. Fixed allelic differences and subspecies-specific groups were not found. Only phosphoglucomutase showed significant spatial heterogeneity, but no clear geographic trends were seen. These results imply that allozymic variation is selectively neutral and the population structure in mitochondrial DNA is different from that in nuclear genes.
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Article Abstract:
The hindlimbs of 51 preserved specimens of northern flicker, Colaptes auratus, were dissected to determine intraspecific variation in the musculature of the lower extremities in this species. Results reveal significant variation in three muscle groups, the iliofibularis, the pubo-ischio-femoralis and the flexor perforatus digiti. These variations may have been brought about by atavism, adaptive variation or random variation.
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Article Abstract:
Waterfowl commonly amalgamate their broods after they are hatched and it has been thought that such mixing was accidental. A new four-year study investigates whether female body condition is related to within-season and between-year variation in the broods of common eider in the northern Baltic. It is indicated that brood-caring decisions may be affected by female body condition.
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