Articles

Male mate choice in mosquitofish: personality outweighs body size

Despite its important implications in behavioural and evolutionary ecology, male mate choice has been poorly studied, and the relative contribution of personality and morphological traits remains largely unkno...

Authors: Chunlin Li, Xinyu Zhang, Peng Cui, Feng Zhang and Baowei Zhang

Repeatability of endocrine traits and dominance rank in female guinea pigs

Glucocorticoids (e.g. cortisol) are associated with variation in social behavior, and previous studies have linked baseline as well as challenge-induced glucocorticoid concentrations to dominance status. It is...

Authors: Taylor L. Rystrom, Romy C. Prawitt, S. Helene Richter, Norbert Sachser and Sylvia Kaiser

Pollinating fig wasps’ simple solutions to complex sex ratio problems: a review

Local mate competition (LMC) favours female biased clutch sex ratios because it reduces competition between brothers and provides extra mating opportunities for sons. Fig wasps seem to fit LMC model assumption...

Authors: Jaco M. Greeff and Finn Kjellberg

Correction to: Multiple phenotypic traits as triggers of host attacks towards ant symbionts: body size, morphological gestalt, and chemical mimicry accuracy

Authors: Christoph von Beeren, Adrian Brückner, Philipp O. Hoenle, Bryan Ospina-Jara, Daniel J. C. Kronauer and Nico Blüthgen

Mitochondria as a target and central hub of energy division during cold stress in insects

Temperature stress is one of the crucial factors determining geographical distribution of insect species. Most of them are active in moderate temperatures, however some are capable of surviving in extremely hi...

Authors: Jan Lubawy, Szymon Chowański, Zbigniew Adamski and Małgorzata Słocińska

Differential time allocation of foraging workers in the subterranean termite

Foraging in group living animals such as social insects, is collectively performed by individuals. However, our understanding on foraging behavior of subterranean termites is extremely limited, as the process ...

Authors: Sang-Bin Lee, Thomas Chouvenc and Nan-Yao Su

Establishing RNAi for basic research and pest control and identification of the most efficient target genes for pest control: a brief guide

RNA interference (RNAi) has emerged as a powerful tool for knocking-down gene function in diverse taxa including arthropods for both basic biological research and application in pest control. The conservation ...

Authors: Sonja Mehlhorn, Vera S. Hunnekuhl, Sven Geibel, Ralf Nauen and Gregor Bucher

Love bites: male frogs (Plectrohyla, Hylidae) use teeth scratching to deliver sodefrin precursor-like factors to females during amplexus

Efficient transfer of chemical signals is important for successful mating in many animal species. Multiple evolutionary lineages of animals evolved direct sex pheromone transmission during traumatic mating—the...

Authors: Lisa M. Schulte, An Martel, Raciel Cruz-Elizalde, Aurelio Ramírez-Bautista and Franky Bossuyt

Insights into the structure and morphogenesis of the giant basal spicule of the glass sponge Monorhaphis chuni

A basal spicule of the hexactinellid sponge Monorhaphis chuni may reach up to 3 m in length and 10 mm in diameter, an extreme case of large spicule size. Generally, sponge spicules are of scales from micrometers ...

Authors: Andrzej Pisera, Magdalena Łukowiak, Sylvie Masse, Konstantin Tabachnick, Jane Fromont, Hermann Ehrlich and Marco Bertolino

The antennal scape organ of Scutigera coleoptrata (Myriapoda) and a new type of arthropod tip-pore sensilla integrating scolopidial components

Centipedes are terrestrial, predatory arthropods with specialized sensory organs. However, many aspects of their sensory biology are still unknown. This also concerns hygroreception, which is especially import...

Authors: Andy Sombke, Jörg Rosenberg, Gero Hilken and Carsten H. G. Müller

Population variation alters aggression-associated oxytocin and vasopressin expressions in brains of Brandt’s voles in field conditions

Density-dependent change in aggressive behavior contributes to the population regulation of many small rodents, but the underlying neurological mechanisms have not been examined in field conditions. We hypothe...

