- by Sadia, H., Muttaqin, S. S., Alam, P.The accurate representation of color is important in applications involving species identification. Environmental variations introduce inconsistencies in color perception, affecting the reliability of automated image processing algorithms. In previous work, we developed a hybrid algorithm, AInsectID Version 1.1 Color Merge, to overcome challenges posed by over-segmentation and under-segmentation in insect wing color clustering. We achieved this by using color differences between superpixels to measure homogeneity during the superpixels segmentation process. Nevertheless, our algorithm remains sensitive to environmental effects, affecting its […]
- by Perevolotsky, T., Brotman-Krass, J. M., Ratner, Y., Avigad, Y., Summers, A. P., Donatelli, C. M., Holzman, R.Across teleosts, feeding by biting substrate-attached prey has evolved multiple times and is associated with convergent morphologies that include a deep body and an elongated, tapered head. However, the functional role of these morphologies in substrate-biting fish is not established. Here, we tested the hypothesis that these morphologies function as control surfaces that affect feeding kinematics during biting. To test this hypothesis, we used simplified physical models of substrate-biting fish and examined the role of head, body, and fin morphology […]
- by Furukawa, T., Yamane, F., Takeuchi, R., Ohira, T., Toyota, K., Miyazaki, T., Tsutsui, N.In decapod crustaceans, insulin-like androgenic gland factor (IAG) is a well-known peptide hormone produced by the androgenic gland, a male-specific endocrine organ. In certain species classified within Pleocyemata, experimental manipulation of IAG signaling has successfully altered both internal and external sexual characteristics, leading to sex reversal. Therefore, IAG is considered a key regulator of male sexual differentiation and maturation and is thought to be a crustacean androgen. In the kuruma prawn Marsupenaeus japonicus (Dendrobranchiata), an important fishery species in Japan, […]
- by Hirota, K., Sasaki, T., Yoshimura, T., Onodera, S., Hirano, H., Toyama, T., Yoshida, M.-a., Setiamarga, D. H. E.Argonautid octopods of the genus Argonauta possess a shell-like biomineralized external structure called an eggcase. A classical behavioral observation suggested that this structure is produced by the first dorsal arms rather than by the mantle tissue as seen in typical molluscan shells. In this study, we performed detailed microstructural analyses using scanning electron microscopy to investigate the characteristics of normal, undamaged eggcases and regions that had undergone post-damage repair. Our analysis revealed that the eggcase comprises five layers: an outermost […]
- by Messer, F., White-Cooper, H.The Drosophila obscura species group is sperm heteromorphic. Sperm heteromorphism is production of multiple sperm types, or "morphs", within a single male. In the case of the obscura species, males produce two or three sperm morphs of different sizes, simultaneously, within the same testis, and throughout their lifetime. A long sperm morph, the "eusperm" is fertile, whereas shorter sperm morphs, the "parasperm", are non-fertilising and protect the eusperm within the female reproductive tract. Many studies over the past 55 years […]
- by Nagaoka, R., Katayama, T., Higashijima, S.-i., Tanimoto, M.Posture control is crucial for animals. Static posture control in fish remains poorly explored. Recent studies have shown that larval zebrafish perform body flexion during slight roll tilts: the body flexion displaces a gas-filled swim bladder, generating counter-rotation torque for postural recovery through misalignment of gravity and buoyancy forces. Swim bladder deflation impairs this postural recovery, suggesting its critical role. This static posture control strategy may be utilized by many fish species. However, adult fish differ from larvae in morphology […]
- by Cabello, T., Gamez, M.Effective and sustainable pest management is a critical challenge in agriculture. This study evaluated the relative efficacy of three natural compounds –neem oil, boric acid, and gallotannin acid– against larvae of three pest species: Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (F.) (red palm weevil), Plodia interpunctella (Hubner) (Indian meal moth), and Spodoptera exigua (Hubner) (beet armyworm). Laboratory bioassays revealed distinct differences in larval survival and mortality across the species. Neem oil demonstrated high effectiveness against S. exigua larvae, achieving 100% mortality at all tested […]
- by Güney, G., Cedden, D., Scholten, S., Rostas, M.O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=79 SRC="FIGDIR/small/655265v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (26K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1701861org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@50c483org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@957dd9org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@796d5b_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG HighlightsO_LIAestivation initiation is associated with a reduction in translation proteins C_LIO_LIAestivation termination involves changes in proteolysis-related proteins C_LIO_LI23-30% of the changes at the protein level were coherent with the RNA-seq study C_LIO_LITAG and chitin peak, while ATP and glucose get depleted during aestivation C_LI The cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB, Psylliodes chrysocephala) is a major pest of oilseed rape crops and exhibits obligatory adult aestivation, summer […]
- by Tratkiewicz, K., Baczynski, J., Gasiorowski, L.Catenulida is a clade of free-living flatworms found abundantly in freshwater habitats across the globe. Despite their ubiquitous distribution, catenulids remain poorly studied; most of the species are known only from the asexual forms that lack distinct, taxonomically useful characters. Accordingly, the studies of catenulid diversity require application of integrative methods that combine morphological and molecular data. Here, we report the survey of catenulid diversity in Central and Western Europe, with a special focus on the species found in Polish […]
- by Lashley, M. A., Chitwood, M. C., Moeller, A. K., Gulsby, W. D., Potash, A. D., O'Neil, K., Turner, M.Recent declines in wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) populations have prompted extensive research efforts and adjustments to state hunting regulations across the range of wild turkeys. However, research comparing historical and modern vital rates is needed to identify demographic factors that may explain declines. Based on matrix models, adult female survival has the greatest effect on the intrinsic rate of growth. Thus, we hypothesized that changes in annual female survival may explain contemporary declines in populations if that vital rate has […]
