- by Ellendula, S., Sheehan, Z. B., Sayre, M. E., Ponton, F., Narendra, A.Even within a single species, closely related individuals exhibit distinct lifestyles that demand different information processing requirements. Worker ants are ambulatory and handle tasks like colony maintenance and foraging, while winged reproductive castes focus on mating and colony founding. Here, we compare the volumes of functionally distinct brain regions across alate males, alate females, and workers in two species of ants native to Australia, Myrmecia midas and Rhytidoponera metallica, to assess adaptations to behavioural, ecological, and locomotor demands. Female castes […]
- by Oeth, M., Kumar, D., Goblirsch, M., Alburaki, M., Adamczyk, J. J., Karim, S.Introduction: The cellular immune response, mediated by hemocytes, is a fundamental component of honey bee (Apis mellifera) health. However, the specific contribution of hemocyte subtypes to resilience against combined stressors remains poorly characterized. This study investigated the effect of temperature and bacterial challenge on hemocyte abundance. We employed clodronate liposomes (CLD) for the first time in honey bees as a novel tool for the selective depletion of hemocytes to investigate this gap. Methods: Five-day-old (nurses) and fifteen-day-old (foragers) honey bees […]
- by Savage, M., Sanchez, L., Boswell, W., Lu, Y.Xiphophorus fishes serve as important animal models in biomedical research. To investigate colony density influence on growth, we compared 6-, 9-, and 12-month-old fish raised in low- (1 fish/2L), mid- (1 fish/L), and high-density (2 fish/L) in re-circulating aquariums. As expected, the results indicate that fish reared in low-density aquariums exhibit the greatest growth, and fish reared in high-density aquariums result in the least growth.
- by Kumar, D., Goblirsch, M., Adamczyk, J. J., Karim, S.BackgroundHoney bees (Apis mellifera) are essential pollinators that support global food production and economic stability. Their health and survival are threatened by diminishing floral resources, pesticide exposure, parasitic mites, and microbial and viral diseases. Among these stressors, viral infections are particularly challenging, often exacerbated by the parasitic mite, Varroa destructor, a competent vector of multiple honey bee viruses. Understanding the mechanisms underlying honey bee-virus interactions is critical for mitigating the negative impact of infections on colony health. One understudied aspect […]
- by Choi, W., Troya, A.The endophallus is the intromittent, membranous structure inside the aedeagus. It provides unique information for distinguishing taxa: species and genera. In addition to taxonomy, this organ is also useful to get insights about the evolution of the studied taxa, thus informing their classification. Despite the extensive reports on the structure and function of insect genitalia, the endophallus has received less attention than the sclerotized structures of the aedeagus. Several genera in the Agaocephalini rhinoceros beetles can be classified in three […]
- by Brociek, R. A., Alborough, R., Kotowska, A. M., Ferreira, A., Martinez-Jarquin, S., Walczak, M., Beaudoin, F., Gardner, D. S.An accepted and common phenotypic curiosity of Felidae is the presence of intracytoplasmic lipid droplets in renal proximal tubule epithelial cells (RPTEC), also frequently in urine (lipuria). Both outcomes are currently considered, and taught, as incidental – without obvious pathophysiological consequence. This contrasts markedly with clinical (human) medicine where lipid vacuoles in RPTEC are usually associated with metabolic or chronic disease, such as CKD. Despite domestic felids having a high incidence of CKD as they age, no study has fully […]
- by Durosaro, S. O., Zacarias, M. P., Glica, A., Atkinson, E., Rodriguez-Guevara, R., Jones, E., Gomez, A., Barrett, M.On farms, the conditions experienced by black soldier fly (BSF) prepupae may impact their development and survival, altering production goals by changing the fitness of breeding adults. Few studies have addressed the impact of environmental variables (such as substrate type or moisture content), or stressors like handling, on the development and survival of BSF as they transition from prepupae through adulthood. This study examined the effects of pupation substrate (corn cob grits, potting soil, vermiculite, wood chips, and frass), moisture […]