Authors: Shuli Huang, Guoliang Li, Yongliang Pan, Jing Liu, Jidong Zhao, Xin Zhang, Wei Lu, Xinrong Wan, Charles J. Krebs, Zuoxin Wang, Wenxuan Han and Zhibin Zhang

Canalization and developmental stability of the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis) mandible and cranium related to age and nematode parasitism

Mammalian mandible and cranium are well-established model systems for studying canalization and developmental stability (DS) as two elements of developmental homeostasis. Nematode infections are usually acquir...

Authors: Vida Jojić, Borislav Čabrilo, Olivera Bjelić-Čabrilo, Vladimir M. Jovanović, Ivana Budinski, Mladen Vujošević and Jelena Blagojević

Revisiting kinorhynch segmentation: variation of segmental patterns in the nervous system of three aberrant species

Kinorhynch segmentation differs from the patterns found in Chordata, Arthropoda and Annelida which have coeloms and circulatory systems. Due to these differences and their obsolete status as ‘Aschelminthes’, t...

Authors: Maria Herranz, Taeseo Park, Maikon Di Domenico, Brian S. Leander, Martin V. Sørensen and Katrine Worsaae

Mixed-species groups in bats: non-random roost associations and roost selection in neotropical understory bats

Mixed-species groups in animals have been shown to confer antipredator, foraging and other benefits to their members that may provide selective advantages. In most cases, however, it is unclear whether functio...

Authors: Detlev H. Kelm, Ulf Toelch and Mirkka M. Jones

Dynamic changes in DNA methylation during seahorse (Hippocampus reidi) postnatal development and settlement

Most living marine organisms have a biphasic life cycle dependent on metamorphosis and settlement. These critical life-history events mean that a developmentally competent larva undergoes a range of coordinate...

Authors: Paula Suarez-Bregua, Sofia Rosendo, Pilar Comesaña, Lucia Sánchez-Ruiloba, Paloma Morán, Miquel Planas and Josep Rotllant

Diversification through gustatory courtship: an X-ray micro-computed tomography study on dwarf spiders

Sexual selection has been considered to promote diversification and speciation. Sexually dimorphic species have been used to explore the supposed effect, however, with mixed results. In dwarf spiders (Erigonin...

Authors: Shou-Wang Lin, Lara Lopardo and Gabriele Uhl

Revealing the coexistence of differentiation and communication in an endemic hare, Lepus yarkandensis (Mammalia, Leporidae) using specific-length amplified fragment sequencing

The Yarkand hare (Lepus yarkandensis Günther, 1875) is endemic to oasis and desert areas around the Tarim Basin in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of northwest China; however, genome-wide information for th...

Authors: Buweihailiqiemu Ababaikeri, Yucong Zhang, Huiying Dai and Wenjuan Shan

Superior continuous quantity discrimination in a freshwater turtle

Quantity discrimination, the ability to discriminate a magnitude of difference or discrete numerical information, plays a key role in animal behavior. While quantitative ability has been well documented in fis...

Authors: Feng-Chun Lin, Martin J. Whiting, Ming-Ying Hsieh, Pei-Jen Lee Shaner and Si-Min Lin

Feasting, not fasting: winter diets of cave hibernating bats in the United States

Temperate bat species use extended torpor to conserve energy when ambient temperatures are low and food resources are scarce. Previous research suggests that migratory bat species and species known to roost in...

Authors: Riley F. Bernard, Emma V. Willcox, Reilly T. Jackson, Veronica A. Brown and Gary F. McCracken

Dentition and body condition: tooth wear as a correlate of weight loss in roe deer

In many mammalian species, once the permanent teeth have erupted, the only change to dentition is a gradual loss of tooth surface/height through wear. The crown of the teeth cannot be repaired once worn. When ...

Authors: Roberta Chirichella, Anna Maria De Marinis, Boštjan Pokorny and Marco Apollonio

Multiple phenotypic traits as triggers of host attacks towards ant symbionts: body size, morphological gestalt, and chemical mimicry accuracy

Ant colonies are plagued by a diversity of arthropod guests, which adopt various strategies to avoid or to withstand host attacks. Chemical mimicry of host recognition cues is, for example, a common integratio...

