- by Chen, L.-Y., Lin, X.-Y., Wang, K.-X., Xiao, F., Tang, H.-T., Dong, S., Zheng, L.-L., Xia, Y.-H.Elongases are essential enzymes in the biosynthesis of sex pheromones in many lepidopteran species. Together with desaturases, they determine the carbon skeletons of many pheromone precursors, thereby contributing to the production of species-specific chemical signals. However, to date, such fatty acyl elongase gene has not been functionally characterized. The rice leaffolder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, utilizes a blend of C18 monounsaturated aldehydes and alcohols as its sex pheromone, implying a critical elongation step from C16 precursors. In this study, we performed pheromone […]
- by Jaeger, J. H., Tarrant, D., Richards, M. P., Ulriksen, J., Sarauw, T., Kastholm, O. T., Nielsen, J.Stable isotope analysis provides an important tool for reconstructing past livestock management practices and landscape use. However, isotopic data for sheep from Late Iron Age (AD 375/400-1050) Denmark remain limited. Here, we present bulk bone collagen {delta}13C, {delta}15N, and {delta}34S isotope analyses of 27 sheep (Ovis aries) from six archaeological sites in Denmark, dated to the Germanic Iron Age (AD 375/400-750) and Viking Age (AD 750-1050). The analysed sheep exhibit a consistent pattern of enriched {delta}13C values relative to previously […]
- by Wilhite, D. R., Miller, D., Schilz, A., Brown, M. B., Fennessy, J., Fennessy, S., Newman, K.Giraffe in human care are known to experience significant clinical issues related to their feet. To characterize normal foot anatomy, we analyzed six sets of front and hind feet from wild Angolan giraffe and one calf in human care. We used computed tomography, three-dimensional reconstruction, sagittal sections, and gross dissection to acquire as much gross anatomical detail as possible. Significant anatomical findings include the deep digital flexor tendon that is very gracile as it crosses the fetlock and proximal phalanges […]
- by Gilbert, H., Foury, A., Agboola, L., Devailly, G., Gondret, F., Moisan, M.-P.Improving feed efficiency in pigs is essential for reducing production costs and environmental impacts. This study examines the influence of circadian feeding rhythms and genetic polymorphisms on feed efficiency variability using two pig lines divergently selected for Residual Feed Intake (RFI) over ten generations. Feeding behavior was monitored using automatic concentrate dispensers, recording 6,494,097 visits from 3,824 pigs to analyze meal frequency, duration, and diurnal patterns. LRFI pigs ate less frequently, with larger meals and longer durations, they exhibited two […]
- by Person, E. S., Andreadis, C. R., Beaton, A. G., Namunyak, A. N., Kariuki, E., Solheim, P., Taylor, A., Leimgruber, P., Moraes, R. N., Iaizzo, P. A., Tung, J., Pontzer, H., Akinyi, M. Y., Alberts, S. C., van Dam, T. J., Laske, T. G., Archie, E. A.Cardiac rate and rhythm reveal how animals adapt physiologically to day-to-day challenges, with consequences for health and fitness. However, these data remain difficult to collect in wild animals, despite their relevance for individual health and fitness. Here, we present a system for collecting and transmitting long-term, fine-scaled physiological data in wild animals. We implanted Bluetooth-enabled cardiac and physiological monitor devices in three wild adult female baboons in the Amboseli ecosystem in Kenya and paired these devices with collars that enabled […]
- by Corsetti, T. C., Walker, F. M., Holton, P. B., Sanchez, D. E., Allan, G. J., Lyman, J. A., Chambers, C. L., Beier, P.Dams can significantly alter natural riverine systems, but their impact on movement across rivers for most terrestrial vertebrates is poorly known. The completion of Glen Canyon and Flaming Gorge dams in Arizona and Utah (southwestern United States) profoundly changed the Colorado and Green Rivers and have altered habitat for many species. The common side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana) offers an excellent opportunity to examine the effects of riverine impoundments on migration and gene flow in terrestrial biodiversity. To assess these effects, […]
- by Auscavitch, S. R., Reft, A., Collens, A. B., Mah, C., Best, M., Benedict, C., Rodriguez, E., Daly, M., Collins, A. G.The discovery and collection of the enigmatic Golden Orb by the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer and ROV Deep Discover in deep Alaskan waters during 2023 has yielded substantial interest by the scientific and public communities alike. Initial field identifications of the specimen collected at 3,250 meters depth ranged from an egg mass to sponge to microbial biofilm. Here we characterize the biology and ecology of the Golden Orb, as well as other specimens of similar appearance identified since the collection […]
