FEATURED PHOTO: OCCURRENCE OF AMELANISTIC MARBLED MURRELETS IN SOUTHEAST ALASKA AND NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Abstract

AUTHORS’ NOTE: ALTHOUGH THE TERMINOLOGY COMMONLY USED TO DESCRIBE ABNORMAL PIGMENTATION IN BIRDS (E.G., ALBINISM, LEUCISM) IS GENERALLY UNDERSTOOD, CONFUSION AND DISAGREEMENTS OVER THE EXACT DEFINITIONS OF SUCH TERMS CAN BE PROBLEMATIC, AND MAY RESULT IN MISREPRESENTATIONS OF THE ACTUAL SOURCE OF ASSOCIATED ABNORMALITIES (VAN GROUW 2006, DAVIS 2007). THEREFORE, IN THIS PAPER WE USE THE MORE GENERAL TERM “AMELANISTIC” TO REFER TO BIRDS THAT LACK MELANIN, EITHER PARTIALLY OR COMPLETELY, WHEN THE CAUSE IS NOT KNOWN.