[First record of the runt eggs of the Imperial Cormorant Phalacrocorax atriceps and the Rock Shag P. magellanicus in the San Jorge Gulf, Argentina]
https://doi.org/10.4081/rio.2020.460
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
[The present study describes for the first time the abnormally small (runt) eggs of the Imperial Cormorant (IC) and Rock Shag (RS) observed during the breeding seasons of 1990/91, 1992/93, 1993/1994, 1994/95 and 1996/97 on the Isabel Island (45°07’S, 66°30’W) and the Galiano Island (45°06’S, 66°25’W), located in the northern San Jorge Gulf, Argentina. The frequency of occurrence of IC runt eggs was 0.2% (n = 995) and their average volume was significantly lower than normal eggs (t = 17.4, P< 0.0001, n = 824). The runt eggs were more spherical than those of normal size (Shape Index: 70.6 vs 64.5 for CI and 74.9 vs 63.9 for RS). The volume of the RS runt egg was 21.1 cm3. The cutoff between normal and runt eggs is between 30 and 35 cm3 for the IC and between 24 and 30 cm3 for the RS. The volume of the runt egg was 42.1% and 53.4% the average volume of the two remaining eggs of the clutch for CI and RS, respectively. None of the consistently observed IC runt eggs hatched and it seems that none of the eggs showing a volume lower than the proposed cutoff is destined to hatch].
[Article in Italian]
Aidala Z. & Hauber M. E., 2010 - Avian egg coloration and visual ecology. Nature Education Knowledge, 3: 53.
Barth E. K., 1967 - Egg dimensions and laying dates of Larus marinus, L. argentatus, L. fuscus, and L. canus. Meddr. Zool. Mus. Oslo, 81: 5–34.
Berry H. H., 1976 - Physiological and behaviuoral ecology of the Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis. Madoqua, 9: 5–55. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/AJA10115498_108
Budd G. M., 1961 - A dwarf egg of the Emperor Penguin. Emu, 61: 203–204. https://doi.org/10.1071/MU961203
Christians J. K., 2002 - Avian egg size: variation within species and inflexibility within individuals. Biol. Rev., 77: 1–26. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11911371/
Cooper J., 1969 - Egg size of the Reed Cormorant. Ostrich, 40: 215. https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/13_112-117_0.pdf
Cooper J., 1986 - Runt eggs of the Jackass Penguin Spheniscus demersus. Cormorant, 13: 112–117.
Cooper J., 1987 - Biology of the Bank Cormorant, Part 5: clutch size, eggs and incubation. Ostrich, 58: 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/00306525.1987.9633667
Coulson J. C., Potts G. R. & Horobin J., 1969 - Variation in the eggs of the Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis). Auk, 86: 232–245.
Crick, H.Q.P., 1995 - The strange case of the whistling oofoo. What are runt eggs? British Birds, 88: 169–180. https://britishbirds.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/article_files/V88/V88_N04/V88_N04_P169_180_A044.pdf
de la Peña M. R., 2006 - Guía de fotos de huevos, nidos y pichones de aves argentinas. Buenos Aires: Editorial Literature of Latin America (LOLA).
de la Peña M. R., 2013 - Nidos y reproducción de aves argentinas. Serie naturaleza, conservación y sociedad N°8. Santa Fe: Ediciones biológicas. http://www.museoameghino.gob.ar/archivos/repositorios/135_descarga_131_descarga_la_version_digital_del_libro.pdf
de Juana E., 1992 - Class Aves (Birds). In del Hoyo J. Elliot A. & Sargatal, J. (eds.) Handbook of the birds of the world, Volume 1: Ostrich to ducks. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions (pp 35–73). https://www.lynxeds.com/product/handbook-of-the-birds-of-the-world-volume-1/
Di Rienzo J. A., Casanoves F., Balzarini M. G., González L., Tablada M. & Robledo C. W., 2010 - Infostat. Grupo infostat; FCA, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Argentina. http://www.infostat.com.ar/ (downloaded on 27th December 2015).
