All posts; Tags Include "Zoology"
- February 7, 2014
- 02:54 PM
- 598 views
The scary bright eyes of the Jackdaw
by Africa Gomez in BugBlog
Jackdaws breed in loose colonies, and unusually for corvids, in cavities in trees, cliffs or buildings. There is often very strong competition for nest sites, and the pair will defend their nest fiercely against conspecifics. Jackdaws are also unusual for having very contrasting, almost white irides. In a recent paper, Gabrielle Davidson and her colleagues from Cambridge and Exeter Universities tested the hypothesis that the bright, contrasting eyes of the Jackdaw serve as a strong warning signa........ Read more »
Davidson GL, Clayton NS, & Thornton A. (2014) Salient eyes deter conspecific nest intruders in wild jackdaws (Corvus monedula). Biology letters, 10(2), 20131077. PMID: 24501271
- February 5, 2014
- 08:51 AM
- 520 views
Journal Club: Half-siders: A tale of two birdies
by GrrlScientist in Maniraptora
SUMMARY: Chimæras have been in the news a lot recently. Also known as "halfsiders" or tetragametic chimæras, these unusual birds are actually two genetically distinct individuals -- twins -- fused into one being. This piece investigates how this biological accident occurs.... Read more »
Zhao D., McBride D., Nandi S., McQueen H. A., McGrew M. J., Hocking P. M., Lewis P. D., Sang H. M., & Clinton M. (2010) Somatic sex identity is cell autonomous in the chicken. Nature, 464(7286), 237-242. DOI: 10.1038/nature08852
Agate R. J., Grisham W., Wade J., Mann S., Wingfield J., Schanen C., Palotie A., & Arnold A. P. (2003) Neural, not gonadal, origin of brain sex differences in a gynandromorphic finch. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 100(8), 4873-4878. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0636925100
Arnold A. P. (2003) Minireview: Sex Chromosomes and Brain Sexual Differentiation. Endocrinology, 145(3), 1057-1062. DOI: 10.1210/en.2003-1491
Chue Justin, & Smith Craig A. (2011) Sex determination and sexual differentiation in the avian model. FEBS Journal, 278(7), 1027-1034. DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2011.08032.x
Macklin Madge Thurlow. (1923) A description of material from a gynandromorph fowl. Journal of Experimental Zoology, 38(3), 355-375. DOI: 10.1002/jez.1400380302
Johnson Phyllis T., & Otto Sara V. (1981) Histology of a Bilateral Gynandromorph of the Blue Crab, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun (Decapoda: Portunidae). Biological Bulletin, 161(2), 236. DOI: 10.2307/1540801
Boklage C. E. (2005) Embryogenesis of chimeras, twins and anterior midline asymmetries. Human Reproduction, 21(3), 579-591. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dei370
- February 5, 2014
- 08:05 AM
- 535 views
Cats Don’t Taste Sweet, But Dogs Taste Salty
by Mark Lasbury in As Many Exceptions As Rules
Taste sense is important in all vertebrates as well as for many invertebrates. Evolutionary pressures rewarded those animals that could distinguish toxins from nutrient source, and physiology has made those things we need taste good to us. But there are differences in taste sense between species and within species.
Recent research has shown that many obligate carnivores have lost the ability to taste sweet foods, and some are known to have reduced sensitivity to umami tastes as well. Vampire ........ Read more »
Rawal S, Hayes JE, Wallace MR, Bartoshuk LM, & Duffy VB. (2013) Do polymorphisms in the TAS1R1 gene contribute to broader differences in human taste intensity?. Chemical senses, 38(8), 719-28. PMID: 24000232
Zhao H, Xu D, Zhang S, & Zhang J. (2012) Genomic and genetic evidence for the loss of umami taste in bats. Genome biology and evolution, 4(1), 73-9. PMID: 22117084
Sato JJ, & Wolsan M. (2012) Loss or major reduction of umami taste sensation in pinnipeds. Die Naturwissenschaften, 99(8), 655-9. PMID: 22777285
Jiang P, Josue J, Li X, Glaser D, Li W, Brand JG, Margolskee RF, Reed DR, & Beauchamp GK. (2012) Major taste loss in carnivorous mammals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109(13), 4956-61. PMID: 22411809
- February 1, 2014
- 08:40 AM
- 525 views
The hissing butterfly | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
If eyespots, famously used in a butterfly's "startle display", are good enough to scare off hungry birds, why then does the peacock butterfly hiss too? ... Read more »
Vallin A., Jakobsson S., Lind J., & Wiklund C. (2005) Prey survival by predator intimidation: an experimental study of peacock butterfly defence against blue tits. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 272(1569), 1203-1207. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2004.3034
Olofsson Martin, Jakobsson Sven, & Wiklund Christer. (2012) Auditory defence in the peacock butterfly (Inachis io) against mice (Apodemus flavicollis and A. sylvaticus). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 66(2), 209-215. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-011-1268-1
- January 31, 2014
- 09:00 AM
- 761 views
What happens when you poke, prod and pinch black widow spiders? You might be surprised…
by Chris Buddle in Expiscor
A research paper investigates what happens when black widow spiders are poked, prodded and pinched, experimentally. Not surprisingly (to Arachnologists!) they seldom bite.... Read more »
Nelson et al. (2014) Poke but don't pinch: risk assessment and venom metering in the western black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus. Animal Behaviour. DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.12.019
- January 29, 2014
- 08:15 AM
- 610 views
Sweet, Salt, Bitter, Sour - They Ain't The Half Of It
by Mark Lasbury in As Many Exceptions As Rules
What are the tastes humans sense? Sweet salt, sour, and bitter – don’t forget umami. Even though it has been around since 1908, umami as a concept has hit it big in just the past decade or so. This makes one wonder, are there more tastes out there? How about fat. New research shows that there are fatty acid receptors in the oral cavity, and they do induce specific physiologic responses. Is this the same as tasting?
