Pigeon Feet (IMAGE)

University of Utah

Pigeon Feet

Caption

This collage shows the feet of three breeds of domestic pigeon: the scale-footed racing homer (left), and the feather-footed or muffed Indian fantail (center) and fairy swallow pigeon (right). A University of Utah study has shown that two previously known limb-development genes are responsible for foot feathers on pigeons, and that the genes essentially make the legs somewhat more wing-like.

Credit

Sydney Stringham, University of Utah

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