Authors: Christoph von Beeren, Adrian Brückner, Philipp O. Hoenle, Bryan Ospina-Jara, Daniel J. C. Kronauer and Nico Blüthgen

Plasma oxidative stress in reproduction of two eusocial African mole-rat species, the naked mole-rat and the Damaraland mole-rat

One of the most prominent life-history trade-offs involves the cost of reproduction. Oxidative stress has been proposed to be involved in this trade-off and has been associated with reduced life span. There is...

Authors: Paul Juan Jacobs, Daniel William Hart and Nigel Charles Bennett

Myogenesis of Siboglinum fiordicum sheds light on body regionalisation in beard worms (Siboglinidae, Annelida)

Many annelids, including well-studied species such as Platynereis, show similar structured segments along their body axis (homonomous segmentation). However, numerous annelid species diverge from this pattern and...

Authors: Nadezhda Rimskaya-Korsakova, Nadezda Karaseva, Timofei Pimenov, Hans Tore Rapp, Eve Southward, Elena Temereva and Katrine Worsaae

Interspecific attraction between ground-nesting songbirds and ants: the role of nest-site selection

Interspecific interactions within ecological networks can influence animal fitness and behaviour, including nest-site selection of birds and ants. Previous studies revealed that nesting birds and ants may bene...

Authors: Marta Maziarz, Richard K. Broughton, Luca Pietro Casacci, Grzegorz Hebda, István Maák, Gema Trigos-Peral and Magdalena Witek

Mitonuclear mismatch alters nuclear gene expression in naturally introgressed Rhinolophus bats

Mitochondrial function involves the interplay between mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. Such mitonuclear interactions can be disrupted by the introgression of mitochondrial DNA between taxa or divergent popul...

Authors: Yuting Ding, Wenli Chen, Qianqian Li, Stephen J. Rossiter and Xiuguang Mao

Metabolic responses of plasma to extreme environments in overwintering Tibetan frogs Nanorana parkeri: a metabolome integrated analysis

Many animals lower their metabolic rate in response to low temperatures and scarcity of food in the winter in phenomena called hibernation or overwintering. Living at high altitude on the Tibetan Plateau where...

Authors: Yonggang Niu, Xuejing Zhang, Haiying Zhang, Tisen Xu, Lifeng Zhu, Kenneth B. Storey and Qiang Chen

Life history traits and reproductive ecology of North American chorus frogs of the genus Pseudacris (Hylidae)

Amphibian biodiversity is declining globally, with over 40% of species being considered threatened to become extinct. Crucial to the success of conservation initiatives are a comprehensive understanding of lif...

Authors: Jeffrey P. Ethier, Aurore Fayard, Peter Soroye, Daeun Choi, Marc J. Mazerolle and Vance L. Trudeau

First characterization of toxic alkaloids and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the cryptic dendrobatid Silverstoneia punctiventris

Poison frogs are known for the outstanding diversity of alkaloid-based chemical defences with promising therapeutic applications. However, current knowledge about chemical defences in Dendrobatoidea superfamil...

Authors: Mabel Gonzalez, Pablo Palacios-Rodriguez, Jack Hernandez-Restrepo, Marco González-Santoro, Adolfo Amézquita, Andrés E. Brunetti and Chiara Carazzone

Natural variation in yolk fatty acids, but not androgens, predicts offspring fitness in a wild bird

In egg-laying animals, mothers can influence the developmental environment and thus the phenotype of their offspring by secreting various substances into the egg yolk. In birds, recent studies have demonstrate...

Authors: Lucia Mentesana, Martin N. Andersson, Stefania Casagrande, Wolfgang Goymann, Caroline Isaksson and Michaela Hau

Noise constrains the evolution of call frequency contours in flowing water frogs: a comparative analysis in two clades

The acoustic adaptation hypothesis (AAH) states that signals should evolve towards an optimal transmission of the intended information from senders to intended receivers given the environmental constraints of ...