Fatty acid receptors may turn out to be especially important for o........ Read more »
Newman L, Haryono R, & Keast R. (2013) Functionality of fatty acid chemoreception: a potential factor in the development of obesity?. Nutrients, 5(4), 1287-300. PMID: 23595136
Pepino MY, Love-Gregory L, Klein S, & Abumrad NA. (2012) The fatty acid translocase gene CD36 and lingual lipase influence oral sensitivity to fat in obese subjects. Journal of lipid research, 53(3), 561-6. PMID: 22210925
Keller KL, Liang LC, Sakimura J, May D, van Belle C, Breen C, Driggin E, Tepper BJ, Lanzano PC, Deng L.... (2012) Common variants in the CD36 gene are associated with oral fat perception, fat preferences, and obesity in African Americans. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 20(5), 1066-73. PMID: 22240721
Chan KQ, Tong EM, Tan DH, & Koh AH. (2013) What do love and jealousy taste like?. Emotion (Washington, D.C.), 13(6), 1142-9. PMID: 24040883
MacDonald CJ, Meck WH, & Simon SA. (2012) Distinct neural ensembles in the rat gustatory cortex encode salt and water tastes. The Journal of physiology, 590(Pt 13), 3169-84. PMID: 22570382
- January 29, 2014
- 08:14 AM
- 334 views
Badgers busy building more setts
by Aileen Cudmore in Natural Reactions
A new survey has found that the total number of badger setts across England and Wales has increased over the last 25 years, but what does this mean for actual badger numbers? ... Read more »
Judge J, Wilson GJ, Macarthur R, Delahay RJ, & McDonald RA. (2014) Density and abundance of badger social groups in England and Wales in 2011-2013. Scientific reports, 3809. PMID: 24457532
- January 29, 2014
- 04:00 AM
- 371 views
New Species of ‘Bizarre’ Giant-Eyed Insect Discovered in Washington Fossil
by Blake de Pastino in Western Digs
A “bizarre” fossilized bug whose head was nearly covered by two giant, bulbous eyes may help explain the evolution of unusual predatory insects that are still flying today, paleontologists say.... Read more »
S. Bruce Archibald, Christian Kehlmaiera, & Rolf W. Mathewes. (2014) Early Eocene big headed flies (Diptera: Pipunculidae) from the Okanagan Highlands, western North America. The Canadian Entomologist. DOI: 10.4039/tce.2013.79
- January 23, 2014
- 09:00 AM
- 554 views
A master-class in bizarre biology: itchy, incestuous, parasitic mites with adult offspring
by Chris Buddle in Expiscor
Pyemotes mites are parasitic on many insects, some of which are themselves economically important. After hanging onto their hosts, feeding on their haemolymph, and being good little parasites, females become engorged and have significant abdominal swelling. The eggs hatch in the female ovaries and the immatures develop develop inside their mothers, hatching as adults. When they emerge from their mothers, males swarm around the area where emergence is occurring, waiting for adult females to come ........ Read more »
Broce AB, Zurek L, Kalisch JA, Brown R, Keith DL, Gordon D, Goedeke J, Welbourn C, Moser J, Ochoa R.... (2006) Pyemotes herfsi (Acari: Pyemotidae), a mite new to North America as the cause of bite outbreaks. Journal of medical entomology, 43(3), 610-3. PMID: 16739423
Del Giudice P, Blanc-Amrane V, Bahadoran P, Caumes E, Marty P, Lazar M, Boissy C, Desruelles F, Izri A, Ortonne JP.... (2008) Pyemotes ventricosus dermatitis, southeastern France. Emerging infectious diseases, 14(11), 1759-61. PMID: 18976564
Moser et al. (2005) Phoretic mites and nematode associates of Scolytus multistriatus and Scolytus pygmaeus (Coleoptera : Scolytidae) in Austria. Agriculture . DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-9555.2005.00261.x
- January 22, 2014
- 10:16 AM
- 354 views
No loss of vigour for protective male macaques
by Aileen Cudmore in Natural Reactions
Male long-tailed macaques spend much of their time safeguarding females during the mating season, yet are still able to maintain their energy levels, despite this extra duty.... Read more »
Girard-Buttoz, C., Heistermann, M., Rahmi, E., Marzec, A., Agil, M., Fauzan, P., & Engelhardt, A. (2014) Mate-guarding constrains feeding activity but not energetic status of wild male long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1673-8
- January 12, 2014
- 06:06 PM
- 230 views
Case-spinning, aquatic, snail-eating caterpillars
by helikonios in The view from Helicon