Dorst J., 1976 - La vida de las aves (Tomo II). Barcelona: Destino.
Hauber M. E., 2014 - The book of eggs. A life-size guide to the eggs of six hundred of the world's bird species. Chicago: University Chicago Press.
Hoyt D. F., 1979 - Practical methods of estimating volume and fresh weight of bird eggs. Auk, 96: 73–77.
Johnsgard P. A., 1993 - Cormorants, darters and pelicans of the world. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
Koenig W. D., 1980a - The determination of runt eggs in birds. Wilson Bull., 92: 103–107.
Koenig W. D., 1980b - The incidence of runt eggs in woodpeckers. Wilson Bull., 92: 169–176 https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/wilson/v092n02/p0169-p0176.pdf
Lack D., 1968 - Ecological adaptations for breeding in birds. London: Methuen.
Libenson L., 1997 - Aspectos de la biología reproductiva de Phalacrocorax magellanicus y P. albiventer en el puerto de Comodoro Rivadavia (Chubut: Argentina). Neotrópica, 43: 73–77.
Malacalza V. E., 1984 - Biología reproductiva de Phalacrocorax albiventer. I. Nidificación en Punta Tombo. Centro Nacional Patagónico. Contribución N° 98: 1–13.
Malacalza V. E., 1995 - Aportes al conocimiento de la biología reproductiva de Phalacrocorax magellanicus (Aves: Phalacrocoracidae). Neotrópica, 41: 27–30.
Malacalza V. E. & Navas J. R., 1996 - Biología y ecología reproductiva de Phalacrocorax albiventer (Aves: Phalacrocoracidae) en Punta León, Chubut, Argentina. Orn. Neotrop., 7: 53–61. https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/download/hornero/hornero_v018_n02.pdf
Mallory M. L., Kiff L., Clark R. G., Bowman T., Blums P., Mednis A. & Alisauskas R. T., 2004 - The occurrence of runt eggs in waterfowl clutches. J. Field Ornith., 75: 209–217.
Manning T. H. & Carter B., 1977 - Incidence of runt eggs in the Canada Goose and Semipalmated Sandpiper. Wilson Bull., 89: 469. https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/wilson/v089n03/p0469-p0469.pdf
Mulvihill R. S., 1987 - Runt eggs: a discovery, a synopsis, and a proposal for future study. North American Bird Bander, 12: 94–96. https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/nabb/v012n03/p0094-p0096.pdf
Nelson J. B., 1978 - The Sulidae: Gannets and Boobies. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Nisbet I. C. T., 1978 - Dependence of fledging success on egg-size, parental performance and egg composition in common and roseate terns, Sterna hirundo and S. dougalli. Ibis, 120: 207–215. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1474-919X.1978.tb06777.x
Parsons J., 1970 - Relationship between egg-size and post-hatching chick mortality in the Herring gull (Larus argentatus). Nature (Lond.), 228: 1221–1222. https://www.nature.com/articles/2281221a0
Preston F. W., 1953 - The shape of birds’ eggs. Auk, 70: 160–182.
Preston F. W. & Preston E. J., 1953 - Variation of the shapes of birds' eggs within the clutch. Annals of the Carnegie Museum, 33: 129–139.
Punta, G., 1989 - Guaneras de la Provincia del Chubut. Potencialidad productiva y fundamentos para su manejo racional. Rawson: Dirección de Impresiones Oficiales.
Punta G. & Saravia J., 1993 - Distribución, abundancia y aspectos de la biología reproductiva del Cormorán Cuello Negro Phalacrocorax magellanicus en la Provincia del Chubut, Argentina. Hornero, 13: 295–298.
