Eye color has been used as a taxonomic character diagnosing species, although usually (always?) combined with other characters. Eye color is often variable within species, changing with age or differing by sex. But are there any examples where intraspecific eye color varies geographically and might be used to diagnose previously undescribed subspecies?
My amateur understanding is that valid subspecies must differ in ways that can be detected in museum specimens, and that characters not visibly detectable (e.g. song dialects, genetic markers) cannot be used to diagnose valid subspecies.
Eye color is detectable only in living birds, not in specimens (other than perhaps by notes on the label). Just curious if eye color has been or could be used to describe valid subspecies.
Thanks.
My amateur understanding is that valid subspecies must differ in ways that can be detected in museum specimens, and that characters not visibly detectable (e.g. song dialects, genetic markers) cannot be used to diagnose valid subspecies.
Eye color is detectable only in living birds, not in specimens (other than perhaps by notes on the label). Just curious if eye color has been or could be used to describe valid subspecies.
Thanks.