Let me begin by admitting that when I worked in Hawai`i, I didn’t pay much attention to the tiny moths that I sometimes scared out of the moss. So this is a post about what I missed. Hawai`i, being remote and geologically active, is famous for its endemic, explosive evolutionary radiations: a single founding population, […]... Read more »
Rubinoff D, & Haines WP. (2005) Web-spinning caterpillar stalks snails. Science (New York, N.Y.), 309(5734), 575. PMID: 16040699
Rubinoff D, & Schmitz P. (2010) Multiple aquatic invasions by an endemic, terrestrial Hawaiian moth radiation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 107(13), 5903-6. PMID: 20308549
- January 9, 2014
- 05:56 AM
- 207 views
When Finding Nemo is instructive for zoologists (or the extinction risk of “famous” marine invertebrates)
by Diego in macrostylis
When Finding Nemo is instructive for zoologists (or the extinction risk of “famous” marine invertebrates) Evaluating the extinction risk of the marine species found in the film Finding Nemo clearly showed that we simply do not know much about the status of marine invertebrates; as the invertebrates in this film are likely among the most studied and better known, we probably lack any data to evaluate the extinction risk of almost all marine invertebrates... Read more »
McClenachan L., Cooper A.B., Carpenter K.E., Dulvy N.K. (2012) Extinction risk and bottlenecks in the conservation of charismatic marine species. Conservation Letters. DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263X.2011.00206.x
- January 8, 2014
- 08:00 AM
- 737 views
The Secretive Spotted Skunk
by David Steen in Living Alongside Wildlife
Eastern Spotted Skunk
By David Jachowski
One of the rarest and most secretive mammals in North America might be a skunk. Not your average backyard, dumpster-loving Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) that causes you to hold your breath after passing an overnight road kill on your morning commute. I am talking about the smaller and perplexingly rare Spotted Skunk (Spilogale putorius).... Read more »
Gompper, M.E., & Hackett, H.M. (2005) The long-term, range-wide decline of a once common carnivore: the eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius). . 2005, 195-201. DOI: 10.1017/S1367943005001964
Jones, K.L., & et al. (2008) Sudden increase in a rare endemic carnivore: Ecology of the island spotted skunk. Journal of Mammalogy, 75-86. DOI: 10.1644/07-MAMM-A-034.1
Lesmeister, D.B., & et al. (2012) Landscape ecology of eastern spotted skunk in habitats restored for red-cockaded woodpeckers. Restoration Ecology, 267-275. info:/
- December 31, 2013
- 08:38 AM
- 264 views
Different ways to produce a flatworm
by Diego in macrostylis
Different ways to produce a flatworm Flatworm embryonic development is different in different groups and while many flatworms do not have larvae, within one particular group of species (polyclads) there are different larvae... Read more »
Martín-Durán J.M., Egger B. (2012) Developmental diversity in free-living flatworms. EvoDevo. DOI: 10.1186/2041-9139-3-7
- December 30, 2013
- 08:15 AM
- 553 views
It’s An Exercise Resolution
by Mark Lasbury in As Many Exceptions As Rules
More exercise is a good New Year’s resolution, but do you know why it is good for you. Sure, you strengthen your heart and may lose some weight, but exercise affects your brain most of all. In terms of improved mood, research is showing how brain derived neurotrophic factor is stimulated by endocannabinoids and then increases serotonin production. The endocannabinoids have also recently been shown to decrease nociception to allow for increased effects of high serotonin and dopamine levels......... Read more »
Galdino G, Romero TR, Silva JF, Aguiar DC, de Paula AM, Cruz JS, Parrella C, Piscitelli F, Duarte ID, Di Marzo V.... (2013) The endocannabinoid system mediates aerobic exercise-induced antinociception in rats. Neuropharmacology, 313-324. PMID: 24148812
Koh SX, & Lee JK. (2013) S100B as a Marker for Brain Damage and Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption Following Exercise. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.). PMID: 24194479
Heyman E, Gamelin FX, Goekint M, Piscitelli F, Roelands B, Leclair E, Di Marzo V, & Meeusen R. (2012) Intense exercise increases circulating endocannabinoid and BDNF levels in humans--possible implications for reward and depression. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 37(6), 844-51. PMID: 22029953