- by Dutta, S., Gross, V., Hering, L., Klein, M., Flenner, S., Greving, I., Longo, E., Mayer, G.Panarthropod vision exhibits extraordinary morphological and functional diversity, yet the sensory biology of tardigrades–microscopic extremophiles renowned for their resilience–remains poorly understood. In the model tardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris, we uncover an unprecedented expansion of opsin genes, with over 100 paralogs constituting the largest known opsin repertoire in any animal. Paradoxically, the visual system is structurally minimalist: a paired, inverse pigment-cup ocellus embedded within the brain lobes, forming a single-pixel, dual-receptor organ. Integrating genomic, phylogenetic, molecular expression, and ultrastructural analyses, we show […]
- by Appy, R. G., Vanhove, M. P. M., MacKenzie, K., Hernandez-Orts, J. S., Kmentova, N.Nematodes belonging to the Cystidicolidae Skrjabin, 1946 constitute more than 23 genera of 111 recognized species in fish from many habitats including the deep-sea, continental shelves, estuarine and freshwater habitats. The taxonomy of many species within the Cystidicolidae is unsettled due to their small size and correspondingly small morphological characters requiring use of scanning electron microscopy and supported more recently by molecular studies. The type species, Ascarophis morrhuae Van Beneden, 1870, which belongs to one of the first described and […]
- by Zhao, M., Tong, Y., Yao, H., Cao, J., Liang, T., Fei, Q., Liang, M., Yang, B., Sun, M. S., Wang, C., Zhang, J., Cui, Q.Persistent hyperglycemia impairs wound healing in diabetic patients, and severe cases may even lead to disability or death. Glycemic control alone cannot effectively prevent the occurrence of diabetic foot ulcers, a serious complication of diabetes. However, safe, efficient, and cost-effective therapies remain unavailable and are urgently needed. Using a novel sports medicine paradigm, we predicted, based on reverse-transcriptomics, that exercise-induced sweat has the potential to promote would healing in diabetic foot ulcers. Subsequent animal experiments demonstrated that sweat can indeed […]
- by Ahlefeld, G. K., Benavides, C. E., Chioffi, M. A., Furtney, F., Goerck de Carvalho Macedo, S., Korn, C. E. H., Marra-Perrault, G., McGlashan, E. A. F., Watts, L. A., Wilkinson, K. J., Wells, C. D.Calcein is a fluorescent marker commonly used to label growing calcified structures in marine organisms, but its efficacy is species- and context-specific. We evaluated calcein marking success and survival in the common periwinkle (Littorina littorea) during winter in the Gulf of Maine. Snails were immersed for 24 h in seawater containing 0, 50, or 100 mg L-1 calcein and scored for fluorescent marks 22 days later. Overall marking success was low (12.5% of exposed snails evaluated) but was strongly size-dependent: […]
- by Sauer, F. G., Joest, H., Sulesco, T., Duve, P., Loc, D. H., Nolte, K., Luehken, R.Accurate species identification is crucial to assess the medical and veterinary relevance of a mosquito specimen, but it requires high experience of the observers and well-equipped laboratories. This study aimed to evaluate whether low-cost imaging in combination with geometric wing morphometrics can provide accurate identification of invasive, morphologically similar Aedes species. The right wings of 670 female specimens covering 184 Ae. aegypti, 156 Ae. albopictus, 166 Ae. j. japonicus and 164 Ae. koreicus, were removed, mounted and photographed with a […]
- by Marroquin-Arroyave, E., Milgram, J.Dermal bone, which forms a variety of skeletal structures and persists in a wide range of extant vertebrates, evolved prior to endochondral bone which forms all mammalian load-bearing bones. Sturgeons are a family of fish which diverged soon after the lobe-finned/ray-finned split. Sturgeon retain a long robust spine at the leading edge of the pectoral fin, called the pectoral fin spine (PFS). Pectoral fin spines are bone elements that are present in many extinct and extant species of non-tetrapod jawed […]
