All posts; Tags Include "Zoology"
- October 23, 2014
- 07:38 AM
- 1,493 views
Four Solar-Powered Animals
by beredim in Strange Animals
Photosynthesis, a process used by plants and some bacteria to convert light from the sun into chemical energy which can be later released to fuel their activities. Animals on the other hand, have to consume other organisms in order to cover their energy needs. But every rule has an exception.In recent years, researchers have discovered a small number of animals that much like plants have found a way to directly harness and feed off the Sun’s energy.1# Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis)Typicall........ Read more »
Mujer CV, Andrews DL, Manhart JR, Pierce SK, & Rumpho ME. (1996) Chloroplast genes are expressed during intracellular symbiotic association of Vaucheria litorea plastids with the sea slug Elysia chlorotica. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 93(22), 12333-8. PMID: 8901581
Rumpho ME, Worful JM, Lee J, Kannan K, Tyler MS, Bhattacharya D, Moustafa A, & Manhart JR. (2008) Horizontal gene transfer of the algal nuclear gene psbO to the photosynthetic sea slug Elysia chlorotica. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 105(46), 17867-71. PMID: 19004808
Plotkin M, Hod I, Zaban A, Boden SA, Bagnall DM, Galushko D, & Bergman DJ. (2010) Solar energy harvesting in the epicuticle of the oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis). Die Naturwissenschaften, 97(12), 1067-76. PMID: 21052618
Moran, N., & Jarvik, T. (2010) Lateral Transfer of Genes from Fungi Underlies Carotenoid Production in Aphids. Science, 328(5978), 624-627. DOI: 10.1126/science.1187113
Valmalette, J., Dombrovsky, A., Brat, P., Mertz, C., Capovilla, M., & Robichon, A. (2012) Light- induced electron transfer and ATP synthesis in a carotene synthesizing insect. Scientific Reports. DOI: 10.1038/srep00579
Gilbert, P. (1942) Observations on the Eggs of Ambystoma Maculatum with Especial Reference to the Green Algae Found Within the Egg Envelopes. Ecology, 23(2), 215. DOI: 10.2307/1931088
Gilbert, P. (1944) The Alga-Egg Relationship in Ambystoma Maculatum, A Case of Symbiosis. Ecology, 25(3), 366. DOI: 10.2307/1931284
Kerney, R., Kim, E., Hangarter, R., Heiss, A., Bishop, C., & Hall, B. (2011) Intracellular invasion of green algae in a salamander host. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(16), 6497-6502. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1018259108
Graham, E., Fay, S., Davey, A., & Sanders, R. (2014) Intracapsular algae provide fixed carbon to developing embryos of the salamander Ambystoma maculatum. Journal of Experimental Biology, 217(16), 2983-2983. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.111732
- October 15, 2014
- 08:00 AM
- 1,320 views
Frankenstein Meets Genetic Modification
by Mark Lasbury in As Many Exceptions As Rules
Halloween conjures up monsters, like Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. Her story is just as applicable for us today – the story of science being responsible for what it creates. The so-called Frankenfoods are called dangerous – but why? Studies that label them dangerous have been retracted or are merely correlative. New studies have shown that genetically modified crops are safe for livestock and humans. However, there are valid concerns, so every GMO must be tested rigorously.... Read more »
Goldstein, D. (2014) Tempest in a Tea Pot: How did the Public Conversation on Genetically Modified Crops Drift so far from the Facts?. Journal of Medical Toxicology, 10(2), 194-201. DOI: 10.1007/s13181-014-0402-7
Tufarelli V, & Laudadio V. (2013) Genetically Modified Feeds in Poultry Diet: Safety, Performance and Product Quality. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. PMID: 24915369
Van Eenennaam AL, & Young AE. (2014) Prevalence and impacts of genetically engineered feedstuffs on livestock populations. Journal of animal science, 92(10), 4255-78. PMID: 25184846
Snell C, Bernheim A, Bergé JB, Kuntz M, Pascal G, Paris A, & Ricroch AE. (2012) Assessment of the health impact of GM plant diets in long-term and multigenerational animal feeding trials: a literature review. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association, 50(3-4), 1134-48. PMID: 22155268
McCall WV, Andrade C, & Sienaert P. (2014) Searching for the mechanism(s) of ECT's therapeutic effect. The journal of ECT, 30(2), 87-9. PMID: 24755719