Authors: Longhui Zhao, Juan C. Santos, Jichao Wang, Jianghong Ran, Yezhong Tang and Jianguo Cui

Uniform trichromacy in Alouatta caraya and Alouatta seniculus: behavioural and genetic colour vision evaluation

Primate colour vision depends on a matrix of photoreceptors, a neuronal post receptoral structure and a combination of genes that culminate in different sensitivity through the visual spectrum. Along with a co...

Authors: Leonardo Dutra Henriques, Einat Hauzman, Daniela Maria Oliveira Bonci, Belinda S. W. Chang, José Augusto Pereira Carneiro Muniz, Givago da Silva Souza, Luiz Carlos de Lima Silveira, Olavo de Faria Galvão, Paulo Roney Kilpp Goulart and Dora Fix Ventura

Southeast Asian clearwing moths buzz like their model bees

The endless struggle to survive has driven harmless species to evolve elaborate strategies of deceiving predators. Batesian mimicry involves imitations of noxious species’ warning signals by palatable mimics. ...

Authors: Marta Skowron Volponi, Luca Pietro Casacci, Paolo Volponi and Francesca Barbero

Biogeography of Italy revisited: genetic lineages confirm major phylogeographic patterns and a pre-Pleistocene origin of its biota

Warm-adapted species survived the cold stages of the past glacial-interglacial cycles in southern European peninsulas and recolonized major parts of Central and Northern Europe in the wake of postglacial warmi...

Authors: Thomas Schmitt, Uwe Fritz, Massimo Delfino, Werner Ulrich and Jan Christian Habel

Lack of impact of radiation on blood physiology biomarkers of Chernobyl tree frogs

Human actions have altered natural ecosystems worldwide. Among the many pollutants released to the environment, ionizing radiation can cause severe damage at different molecular and functional levels. The acci...

Authors: Pablo Burraco, Jean-Marc Bonzom, Clément Car, Karine Beaugelin-Seiller, Sergey Gashchak and Germán Orizaola

Climatic niche differences among Zootoca vivipara clades with different parity modes: implications for the evolution and maintenance of viviparity

Parity mode (oviparity/viviparity) importantly affects the ecology, morphology, physiology, biogeography and evolution of organisms. The main hypotheses explaining the evolution and maintenance of viviparity a...

Authors: J. L. Horreo, A. Jiménez-Valverde and P. S. Fitze

Amphibian breeding phenology influences offspring size and response to a common wetland contaminant

Increases in temperature variability associated with climate change have critical implications for the phenology of wildlife across the globe. For example, warmer winter temperatures can induce forward shifts ...

Authors: Nicholas Buss, Lindsey Swierk and Jessica Hua

Comparative cognition in three understudied ungulate species: European bison, forest buffalos and giraffes

Comparative cognition has historically focused on a few taxa such as primates, birds or rodents. However, a broader perspective is essential to understand how different selective pressures affect cognition in ...

Authors: Alvaro Lopez Caicoya, Federica Amici, Conrad Ensenyat and Montserrat Colell

Improved histological fixation of gelatinous marine invertebrates

Gelatinous zooplankton can be difficult to preserve morphologically due to unique physical properties of their cellular and acellular components. The relatively large volume of mesoglea leads to distortion of ...

Authors: Dorothy G. Mitchell, Allison Edgar and Mark Q. Martindale

Conspecific odor cues induce different vocal responses in serrate-legged small treefrogs, but only in the absence of acoustic signals

Signal detection is crucial to survival and successful reproduction, and animals often modify behavioral decisions based on information they obtained from the social context. Undeniably, the decision-making in...

Authors: Ke Deng, Ya Zhou, Qiao-Ling He, Bi-Cheng Zhu, Tong-Liang Wang, Ji-Chao Wang and Jian-Guo Cui

Cellular proliferation dynamics during regeneration in Syllis malaquini (Syllidae, Annelida)

In syllids (Annelida, Syllidae), the regenerative blastema was subject of many studies in the mid and late XX^th century. This work on syllid regeneration showed that the blastema is developed by a process of dedi...

