Evolutionary origins of manakins’ dazzling dances
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 23-Jun-2026 16:16 ET (23-Jun-2026 20:16 GMT/UTC)
To the point:
Fruit first, fancy footwork later: A new study finds the courtship dances of the manakins – one of the most charismatic groups of birds on Earth – trace back to changes deep in their ancestry and may be linked to their fruit-rich diet.
Same answer, different routes: Manakins re-evolved a sense of sweet taste, as hummingbirds, songbirds and woodpeckers each did separately, by repurposing the receptor for savory taste.
Genome-enabled discovery: Manakins are one of the most intensively-studied groups of birds: this first set of genomes provides resources to the community to explore the genomic changes underlying their unique behaviors and physiologies.
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