A new genetic study on peacocks and pheasants has discovered that the characteristic ocelli (eyes) so striking in these types of birds appear in some but not in others, suggesting that they evolved independently on several occasions , according to what is clear. of the study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Male peacocks (symbolic bird of Hera, wife of Zeus, in ancient Greece), are large and very colorful birds (especially blue and green) known for their surprising tail that comes to represent 60% of the animal's body and that wears ocelli (or eyes) of shades that go from blue, to gold or red and that they use in mating and courtship rituals. The female does not have this polychrome fan, so the sexual dimorphism is very palpable.
These ornamental eye spots are also found in two additional genera within the Phasianidae to which peacocks belong: Polyplectron and Argusianus . However, the appearance and location of these "eyes" vary substantially, raising the question of whether the ocelli of all these species are homologous. Due to the evolutionary variations between all of them, scientists have concluded that there have been gains and losses of ocelli throughout the evolution of peacocks and pheasants, which would explain that the origin of the ocelli could have been due to a simple mutation. it did not occur in the female genus.