Authors: Rannyele Passos Ribeiro, Bernhard Egger, Guillermo Ponz-Segrelles and M. Teresa Aguado

Dietary preferences of brachyuran crabs from Taiwan for marine or terrestrial food sources: evidence based on fatty acid trophic markers

Trophic interactions are key processes, which determine the ecological function and performance of organisms. Many decapod crustaceans feed on plant material as a source for essential nutrients, e.g. polyunsat...

Authors: Meike Stumpp, Reinhard Saborowski, Simon Jungblut, Hung-Chang Liu and Wilhelm Hagen

A small neighborhood well-organized: seasonal and daily activity patterns of the community of large and mid-sized mammals around waterholes in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia

Animal communities have complex patterns of ecological segregation at different levels according to food resources, habitats, behavior, and activity patterns. Understanding these patterns among the community i...

Authors: Battogtokh Nasanbat, Francisco Ceacero and Samiya Ravchig

Influences of submerged plant collapse on diet composition, breadth, and overlap among four crane species at Poyang Lake, China

Interannual variation in resource abundance has become more unpredictable, and food shortages have increasingly occurred in the recent decades. However, compared to seasonal fluctuations in resource abundance,...

Authors: Jinjin Hou, Lei Li, Yafang Wang, Wenjuan Wang, Huiying Zhan, Nianhua Dai and Ping Lu

Hanging by a thread: unusual nocturnal resting behaviour in a jumping spider

For diurnal animals that heavily rely on vision, a nocturnal resting strategy that offers protection when vision is compromised, is crucial. We found a population of a common European jumping spider (Evarcha arcu...

Authors: Daniela C. Rößler, Massimo De Agrò, Elia Biundo and Paul S. Shamble

Avian corticosteroid-binding globulin: biological function and regulatory mechanisms in physiological stress responses

Corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) is a high-affinity plasma protein that binds glucocorticoids (GCs) and regulates their biological activities. The structural and functional properties of CBG are crucial t...

Authors: Hai-Yan Lin, Gang Song, Fumin Lei, Dongming Li and Yanhua Qu

Evolution and development of the bird chondrocranium

Birds exhibit an enormous diversity in adult skull shape (disparity), while their embryonic chondrocrania are considered to be conserved across species. However, there may be chondrocranial features that are d...

Authors: Evelyn Hüppi, Ingmar Werneburg and Marcelo R. Sánchez-Villagra

Development of the caudal-fin skeleton reveals multiple convergent fusions within Atherinomorpha

The caudal fin of teleosts is a highly diverse morphological structure and a valuable source of information for comparative analyses. Within the Atherinomorpha a high variation of conditions of the caudal-fin ...

Authors: Philipp Thieme, Peter Warth and Timo Moritz

Functional morphology of immature mating in a widow spider

Mating generally occurs after individuals reach adulthood. In many arthropods including spiders, the adult stage is marked by a final moult after which the genitalia are fully developed and functional. In seve...

Authors: Lenka Sentenská, Aileen Neumann, Yael Lubin and Gabriele Uhl

Contrasting ecological niches lead to great postzygotic ecological isolation: a case of hybridization between carnivorous and herbivorous cyprinid fishes

Postzygote isolation is an important part of species isolation, especially for fish, and it can be divided into two aspects: genetic isolation and ecological isolation. With the increase in parental genetic di...

Authors: Haoran Gu, Yuanfu Wang, Haoyu Wang, You He, Sihong Deng, Xingheng He, Yi Wu, Kaiyan Xing, Xue Gao, Xuefu He and Zhijian Wang

When SEM becomes a deceptive tool of analysis: the unexpected discovery of epidermal glands with stalked ducts on the ultimate legs of geophilomorph centipedes

The jointed appendage is a key novelty in arthropod evolution and arthropod legs are known to vary enormously in relation to function. Among centipedes, the ultimate legs always are distinctly different from l...

Authors: Andy Sombke and Carsten H. G. Müller