- October 14, 2014
- 09:30 AM
- 1,173 views
Zombies And The Loss of Free Will
by Mark E. Lasbury in The 'Scope
Nature is rife with examples of how one organism can rob another of its free will, turning them into zombies so to say. Who would have guessed that Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds was really a zombie movie.... Read more »
House PK, Vyas A, & Sapolsky R. (2011) Predator cat odors activate sexual arousal pathways in brains of Toxoplasma gondii infected rats. PloS one, 6(8). PMID: 21858053
Banks CN, & Adams ME. (2012) Biogenic amines in the nervous system of the cockroach, Periplaneta americana following envenomation by the jewel wasp, Ampulex compressa. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology, 59(2), 320-8. PMID: 22085538
Herzner G, Schlecht A, Dollhofer V, Parzefall C, Harrar K, Kreuzer A, Pilsl L, & Ruther J. (2013) Larvae of the parasitoid wasp Ampulex compressa sanitize their host, the American cockroach, with a blend of antimicrobials. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 110(4), 1369-74. PMID: 23297195
- October 11, 2014
- 11:39 AM
- 950 views
Saying NO to Our Food Craving Is Not as Simple as It Seems
by Wiley Asia Blog in Wiley Asia Blog - Life Sciences
Fitness junkies would not believe this, but our road to obesity could be greatly affected by the number and type of bacteria living within us. Researchers from UC San Francisco, Arizona State University and University of New Mexico suggest that a power struggle inside our gut happens daily. As it is a game of ‘survival-of-the-fittest’, our gut microbes would compete with each other over the availability of their preferred nutrient (e.g. sugar or fats). As a result, they influence our........ Read more »
Alcock, J., Maley, C., & Aktipis, C. (2014) Is eating behavior manipulated by the gastrointestinal microbiota? Evolutionary pressures and potential mechanisms. BioEssays, 36(10), 940-949. DOI: 10.1002/bies.201400071
- October 8, 2014
- 06:57 PM
- 942 views
How Modern Genomics Crushed Bigfoot Pseudoscience
by Emil Karlsson in Debunking Denialism
Thousands of people around the world believe in the existence of a large primate that roams the mountain forests. It is known by many names, such as Bigfoot, Yeti and Sasquatch. Many of these enthusiasts even claim to have genuine biological samples from these creatures. Skeptics have so far remain unconvinced. No authentic photographs or video material has been produced (the one on the right is a man in a suit) and no bodies have been found. Meanwhile, cryptozoologists complain that scientist a........ Read more »
Sykes, B., Mullis, R., Hagenmuller, C., Melton, T., & Sartori, M. (2014) Genetic analysis of hair samples attributed to yeti, bigfoot and other anomalous primates. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 281(1789). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.0161
- October 8, 2014
- 08:00 AM
- 1,237 views
A Tale Of Two Tails
by Mark Lasbury in As Many Exceptions As Rules
Recent, and not so recent studies, are showing just how specialized eukaryotic flagella can be. Structures are rigid, except for when they aren’t. Sperm from two species of diatoms have very different sperm tail basal bodies, which might affect how they move and function. On the other hand, rabbits have flagella with at least three different structures. Does each have it’s own function?... Read more »
Prensier, G., Vivier, E., Goldstein, S., & Schrevel, J. (1980) Motile flagellum with a "3 0" ultrastructure. Science, 207(4438), 1493-1494. DOI: 10.1126/science.7189065
Idei, M., Osada, K., Sato, S., Nakayama, T., Nagumo, T., & Mann, D. (2012) Sperm ultrastructure in the diatoms Melosira and Thalassiosira and the significance of the 9 0 configuration. Protoplasma, 250(4), 833-850. DOI: 10.1007/s00709-012-0465-8
Feistel K, & Blum M. (2006) Three types of cilia including a novel 9 4 axoneme on the notochordal plate of the rabbit embryo. Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists, 235(12), 3348-58. PMID: 17061268
- October 1, 2014
- 08:00 AM
- 1,335 views
One Thing Is Just Like The Other – Sort Of
by Mark Lasbury in As Many Exceptions As Rules
Recent studies have illustrated how complicated evolution by descent with adaptation can be. Convergent evolution and parallel evolution explain the fingerprints of koalas and the marsupial and placental saber-toothed cats. Dollo’s Law of Irreversibility has been shown to be plastic, as frogs have re-evolved mandibular teeth and stick insects have lost and regained wings several times. ... Read more »
