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Review
.2018 May 16;285(1878):20180318.
doi: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0318.

Convergence of biannual moulting strategies across birds and mammals

Affiliations
Review

Convergence of biannual moulting strategies across birds and mammals

Roxanne S Beltran et al. Proc Biol Sci..

Abstract

Birds and mammals have developed numerous strategies for replacing worn feathers and hair. Moulting usually occurs on an annual basis; however, moults that take place twice per year (biannual moults) also occur. Here, we review the forces driving the evolution of various moult strategies, focusing on the special case of the complete biannual moult as a convergence of selection pressures across birds and mammals. Current evidence suggests that harsh environmental conditions or seasonality (e.g. larger variation in temperatures) drive evolution of a biannual moult. In turn, the biannual moult can respond to secondary selection that results in phenotypic alteration such as colour changes for mate choice dynamics (sexual selection) or camouflage requirements (natural selection). We discuss the contributions of natural and sexual selection to the evolution of biannual moulting strategies in the contexts of energetics, niche selection, functionality and physiological mechanisms. Finally, we suggest that moult strategies are directly related to species niche because environmental attributes drive the utility (e.g. thermoregulation, camouflage, social dynamics) of the hair or feathers. Functional efficiency of moult may be undermined if the pace of evolution fails to match that of the changing climate. Thus, future research should seek to understand the plasticity of moult duration and phenology, especially in the context of annual cycles.

Keywords: annual cycle; camouflage; feathers; fur; life history; moult.

© 2018 The Author(s).

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

We declare we have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Selective pressures (boxes) on moulting strategies (ovals), including the group of endotherms that typically exhibits each strategy. Note that catastrophic moult is an extreme case of the annual moult.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
(a) Rock ptarmiganLagopus muta (photographs by Jared Hughey) and (b) snowshoe haresLepus americanus (research photographs by Mills lab) both undergo complete biannual moults, shedding into a thicker, white plumage/pelage before winter and a thinner, dark plumage/pelage before summer. (Online version in colour.)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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