Kevin Bennett
@kevinfpbennett.bsky.social
Postdoc, Penn State University. Research affiliate, Smithsonian's NMNH. Evolution. Hybridization. Plumage color. Sexual selection. Birds.
Correction needed!!!
October 15, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Correction needed!!!
Spring in Washington, Louis Halle
September 21, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Spring in Washington, Louis Halle
Al, you got et al.-ed! But seriously, nice work!
August 7, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Al, you got et al.-ed! But seriously, nice work!
So what does this mean for plumage introgression? It could mean that we’ve caught this situation as gene flow is temporarily slowed at the river before it continues. Or it could point to geographic variation in female preference or some other unusual scenario. Either would be pretty interesting.
July 8, 2025 at 7:09 PM
So what does this mean for plumage introgression? It could mean that we’ve caught this situation as gene flow is temporarily slowed at the river before it continues. Or it could point to geographic variation in female preference or some other unusual scenario. Either would be pretty interesting.
Finally, we ran demographic models to estimate gene flow and found a similar result. Higher gene flow upriver than downriver. But in both areas, there is plenty of gene flow across the river.
July 8, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Finally, we ran demographic models to estimate gene flow and found a similar result. Higher gene flow upriver than downriver. But in both areas, there is plenty of gene flow across the river.
Second, population structure showed a river effect, but only in the lower reaches of the Changuinola where it is widest. Upriver, there was hardly any population structure. This general pattern mirrors findings from some of the world’s largest rivers, but on a much smaller scale.
July 8, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Second, population structure showed a river effect, but only in the lower reaches of the Changuinola where it is widest. Upriver, there was hardly any population structure. This general pattern mirrors findings from some of the world’s largest rivers, but on a much smaller scale.
What did we find? First, across all sites there was an isolation-by-distance effect, but opposite-bank populations were significantly more divergent than expected given their distance.
July 8, 2025 at 7:09 PM
What did we find? First, across all sites there was an isolation-by-distance effect, but opposite-bank populations were significantly more divergent than expected given their distance.
We used RADseq data from ~200 birds along the river to look at population structure and gene flow, testing the hypothesis that the river is a strong barrier, thus preventing introgression.
July 8, 2025 at 7:09 PM
We used RADseq data from ~200 birds along the river to look at population structure and gene flow, testing the hypothesis that the river is a strong barrier, thus preventing introgression.
Manakins are under strong sexual selection for male traits, and in Panama, female white-collared manakins seem to prefer the yellow plumage of golden-collared manakins. That has led to one-way introgression of yellow plumage, but only as far as the Changuinola River, near the Costa Rican border.
July 8, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Manakins are under strong sexual selection for male traits, and in Panama, female white-collared manakins seem to prefer the yellow plumage of golden-collared manakins. That has led to one-way introgression of yellow plumage, but only as far as the Changuinola River, near the Costa Rican border.
The study species: manakins in the genus Manacus. They do acrobatic courtship dances and make wing-snap sounds to woo females.
July 8, 2025 at 7:09 PM
The study species: manakins in the genus Manacus. They do acrobatic courtship dances and make wing-snap sounds to woo females.
Timeline cleanse raccoon.
April 25, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Timeline cleanse raccoon.
Lesser for sure. Here's a crummy phone-scoped greater I took a while ago from the same angle. Super jowly. Also really wide black nail on the bill.
February 19, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Lesser for sure. Here's a crummy phone-scoped greater I took a while ago from the same angle. Super jowly. Also really wide black nail on the bill.
Parents to toddlers all have goofy Spotify Wrappeds.
December 8, 2024 at 3:10 AM
Parents to toddlers all have goofy Spotify Wrappeds.
Iconic citation. Not sure if anyone's read it though.
November 21, 2024 at 1:14 AM
Iconic citation. Not sure if anyone's read it though.
Bonus video of dancing manakins!
November 20, 2024 at 8:01 PM
Bonus video of dancing manakins!
There's more meat to the paper beyond this, including interesting microstructural modifications to colorful feathers and our speculation about how they might affect fitness.
November 20, 2024 at 8:01 PM
There's more meat to the paper beyond this, including interesting microstructural modifications to colorful feathers and our speculation about how they might affect fitness.
So we looked for evidence of past gene flow between golden-collared and orange-collared manakins. Surprise! The same region of BCO2 shows evidence of past introgression from orange-collared to golden-collared manakins.
November 20, 2024 at 8:01 PM
So we looked for evidence of past gene flow between golden-collared and orange-collared manakins. Surprise! The same region of BCO2 shows evidence of past introgression from orange-collared to golden-collared manakins.
But the related orange-collared manakin is colorful, too. Did it acquire the trait independently? Or has there been gene flow with that species, too? Geoff Hill's group (including Matt Powers and Nick Justyn) ID'd feather carotenoids, and all species use the same one: lutein.
November 20, 2024 at 8:01 PM
But the related orange-collared manakin is colorful, too. Did it acquire the trait independently? Or has there been gene flow with that species, too? Geoff Hill's group (including Matt Powers and Nick Justyn) ID'd feather carotenoids, and all species use the same one: lutein.
We sequenced parental and introgressed populations and identified carotenoid metabolism enzyme BCO2 as the principal driver of the color phenotype.
November 20, 2024 at 8:01 PM
We sequenced parental and introgressed populations and identified carotenoid metabolism enzyme BCO2 as the principal driver of the color phenotype.
Previous work showed that yellow collars have spread from golden-collared manakins (Manacus vitellinus) into white-collared manakins (M. candei) through female preference for the trait.
November 20, 2024 at 8:01 PM
Previous work showed that yellow collars have spread from golden-collared manakins (Manacus vitellinus) into white-collared manakins (M. candei) through female preference for the trait.
Published today, plumage color genomics! We trace the evolutionary history of a trait under sexual selection in a genus of dancing manakins. Co-led with H.C. Lim. #evobio #birds 🧪 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
November 20, 2024 at 8:01 PM
Published today, plumage color genomics! We trace the evolutionary history of a trait under sexual selection in a genus of dancing manakins. Co-led with H.C. Lim. #evobio #birds 🧪 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
I come from a long line of
November 2, 2023 at 4:35 PM
I come from a long line of
Sights from this morning's birding.
October 29, 2023 at 5:01 PM
Sights from this morning's birding.
More wildlife at home. Moving a ring-necked snake from the basement to the yard.
September 10, 2023 at 3:34 PM
More wildlife at home. Moving a ring-necked snake from the basement to the yard.