Oecologia Australis 21(2): 219-221, 2017 10.4257/oeco.2017.2102.14 LEUCISM IN Vanellus chilensis (MOLINA, 1872) (BIRDS: CHARADRIIFORMES) IN PAMPA BIOME, SOUTHERN BRAZIL Luiz Liberato Costa Corrêa 1 *, Natascha Horn 1 , Caroline dos Santos Bruckmann 1 & Maria Virginia Petry 1 1 Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), Laboratório de Ornitologia e Animais Marinhos. Avenida Unisinos, nº 950, Bairro Cristo Rei, São Leopoldo, RS, Brasil. CEP: 93022-000 E-mails: lc_correa@yahoo.com.br, natascha-biologia@hotmail.com, carol_bruckmann@hotmail.com, vpetry@unisinos.br ABSTRACT Plumage aberrations in birds are not unusual and have been sporadically related in literature, in which different patterns and variations are described. We present here a new record of partial leucism in Vanellus chilensis in Southern Brazil. Keywords: aberrant plumage; Charadriidae; chromatic mutation; Southern Lapwing. The Southern Lapwing Vanellus chilensis occurs in Central America, Brazil, to Terra del Fuego, and inhabits open, urban gardens and aquatic environments (Sick 1997). Its distinctive coloring presents grey tones in the head and neck, greyish brown dorse, and wings partially greyish brown, black and white, with a metallic green sheen. Forehead, breast, throat, neck, chest and crest are highlighted in black, and a black tail with tips and edges in white. Irises, beak and legs in reddish tones (Couve & Vidal 2003, Narosky & Yzurieta 2003). Chromatic mutations, also mentioned as aberrant plumage in birds, are related to mutant alleles or environmental reasons, which develops inharmonious gene expression, which in turn, revoke the original pigmentation of the species (Moller & Mosseau 2001, van Grouw 2006). The most commonly recorded mutations in birds are: albinism, brown, dilution, ino, melanins, schizochroism, and leucism. Leucism is caused by the absence of melanin, resulting in the depigmentation of the feathers, making them white, which can occur partially or totally. In some rare cases, bare parts, like beak, tarsus and skin can also present a slight depigmentation (van Grouw 2006, 2014). However, the eyes remain in the usual color (Crossland 2012, van Grouw 2013). Cases of mutations in birds have been reported for various groups, and several types of variations are known (e.g., Gross 1965, Everitt & Miskelly 2003, Urcola 2011, van Grouw et al. 2011, van Grouw 2014, Missagia et al. 2016). In V. chilensis, cases of partial leucism were presented by Cestari & Costa (2007), Franz & Fleck (2009) and Brum et al. (2017). Urcola (2011) also presented a case of partial leucism, as well as two individuals with pastel dilution mutation. Partial leucism in birds frequently affects part of the feathers on the head, chest and wings. Pastel dilution may vary between individuals, due to melanin decrease on the black hues, and can present itself as distinct patterns, grey tones, yellow-brown, cream-brown, and even may present, in contrast with the others, a reddish hue (van Grouw 2006, 2013). In September 25, 2016, a leucistic individual V. chilensis (Figure 1) was registered on a rural area of the Pampa Biome (30°5’5.60"S, 53°34’55.64"W), between the municipalities of Formigueiro and São Sepé, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The area where the record was made is known for its wide extension of fields, small water bodies and a forest fragment of about 450 ha (Corrêa et al. 2010), being used as well for agriculture (rice and soybean planting) and intensive and extensive livestock farming. Although this was the first recorded case of V. chilensis mutation on this area, there were registers of plumage aberrations for other groups of wild birds in nearby areas, such as cases of partial leucism in Passer domesticus (Corrêa et al. 2011), Paroaria coronata (Corrêa et al. 2012) and Columbina picui (Corrêa et al. 2013). Some authors report that species which present some pattern of mutation on their original coloring tend to be excluded from groups or, due to