Vučković MG, Li Q, Fisher B, Nacca A, Leahy RM, Walsh JP, Mukherjee J, Williams C, Jakowec MW, Petzinger GM. (2010) Exercise elevates dopamine D2 receptor in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease: in vivo imaging with [¹⁸F]fallypride. Movement Disorders, 25(16), 2777-2784. DOI: 10.1002/mds.23407
Puterman E, Lin J, Blackburn E, O'Donovan A, Adler N, & Epel E. (2010) The power of exercise: buffering the effect of chronic stress on telomere length. PloS one, 5(5). PMID: 20520771
- December 26, 2013
- 09:00 AM
- 292 views
Fate of bones and wood in the Antarctic sea
by Diego in macrostylis
Fate of bones and wood in the Antarctic sea What happens to whale and wood remains that sink on the Antarctic seafloor? Bones are destroyed by worms while wood is well preserved... Read more »
Glover A.G., Wiklund H., Taboada S., Avila C., Cristobo J., Smith C.R., Kemp K.M., Jamieson A.J., Dahlgren T.G. (2013) Bone-eating worms from the Antarctic: the contrasting fate of whale and wood remains on the Southern Ocean seafloor. Proceeding of the Royal Society B. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.1390
- December 18, 2013
- 11:27 AM
- 207 views
Bumblebees’ communication and learning
by Diego in macrostylis
Bumblebees’ communication and learning Bumblebees can learn to use cues provided by other bumblebees as well as by honey bees to find food... Read more »
Dawson E.H., Chittka L. (2012) Conspecific and heterospecific information use in bumblebees. PLoS ONE. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031444
- December 18, 2013
- 09:20 AM
- 727 views
Velvet look-alikes: a most astonishing mimicry complex
by Chris Buddle in Expiscor
A most amazing mimicry complex exists with velvet ants in Central and North America. This post explores this complex, including discussion about why these different wasp species looks so similar.... Read more »
Wilson JS, Williams KA, Forister ML, von Dohlen CD, & Pitts JP. (2012) Repeated evolution in overlapping mimicry rings among North American velvet ants. Nature communications, 1272. PMID: 23232402
- December 18, 2013
- 08:15 AM
- 580 views
Snow Saves Lives
by Mark Lasbury in As Many Exceptions As Rules
Tis the season for snow in the northern hemisphere – on the ground and in the mind of the biologist. Recent studies are showing the unique ways that organisms depend on and use snow in order to survive. An antifreeze protein from snow fleas may lengthen the time that organs can be stored for transplant. More amazing, reindeer use the UV rays that bounce of the snow to see predators – they are the only mammals that can see in the UV range.... Read more »
Hogg C, Neveu M, Stokkan KA, Folkow L, Cottrill P, Douglas R, Hunt DM, & Jeffery G. (2011) Arctic reindeer extend their visual range into the ultraviolet. The Journal of experimental biology, 214(Pt 12), 2014-9. PMID: 21613517
Kondo H, Hanada Y, Sugimoto H, Hoshino T, Garnham CP, Davies PL, & Tsuda S. (2012) Ice-binding site of snow mold fungus antifreeze protein deviates from structural regularity and high conservation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109(24), 9360-5. PMID: 22645341
Pentelute BL, Gates ZP, Dashnau JL, Vanderkooi JM, & Kent SB. (2008) Mirror image forms of snow flea antifreeze protein prepared by total chemical synthesis have identical antifreeze activities. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 130(30), 9702-7. PMID: 18598026
Kuwabara C, Takezawa D, Shimada T, Hamada T, Fujikawa S, & Arakawa K. (2002) Abscisic acid- and cold-induced thaumatin-like protein in winter wheat has an antifungal activity against snow mould, Microdochium nivale. Physiologia plantarum, 115(1), 101-110. PMID: 12010473
- December 17, 2013
- 09:12 AM
- 241 views
The most unknown animal group: placozoan
by Diego in macrostylis
The most unknown animal group: placozoan Placozoans found worldwide look very similar under a microscope; however, this unknown animal group is starting to show remarkable variation... Read more »
Eitel M., Osigus H.-J., DeSalle R., Schierwater B. (2013) Global diversity of Placozoa. PLoS ONE. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057131
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