- by Kanwal, A., Iqbal, R., Farhan, F., Kanwal, A.Flaxseeds have high nutritive value due to the presence of proteins, lignins (SDG), fatty acids, vitamins, dietary fibers, minerals and carbohydrates. This research was conducted to evaluate the effect of distinct doses of flaxseeds on hematological parameters, immunity and lipid profile of male rabbit. In this research, 60 male rabbits were isolated into four groups, three treatment groups T1, T2 and T3 and a control group T0, with 15 rabbits in each group. The treatment groups were given 4%, 6% […]
- by Hanninger, E.-M. F. F., Barratclough, A., Betty, E. L., Anderson, M. J., Perrott, M. R., Bowler, J., Palmer, E. I., Peters, K. J., Stockin, K. A.We present the first radiographic ageing framework for common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), based on ossification and epiphyseal fusion patterns in the pectoral flipper, demonstrating higher reliability for chronological age estimation than currently available epigenetic approaches for this species. Using individuals of known dental age, we calibrated two modelling approaches to predict dental age from radiographic bone scores: 1) a univariate polynomial regression using a total bone score (sum of 16 scores across all assessed flipper bones), and 2) a multivariate […]
- by Shen, Y., He, K., Wang, W., Huang, L., Chen, J.In wildlife forensic practice, species identification and estimation of the Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI) for highly processed specimens have long relied on weight-based conversion methods, which may result in underestimation of the number of individuals involved in a case. Focusing on confiscated casque products of the helmeted hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil), this study combines macroscopic morphological examination with mitochondrial DNA barcoding (16S rRNA, COI, and Cytb) to explore a more robust approach for individual quantification. The results demonstrate that the […]
- by Julien, A. R., Griffioen, J. A., Perry, S. M., Doege, R., Burger, I. J., Barber, D. R.As global reptile populations continue to decline, improving reproductive success in managed populations of listed species, such as Phrynosoma cornutum (the Texas horned lizard) has become increasingly critical for species survival. One understudied area of reproductive research in reptile species is gamete collection and storage, a crucial component for maintaining genetic diversity. In Texas, semen was collected from wild P. cornutum (n = 20) in June 2025. Semen collection was performed via electroejaculation (EEJ) under alfaxalone anesthesia. Prior to semen […]
- by Amarioarei, G., Cellier, M., Aigueperse, N., Wolfe, T., Shepley, E., Diallo, A. B., Vasseur, E.Introducing cognitive enrichment from an early age has the potential to enhance an animals capacity to learn both simple and complex tasks, promote neural plasticity, and support cognitive development. This is applicable for young cattle who are at a critical stage in their development and could benefit from the influence cognitive enrichment has on their behavioral expression. This study aims to explore the effects cognitive enrichment has on weaned dairy calves through analyzing behavioral measures of voluntary participation and short-term […]
- by Li, A., Huang, W., Xie, X., Wen, W., Ji, L., Zhang, H., Zhang, C., Luo, J.Intraspecific variation is a prerequisite for natural selection and can manifest in various phenotypic traits, including vocal signals. However, classifying individuals based on their vocalizations, or acoustic individual identification (AIID), remains a significant challenge. This is particularly true for species that use rapidly varying echolocation calls for orientation. Here, we demonstrate that deep learning can overcome the limitation of traditional methods and reveal persistent individual signatures within bat echolocation calls. We recorded echolocation calls from 34 individuals of the greater […]
- by Carrier-Belleau, C., Officer, M., McCartan, N., Strawbridge, J., Zulkipli, N., Piggott, J. J., Luijckx, P.Resource availability is a central driver of ecological and evolutionary processes, yet its effects on infectious disease and virulence are not fully understood. A key limitation is that many studies consider only a narrow range of resource conditions or a limited subset of host and pathogen traits, potentially obscuring non-linear relationships. Here, we quantify how a gradient of six food levels simultaneously shapes host fitness and pathogen performance in the Daphnia magna- Ordospora colligata system. Across two laboratory experiments, we […]
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