Wattle (anatomy)

A wattle is a fleshy dewlap or caruncle hanging from various parts of the head or neck in several groups of birds, goats and other animals. In some birds the caruncle is erectile tissue.^[1]

The wattle is frequently an organ of sexual dimorphism. In some cases within the bird world the caruncle has a feather covering, whilst in other cases the feathers are sparse or absent.^[2]

Contents 1 Birds 1.1 Function 1.2 Examples 2 Mammals 3 See also 4 References 5 Notes

Birds

Function

In birds the wattle is often an ornament for courting potential mates. A large wattle is correlated with high testosterone levels, good nutrition, and the ability to evade predators, which in turn suggests a successful mate. It has also been proposed that ornamental organs such as the wattle are also associated with genes coding for disease resistance.^[3]

Examples

Birds with wattles include:

• From the neck or throat
  • Birds of the family Casuarius: the Northern, Southern, and Dwarf cassowaries
  • Galliformes (e.g., wild turkeys,^[4] chickens)
  • Some vultures
  • Some lapwings
  • Some^[5] Australian wattlebirds (Anthochaera spp.)
  • The New Zealand wattlebirds (Callaeidae), which include the Kokako, Tieke or Saddleback, and the Huia
• From below the eyes
  • The African Wattle-eye or Puffback Flycatcher
  • Many male pheasants
  • Spectacled Tyrant

Mammals

Mammals with wattles include:

• Many domestic goats, as a fleshy protuberance hanging either side of the throat
• Some domestic pigs (such as most kunekunes), as a fleshy protuberance hanging either side of the throat

See also

• Comb (anatomy) - the fleshy structure present atop the heads of many Galliform species
• Dubbing - Wattle removal

References

Notes

• John White. 1790. Voyage to New South Wales
• Richard Bowdler Sharpe. 1888. Catalogue of the birds in the British Museum‎, British Natural History Museum Department of Zoology