--- On Wed, 3/18/09, evelyn sobielski <koreke77@yahoo.de> wrote:
The really interesting question here - and it is one that
is likely to be swamped by a deluge of faux-feather
headlines - is: why? What is the use of such integumentary
structures? It is hard to see them as evolutionary neutral,
so they are likely to have conferred some benefit. What
precisely did it evolve for?
Camouflage, among other things. In my view, camouflage is the best-guess
for the 'original benefit'. The thing about camo is, it's benefits can
accrue at any moment in the lifespan, and irregardless of climate, age,
sex, or dietary preference. Nor is there any associated behavioral
requirement.