{"id":3193,"date":"2023-01-21T17:14:56","date_gmt":"2023-01-21T23:14:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/?page_id=3193"},"modified":"2023-01-21T17:14:56","modified_gmt":"2023-01-21T23:14:56","slug":"biorxiv-zoology","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/links\/journal-feeds\/biochemistry-journal-feeds\/biorxiv\/biorxiv-zoology\/","title":{"rendered":"BioRxiv Zoology"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-caxton-grid relative\"><div class=\"absolute absolute--fill\"><div class=\"absolute absolute--fill cover bg-center\" style=\"background-color:;background-image:linear-gradient( );\"><\/div><div class=\"absolute absolute--fill\" style=\"background-color:;background-image:linear-gradient( );opacity:1;\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"relative caxton-columns caxton-grid-block\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-left:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;grid-template-columns:repeat(12, 1fr)\" data-tablet-css=\"padding-left:em;padding-right:em;\" data-mobile-css=\"padding-left:em;padding-right:em;\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-caxton-section relative\" style=\"grid-area:span 1\/span 8\"><div class=\"absolute absolute--fill\"><div class=\"absolute absolute--fill cover bg-center\" style=\"background-color:;background-image:linear-gradient( );\"><\/div><div class=\"absolute absolute--fill\" style=\"background-color:;background-image:linear-gradient( );opacity:1;\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"relative caxton-section-block\" style=\"padding-top:5px;padding-left:5px;padding-bottom:5px;padding-right:5px\" data-mobile-css=\"padding-left:1em;padding-right:1em;\" data-tablet-css=\"padding-left:1em;padding-right:1em;\">\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/alertsrss\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal Home<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-caxton-section relative\" style=\"grid-area:span 1\/span 4\"><div class=\"absolute absolute--fill\"><div class=\"absolute absolute--fill cover bg-center\" style=\"background-color:;background-image:linear-gradient( );\"><\/div><div class=\"absolute absolute--fill\" style=\"background-color:;background-image:linear-gradient( );opacity:1;\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"relative caxton-section-block\" style=\"padding-top:5px;padding-left:5px;padding-bottom:5px;padding-right:5px\" data-mobile-css=\"padding-left:1em;padding-right:1em;\" data-tablet-css=\"padding-left:1em;padding-right:1em;\">\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/connect.biorxiv.org\/biorxiv_xml.php?subject=zoology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">RSS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-dates has-authors has-excerpts wp-block-rss\"><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.19.719439v1?rss=1'>Integrative Transcriptomic and Functional Analysis Reveals Fatty Acyl Elongases Involved in Sex Pheromone Biosynthesis in Rice Leaffolder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea)<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-22T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 22, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Chen, L.-Y., Lin, X.-Y., Wang, K.-X., Xiao, F., Tang, H.-T., Dong, S., Zheng, L.-L., Xia, Y.-H.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.19.719466v1?rss=1'>Stable isotopes (\u03b413C, \u03b415N, \u03b434S) suggest eelgrass (Zostera sp.) foddering of Late Iron Age sheep (Ovis aries) in Denmark<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-22T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 22, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Jaeger, J. H., Tarrant, D., Richards, M. P., Ulriksen, J., Sarauw, T., Kastholm, O. T., Nielsen, J.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.18.719342v1?rss=1'>Comparative anatomy of the giraffe distal limb<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-22T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 22, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Wilhite, D. R., Miller, D., Schilz, A., Brown, M. B., Fennessy, J., Fennessy, S., Newman, K.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.17.719142v1?rss=1'>Daily feeding rhythms may play a role in the genetic variability of feed efficiency in growing pigs<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-21T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 21, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Gilbert, H., Foury, A., Agboola, L., Devailly, G., Gondret, F., Moisan, M.-P.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.17.719194v1?rss=1'>Real-time heart rate in the wild: remote collection of cardiac data in baboons using a low-power Bluetooth and LoRaWAN system<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-21T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 21, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">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.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.17.719235v1?rss=1'>Is a dam-altered river in the U.S. Southwest a barrier to dispersal for populations of a common lizard, Uta stansburiana?<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-21T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 21, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Corsetti, T. C., Walker, F. M., Holton, P. B., Sanchez, D. E., Allan, G. J., Lyman, J. A., Chambers, C. L., Beier, P.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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, [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.17.719276v1?rss=1'>The Curious Case of the Golden Orb &#8212; Relict of Relicanthus daphneae (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Hexacorallia), a deep sea anemone<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-21T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 21, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Auscavitch, S. R., Reft, A., Collens, A. B., Mah, C., Best, M., Benedict, C., Rodriguez, E., Daly, M., Collins, A. G.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.15.718617v1?rss=1'>Extensive opsin gene expansion and non-cerebral origin of the minimalist eye in a model tardigrade<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-18T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 18, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Dutta, S., Gross, V., Hering, L., Klein, M., Flenner, S., Greving, I., Longo, E., Mayer, G.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">Panarthropod vision exhibits extraordinary morphological and functional diversity, yet the sensory biology of tardigrades&#8211;microscopic extremophiles renowned for their resilience&#8211;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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.15.718624v1?rss=1'>155 years after Van Beneden: redescription and first molecular characterisation of the enigmatic type species, Ascarophis morrhuae Van Beneden, 1870 (Nematoda, Cystidicolidae), and comparison to other Ascarophis species in the North Atlantic<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-17T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 17, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Appy, R. G., Vanhove, M. P. M., MacKenzie, K., Hernandez-Orts, J. S., Kmentova, N.