Acta Ornithologica, vol. 34, no. 2

P. [91]-109 : ill. ; 27 cm

DNA fingerprinting or microsatellite PCR studies have disclosed that extra-pair paternity (EPP) is a regular and relevant phenomenon in socially monogamous species. Corresponding genetic data are tabulated for 119 species. Within a species, the EPP can vary between populations and years; it obviously depends on several environmental, ecological and sociobiological constrains. While these explanations can account for variation within certain species or genera, they fail if we look at EPP within the class Aves. We found, that the probability that both mates of a monogamous pair breed together in consecutive years (termed annual pair survival) appears to be negatively correlated with the degree of extra-pair fertilizations (EPF), i.e. longlived species, in which mates have a real chance to raise young together over several seasons show significant lower EPP than species which only mate for a single summer (including many songbirds). Our analysis thus provides another possibility to speculate on the function and benefits of extra-pair copulations (EPC). Data are also given on the evolution of mating systems in New World Blackbirds Icteridae and reed warblers (genus Acrocephalus) based on molecular phylogenies of these groups, indicating a high degree of convergent evolution.

Streszcz. pol. Nazwy taksonów także w jęz. łac.

Referat wygłoszony na Second Meeting of the European Ornithologists' Union

Abstract in Polish. Taxa in Latin

Bibliogr. p. 98-104

S. [91]-109 : il. ; 27 cm

Bibliogr. s. 98-104