- by Marquez, I. Y., Senaris, J. C., Ballestas, O., Gonzalez, K., Buttermore, C., Mesa, J., Pantin, F., Hernandez, T., Lampo, M.Harlequin toads (Atelopus) are one of the amphibian groups in greatest need of urgent conservation measures, Atelopus cruciger is one of the few species with known stable populations, yet basic natural history, including the embryonic and larval stages, remains largely unknown. We describe for the first time the development of its tadpole, from egg to tail resorption. The tadpole of Atelopus cruciger is gastromyzophorous with a general morphology resembling that for other congeneric species but with a distinct W-shaped whitish […]
- by Apps, P., Makumbe, P., McNutt, J. W.Mammals semiochemicals could provide tools to control pests, deter unwanted behaviours, enhance the survival of imperilled species, and improve the productivity and welfare of domestic animals, but because producing facsimile copies of whole odours is unrealistic in terms of technical challenge and cost, the real-world application of mammals chemical signals depends on mammals responding to simple subsets of the components of their social odours. Experiments in multiple locations in southern Africa have shown that the odour of 3-mercapto-3-methyl-1-butanol (3M3MB), a […]
- by Verma, T., Sirasva, B. K., Jena, S., Behera, D., Anoop, A., Sen, R., Raychoudhury, R.Nasonia is a species complex of four parasitoid wasps. N. vitripennis is cosmopolitan, while the other three species are micro-sympatric with it. This distribution can select for distinct species-specific mate recognition capabilities. However, whether Nasonia males can identify hosts with conspecific females against hosts with heterospecific females is not known. Therefore, we tested this hypothesis in a cafeteria-based choice assay and show that N. vitripennis males can distinguish hosts with conspecific wasps against those parasitised by N. giraulti and N. […]
- by Hebert, C., Favret, C.Fairyflies (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Mymaridae) are a diverse but taxonomically neglected group of parasitoid wasps that attack eggs of other insects. Being among the very smallest of all insects, they are often overlooked in biodiversity surveys despite being one of the most abundant microhymenoptera in many habitats. The traditional approach of morphological sorting for species delimitation can be challenging due to their minute size and meticulous slide-mounting technique. Ways to accelerate their discovery are needed. We conducted the first large-scale study […]
- by Chetboul, V., Boutibou, A., Magnin, M., Bureau, M., Baillon, C., Chai, N.IntroductionCardiovascular diseases are relatively common in elephants, but most cases are diagnosed only postmortem. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is widely used in domestic and captive animals, although its application in elephants has not yet been established. The aim of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility of performing TTE in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), to develop a standardized procedure to optimize image quality, and to assess measurement variability. Materials and MethodsPreliminary trials were conducted in ten elephants, including seven free-ranging […]
- by Kassupa, J. E. A., Andrade, A. O., Bastos, A. S., Moura, G. L. L., Rocha, M. L., do Nascimento Martinez, L., da Silva Afonso, E. K., Costa, W., Bargieri, D. Y., Garcia Teles, C. B., Medeiros, J. F., Kumar, N., Ramos Guimaraes, A. C., Paton, D. G., Catteruccia, F., Araujo, M.Malaria, caused by protozoa of the genus Plasmodium and transmitted to humans through the bite of mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles, remains a public health problem. Long-Lasting Insecticide -treated bed Nets (LLINS) and Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) represent the main vector control measures for malaria prevention. However, to address the concerns of mosquito resistance to pyrethroids, other malaria control strategies are being explored for effectively blocking malaria transmission by eliminating or reducing the parasite in the vector. This study evaluated […]
- by Xu, Y., Bilewitch, J., Pante, E., Zhan, Z., Mills, S., Clark, M., Xu, K.Isidoidae Heestand Saucier, France & Watling, 2021 is a rare octocoral family currently represented by a single genus and species, Isidoides armata Nutting, 1910 recorded in the western Pacific Ocean. The taxonomic status and diversity of Isidoides remain unclear, due to the lack of diagnostic taxonomic features and limited taxon sampling. Based on 23 Isidoides specimens obtained from the northwestern to southwestern Pacific, we carried out morphological and phylogenetic analyses to reveal the taxonomic status of species and develop reliable […]