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.11.717882v1?rss=1'>Exercise-induced Sweat Promotes Wound Healing in Diabetic Foot Ulcers<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-14T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 14, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">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.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.10.717815v1?rss=1'>Optimizing calcein marking in the common periwinkle (Littorina littorea) for repeated-measures and mark-recapture studies<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-13T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 13, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">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.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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: [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.08.717229v1?rss=1'>Accurate identification of invasive Aedes mosquito species using low-cost imaging and geometric wing morphometrics<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-10T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 10, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Sauer, F. G., Joest, H., Sulesco, T., Duve, P., Loc, D. H., Nolte, K., Luehken, R.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.07.716894v1?rss=1'>Functional Adaptations for Load-Bearing in a Dermal Bone: The Pectoral Fin Spine of the Russian Sturgeon (Huso gueldenstaedtii)<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-09T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 9, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Marroquin-Arroyave, E., Milgram, J.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.06.716729v1?rss=1'>COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF FLAXSEED SUPPLEMENTATION ON HEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS, LIPID PROFILE AND IMMUNITY OF MALE RABBIT<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-08T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 8, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Kanwal, A., Iqbal, R., Farhan, F., Kanwal, A.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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% [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.05.716530v1?rss=1'>Radiographic assessment of bone maturation as a tool for age estimation in common dolphins (Delphinus delphis)<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-07T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 7, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">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.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.02.715475v1?rss=1'>Forensic Identification of Confiscated Helmeted Hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil) Casques and Implications for Individual Quantification in Wildlife Crimes<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-06T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 6, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Shen, Y., He, K., Wang, W., Huang, L., Chen, J.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.03.716302v1?rss=1'>Semen collection, short term storage, and cryopreservation in the Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum)<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-06T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 6, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Julien, A. R., Griffioen, J. A., Perry, S. M., Doege, R., Burger, I. J., Barber, D. R.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.04.01.715895v1?rss=1'>Investigating cognitive enrichment for dairy calves through behavioral measures of participation and engagement: a pilot study<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-04T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 4, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Amarioarei, G., Cellier, M., Aigueperse, N., Wolfe, T., Shepley, E., Diallo, A. B., Vasseur, E.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.03.31.715443v1?rss=1'>Deep Learning Reveals Persistent Individual Signatures in Bat Echolocation Calls of the Greater Leaf-nosed Bat<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-02T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">April 2, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Li, A., Huang, W., Xie, X., Wen, W., Ji, L., Zhang, H., Zhang, C., Luo, J.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.64898\/2026.03.26.714583v1?rss=1'>Feeding the host reshapes virulence: nonlinear scaling in a microsporidian pathogen.<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-03-27T00:00:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">March 27, 2026<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Carrier-Belleau, C., Officer, M., McCartan, N., Strawbridge, J., Zulkipli, N., Piggott, J. J., Luijckx, P.<\/span><div class=\"wp-block-rss__item-excerpt\">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 [&hellip;]<\/div><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Journals<\/h4>\n\n\n<ul class=\"su-siblings\"><li class=\"page_item page-item-3099\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/links\/journal-feeds\/biochemistry-journal-feeds\/biorxiv\/biorxiv-biochemistry\/\">BioRxiv Biochemistry<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-3112\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/links\/journal-feeds\/biochemistry-journal-feeds\/biorxiv\/biorxiv-bioinformatics\/\">BioRxiv Bioinformatics<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-3132\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/links\/journal-feeds\/biochemistry-journal-feeds\/biorxiv\/biorxiv-biophysics\/\">BioRxiv Biophysics<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-3188\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/links\/journal-feeds\/biochemistry-journal-feeds\/biorxiv\/biorxiv-cancer-biology\/\">BioRxiv Cancer Biology<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-3190\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/links\/journal-feeds\/biochemistry-journal-feeds\/biorxiv\/biorxiv-pharmacology-and-toxicology\/\">BioRxiv Pharmacology and Toxicology<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-3114\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/links\/journal-feeds\/biochemistry-journal-feeds\/biorxiv\/biorxiv-systems-biology\/\">BioRxiv Systems Biology<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Related Journals<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2652,"parent":3087,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-3193","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3193","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3193"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3193\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3194,"href":"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3193\/revisions\/3194"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3087"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kermitmurray.com\/msblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}