Cuckoo finch eggs laid by different females (IMAGE)
Caption
Cuckoo finch eggs laid by different females. Diversity of maternally inherited egg phenotypes within a single interbreeding species, the brood-parasitic cuckoo finch. Different cuckoo finch matrilines mimic the eggs of different host species (here, tawny-flanked prinia and red-faced cisticola) and have further diversified to approximate the range of variable egg "signatures" within each host species, an anti-parasite adaptation that aids host parents in recognizing their own eggs.
Credit
Claire N. Spottiswoode
Usage Restrictions
Credit must be given to the creator. Adaptations must be shared under the same terms.
License
CC BY-SA