- by Nayab, G. e., Rashid, S. B., Khan, S., Sultan, A., Khan, I., Khan, R.The nutritional profiles of dried yellow mealworms and housefly maggots were analyzed and compared with conventional protein sources in poultry diets such as fish meal (FM) and soybean meal (SBM). Nutrient composition was determined through proximate analysis, while amino acid and mineral contents were analyzed using HPLC-based amino acid analyzer and atomic absorption spectrophotometer, respectively. Metabolizable energy (ME) was calculated to estimate energy content per kilogram of feed. The crude protein content of housefly maggots (57.8%) was comparable to that […]
- by Castro, D. P., Genta, F. A., Rogers, M. E.BackgroundLeishmaniasis presents a major public health problem for a large number of countries requiring effective integrated management of the vector, sand flies, for sustained control. Such strategies need to be economically and environmentally sustainable and adaptable to the behaviour of local vectors. One such tool is Attractive Targeted Sugar Baits (ATSB) that exploit the necessity of sand flies to acquire sugars between bloodmeals. Here we explored the kinetics and cues for sugar and blood feeding to improve the efficacy of […]
- by Wold, E., Yang, R., Lynch, J., Liu, E., Gravish, N., Sponberg, S.Powering small-scale flapping flight is challenging, yet insects sustain exceptionally fast wingbeats with ease. Since insects act as tiny biomechanical resonators, tuning their wingbeat frequency to the resonant frequency of their springy thorax and wings could make them more efficient fliers. But operating at resonance poses control problems and potentially constrains wingbeat frequencies within and across species. Resonance may be particularly limiting for the many orders of insects that power flight with specialized muscles that activate in response to mechanical […]
- by Lavigne, A. M., Bullock, R., Hemmings, N.Long-lived species share several life-history traits that make them susceptible to extinction debt: a concept referring to the delayed extinction of species due to their limited ability to adapt to environmental change. This threat may go unnoticed, since adult populations can persist for prolonged periods of time before underlying issues with recruitment lead to sudden declines. Using novel methods for assessing rates of hatching success and embryo survival in reptiles, we provide evidence of extremely low early-life survival across multiple […]
- by Furic, C., Marciau, C., Hsu, B.-Y., Cossin-Sevrin, N., Fleitz, J., Reichert, S., Ruuskanen, S., STIER, A.Climate change represents a major challenge for avian species. It is characterized by an increase in average ambient temperatures, but also in occurrence of extreme weather events, such as heat weaves and cold snaps. These abrupt temperature changes can modify the immediate and long-term survival prospects of nestling birds, when their thermoregulatory capacities are still not fully developed. While immediate nestling survival can easily be measured, long-term survival is more challenging to evaluate. Early-life telomere length has been suggested as […]
- by Chaumel, J., White, C. F., Lauder, G. V.Eagle rays, pelagic eagle rays, cownose rays, and manta rays are the only four batoid families exhibiting oscillatory locomotion, and are characterized by expanded pectoral fins and long, slender tails that can exceed body length. This study investigates whether these tails influence body stability during gliding, when the pectoral fins remain extended and held in position. We first measured relative tail lengths across the four families (Rhinopteridae, Myliobatidae, Aetobatidae, and Mobulidae). Using two 3D-printed models based on a myliobatid body […]
- by lai, b., lin, q.The sperm and testis of Duroc boars were used as research objects. The purpose of this study was to observe the localization of NAGase in Duroc boars testis and the mechanism of its effect on sperm motility. The expression and localization of NAGase in testis tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry. Sperm morphology and histology were observed by H.E. staining. The localization of NAGase in sperm cells was observed by immunofluorescence technique. Acrosome integrity and motion performance (forward motion, head-side swing, […]
- by Ghosh, A., Kumar G.S., G., Sane, S. P.Sustained flight in flies requires wing movements at frequencies ranging between 100-1000 Hz, powered by asynchronous flight muscles whose contraction rate exceeds direct neural stimulation. These muscles attach to the thoracic walls in an indirect flight muscle (IFM) configuration, generating thoracic deformations that drive wing flapping, while smaller steering muscles adjust wing kinematics stroke-by-stroke. The wings articulate with the thorax via the wing hinge, in which the radial stop (RS) and a grooved pleural wing process (PWP) interact to form […]
- by Gupta, B., Sumitha, M. K., Kalimuthu, M., Pandiyan, G. N., Natarajan, R., Gopalakrishnan, S., Paramasivan, R., Rahi, M., Kumar, A.Anopheles stephensi is a primary malaria vector, particularly in urban areas of South Asia and the Middle East. Its recent spread into Africa has raised significant interest in understanding its genetic structure and evolutionary history. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of 98 mitochondrial genomes of An. stephensi from India, Pakistan, and Ethiopia, providing critical insights into the species genetic diversity patterns. High genetic diversity was observed among Indian samples, with two distinct genetic ancestries identified. While one ancestry was […]
- by Carne, A., Sanchez-Vialas, A., Lansac, C., Moreno, M., De la Riva, I. J.Global biodiversity faces severe anthropogenic threats, with alarming extinction rates projected for the near future. Most of Earths diversity remains undescribed, meaning countless species are doomed to extinction before being documented. Since current conservation laws consider only described species, the time to achieve a representative inventory of global biodiversity is crucial for effective conservation. Amphibians, the most endangered vertebrate class, exemplify the challenge: while the number of threatened species rises, new species descriptions rapidly increase, and hundreds of candidate species […]
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