- by Zhang, X., Hu, Z., Peng, Z., Wang, H., Huang, Y.This study objected to assess the effect of substituting ground corn (GC) with steam-flaked corn (SFC) at various ratios on growth performance, serum biochemistry, rumen fermentation, and microbiome in fattening yaks. Fifty male Maiwa yaks (196.43 {+/-} 16.08 kg) were randomly assigned to five groups: SFC 0, SFC 25, SFC 50, SFC 75, and SFC 100, representing 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% substitution of GC with SFC. Results showed that the dry-matter intake (DMI) in SFC 0 group was […]
- by Ramaswamy, S. S., Sane, S. P.Mound-building termites construct massive structures from soil. These structures contain intricate, interconnected passageways linking multiple chambers and atria, which house the brood and fungus gardens that support wood digestion, while also enabling efficient movement of termites. Remarkably, the major and minor workers who build these structures in their dark, subterranean milieu lack image-forming eyes. Coordinated construction on such a scale requires close communication among thousands of individuals. How do termites communicate and coordinate their activity within the mound? Previous studies […]
- by Goren, M., Galil, B. S., Bronstein, O.1The tufted ghost crab Ocypode cursor is a widespread and ecologically significant inhabitant of Mediterranean sandy beaches, including those of Israel, where it is a characteristic component of the coastal ecosystem. An opportunistic omnivore, O. cursor feeds on a broad range of marine and terrestrial resources, including carrion, and has been reported elsewhere preying on sea turtle eggs and hatchlings and scavenging large carcasses. However, feeding on stranded adult sea turtles, particularly loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta), have not previously been […]
- by SOUGUE, E., Ouedraogo, C. O. W., Some, F. A., Pugh, G., Sagna, A. B., Dah, S. R., Bagayogo, S., Ouedraogo, R. T., Ndiaye, M., Parikh, S., Niang, E. H. M., Foy, B. D., Dabire, R. K.BackgroundThe control of vector-borne diseases is increasingly challenged by widespread insecticide resistance. Therefore, innovative vector control strategies with alternative modes of action are urgently needed. Ivermectin (IVM), an endectocide, has demonstrated toxicity to mosquito species such as Anopheles and Aedes when they feed on treated humans or livestock. In this study, we conducted a laboratory experiment to assess the effect of IVM, at concentrations equivalent to human plasma levels following mass drug administration (MDA), on the survival and fecundity of […]
- by Hayashi, R., Ozawa, H., Seiko, T., Sasai, T., Kishida, T.The barnacle genus Platylepas contains obligate epibionts of marine vertebrates, but the taxonomic status and evolutionary history of the sea-snake specialist, P. ophiophilus, has remained unclear. Here, we reassess the systematics of the genus through an integrative approach, combining morphological examinations with molecular phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial COI and nuclear H3 genes from specimens collected from sea turtles, sea snakes, and a dugong. Our results unequivocally demonstrate that P. ophiophilus is a valid species, phylogenetically and morphologically distinct from the […]
- by Nsabatien, V., Zanga, J., Mvuama, N., Bokulu, A., Lukoki, H., Diza, G., Kantin, D., Mbashi, L., Bosulu, C., Basosila, N., Bukaka, E., Agossa, F., Nagahuedi, J., Palata, J. G., Metelo, E.In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Aedes mosquitoes are principal vectors of medically important arboviruses, with major implications for yellow fever, chikungunya and dengue. However, systematic surveillance of these species remains limited, constrained by competing public health priorities such as malaria and other neglected tropical diseases. This gap in surveillance prevents the rapid detection of changes in the distribution, abundance and behaviour, particularly in rapidly urbanizing environments where breeding habitats are proliferating and ecological conditions are favourable for the […]
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