Frontiers in Ethology, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 4

Опубликована: Март 20, 2025

Some birds scratch their heads by moving foot ventrally underneath wing and others do so over wing. Two competing hypotheses have been proposed to explain the distribution of these patterns. The phylogenetic hypothesis proposes that underwing route is a novel pattern evolved in as evolution wings meant did not move front leg it does quadrupeds. Consequently, overwing an atavism reflecting tetrapod ancestry birds. biomechanical body morphology or environmental context determines which most effective explains variation across species. Earlier attempts test were limited relatively small, taxonomically biased samples take relationships into account with few morphological traits explicitly compared. present study includes data for 1157 species from 92% avian families expands number plausible ancestral state, at least Neoaves, was scratching, turning original on its head. It also clear analyses head scratching highly labile evolutionary trait that, some orders, repeatedly switches between under Moreover, while likely used clades, failed predict all explanation two forms are independently behavior patterns yet be determined reason can switch different lineages.

Язык: Английский