Punta G., Yorio P., Saravia J. & García Borboroglu P., 2003a - Breeding habitat requirements of Imperial Cormorants (Phalacrocorax atriceps) and Rock Shags (P. magellanicus) in central Patagonia, Argentina. Waterbirds, 26: 176–183.
Punta G., Yorio P., Herrera G. & Saravia J., 2003b - Biología Reproductiva de los Cormoranes Imperial (Phalacrocorax atriceps) y Cuello Negro (P. magellanicus) en el Golfo San Jorge, Chubut, Argentina. Hornero, 18: 103–111. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/70311225.pdf
Punta, G., 2016 - Primera medición de las superficies y estimación poblacional de las colonias de Cormorán Imperial Phalacrocorax atriceps de Isla Chata, Provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina (AVES: PHALACROCORACIDAE). Naturalia Patagónica, 9: 85-91.
Ricklefs R. E., 1975 - Dwarf eggs laid by a starling. Bird Banding, 46: 169.
Ricklefs R. E., Hahn D. C. & Montevecchi W. A., 1978 - The relationship between egg size and chick size in the Laughing gull and Japanese quail. Auk, 95: 135–144. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4085504?origin=JSTOR-pdf&seq=1
Ricklefs R. E. & Montevecchi W. A., 1979 - Size, organic composition and energy content of North Atlantic gannet Morus bassanus eggs. Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 64A: 161–165.
Ritchison G., 1984 - Runt egg in the cardinal. Kentucky Warbler, 604: 63.
Romanoff A. L. & Romanoff A. J., 1949 - The avian egg. New York: John Wiley and Sons. https://www.amazon.com/Avian-Egg-Alexis-L-Romanoff/dp/0471732273
Rothstein S. I., 1973 - The occurrence of unusually small eggs in three species of songbirds. Wilson Bull., 85: 340–342.
Schreiber R. W., 1975 - Unusually small egg of the Brown Pelican. Florida Field Nat., 3: 20.
Shaw P. 1985 - Brood reduction in the Blue-eyed Shag Phalacrocorax atriceps. Ibis, 127: 476–494. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1474-919X.1985.tb04843.x
Siegel S. & Castellan N. J., 1995 - Estadística no paramétrica aplicada a las ciencias de la conducta. México D.F., Trillas. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=6170908
Sokal R. R. & Rohlf F. J., 2012 - Biometry. The principles and practice of statistics in biological research. New York: W. H. Freeman & Company. https://doi.org/10.1002/iroh.19710560218
Solomon S. E., 1991 - Egg and eggshell quality. London: Wolfe.
Tyler C., 1969 - A study of the egg shells of the Gaviiformes, Procellariiformes, Podicipitiformes and Pelecaniformes. J. Zool. Lond., 158: 395–412. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1969.tb02157.x
Warham J., 1990 - The Petrels. Their ecology and breeding systems. London: Academic Press.
Williams A. J., 1980 - Variation in weight of eggs and its effect on the breeding biology of the Great Skua. Emu, 80: 198–202. https://doi.org/10.1080/01584197.1980.11799275
Williams A. J. & Burger A. E., 1979 - Aspects of the breeding biology of the Imperial Cormorant, Phalacrocorax atriceps at Marion Island. Gerfaut, 69: 407–423. https://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do;jsessionid=F6A0157C1F39702BCB895E2EB5C41705?request_locale=ar&recordID=BE19810590862&query=&sourceQuery=&sortField=&sortOrder=&agrovocString=&advQuery=¢erString=&enableField=
Williams A. J., Siegfried W. R. & Cooper J., 1982 - Egg composition and hatching precocity in seabirds. Ibis, 124: 456–470. 10.1111/j.1474-919X.1982.tb03791.x
Zapata A. R. P., 1967 - Observaciones sobre aves de Puerto Deseado Provincia de Santa Cruz. Hornero, 10: 351–378. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/70311956.pdf
PAGEPress has chosen to apply the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) to all manuscripts to be published.
Downloads
Citations
