Lay Summary

• There is equivocal support for direct associations between maternal quality and deposition of protoporphyrin pigmentation (dark spots and blotches) in avian eggshells.• Research on protoporphyrin eggshell pigmentation has primarily focused on a single avian order (Passeriformes).• We examined associations of protoporphyrin-based eggshell pigmentation with female phenotypic and genetic traits in a non-passerine species, the Eurasian Coot.• Deposition of protoporphyrin in eggshells (total number per area of egg spots) positively correlated with female condition and expression of a putative bare-part ornament (frontal shield), while it was negatively associated with the level of physiological stress.• Protoporphyrin-based eggshell pigmentation acts as a reliable signal of female phenotypic (but not genetic) traits in the Eurasian Coot.• Signaling properties of protoporphyrin-based egg coloration are likely to largely differ between different evolutionary lineages of birds.

中文翻译：

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鸡蛋的斑点反映了普通拉利尔物种中的雌性状况，生理压力和装饰物表达

放置摘要

•明确支持母体质量与禽蛋壳中原卟啉色素沉着（暗斑和斑点）之间的直接关联。•原卟啉蛋壳色素沉着的研究主要集中于单个禽类（Passeriformes）。•我们检查了原卟啉的关联种非雌性物种，欧亚老傻瓜的雌性表型和遗传特征导致的蛋壳色素沉着。蛋壳中原卟啉的沉积（每卵斑的总数）与雌性状况和假定的裸露装饰物的表达呈正相关（额叶盾），而与生理压力水平呈负相关。•基于原卟啉的蛋壳色素沉着是欧亚老傻瓜中女性表型（而非遗传）性状的可靠信号。•基于原卟啉的卵色的信号传导特性可能在鸟类的不同进化谱系之间存在很大差异。