Lahti, D. C., N. A. Johnson, et al. (2009) Relaxed selection in the wild. . Trends in Ecology and Evolution, , 24(9), 487-496. info:/
Stone G, & French V. (2003) Evolution: have wings come, gone and come again?. Current biology : CB, 13(11). PMID: 12781152
Wiens JJ. (2011) Re-evolution of lost mandibular teeth in frogs after more than 200 million years, and re-evaluating Dollo's law. Evolution; international journal of organic evolution, 65(5), 1283-96. PMID: 21521189
- September 28, 2014
- 04:54 AM
- 1,123 views
Andinobates Geminisae: New Fingernail Sized Poison Dart Frog from Panama
by beredim in Strange Animals
This is the hololotype specimen that the researchers used to describe the newly discovered Andinobates geminisaeCredit: Cesar Jaramillo, STRIA team of scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, the Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí in Panama, and the Universidad de los Andes in Colombia recently announced the discovery of a new bright orange poison dart frog. The new species is so small that it can fit on a fingernail and was found in a rain forest near the Caribbean coast, Do........ Read more »
BATISTA, A., JARAMILLO, C., PONCE, M., & CRAWFORD, A. (2014) A new species of Andinobates (Amphibia: Anura: Dendrobatidae) from west central Panama. Zootaxa, 3866(3), 333. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3866.3.2
- September 24, 2014
- 06:00 AM
- 1,323 views
Chase The Good, Evade The Bad
by Mark Lasbury in As Many Exceptions As Rules
New research has found a bacterium that is spherical, yet has flagella all over its surface (peritrichous). This bacterium is also the only magnetotactic organism discovered that has both magnetite and Greigite crystals. Other research is showing that changing fields can turn magnetotactic bacteria on command. With some bacteria able to generate electrical circuits and others being able to open and close circuits on command, can bacterial computers be far away?... Read more »
Gao B, Lara-Tejero M, Lefebre M, Goodman AL, & Galán JE. (2014) Novel components of the flagellar system in epsilonproteobacteria. mBio, 5(3). PMID: 24961693
Zhang R, Chen YR, Du HJ, Zhang WY, Pan HM, Xiao T, & Wu LF. (2014) Characterization and phylogenetic identification of a species of spherical multicellular magnetotactic prokaryotes that produces both magnetite and greigite crystals. Research in microbiology. PMID: 25086260
Brennan CA, Hunt JR, Kremer N, Krasity BC, Apicella MA, McFall-Ngai MJ, & Ruby EG. (2014) A model symbiosis reveals a role for sheathed-flagellum rotation in the release of immunogenic lipopolysaccharide. eLife. PMID: 24596150
Khalil, I., & Misra, S. (2014) Control Characteristics of Magnetotactic Bacteria: Magnetospirillum Magnetotacticum Strain MS-1 and Magnetospirillum Magneticum Strain AMB-1. IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 50(4), 1-11. DOI: 10.1109/TMAG.2013.2287495
- September 22, 2014
- 09:00 AM
- 1,141 views
Creating The Master Breed
by Mark E. Lasbury in The 'Scope
The German nationalistic sentiment before and during World War II led to some bizarre selective breeding experiments. Two brothers, Heinz and Luke Heck tried to resurrect extinct large animals that once roamed the European forests, and they also tried to breed the perfect German hunting dog – a purely German hunting dog, of course. Whether a good idea or not, the Jadgterrier is one of the few truly healthy pure bred dogs.... Read more »
Lemay P, Knowler SP, Bouasker S, Nédélec Y, Platt S, Freeman C, Child G, Barreiro LB, Rouleau GA, Rusbridge C.... (2014) Quantitative trait loci (QTL) study identifies novel genomic regions associated to Chiari-like malformation in Griffon Bruxellois dogs. PloS one, 9(4). PMID: 24740420
Zeyland J, Wolko L, Bocianowski J, Szalata M, Słomski R, Dzieduszycki AM, Ryba M, Przystałowska H, & Lipiński D. (2013) Complete mitochondrial genome of wild aurochs (Bos primigenius) reconstructed from ancient DNA. Polish journal of veterinary sciences, 16(2), 265-73. PMID: 23971194
- September 18, 2014
- 08:00 AM
- 1,471 views
Pythons and the Land - The Bangladesh Python Project Part IV --Guest Post--
by David Steen in Living Alongside Wildlife
By Jon Hakim
Make sure to start at Part I.
“Snake call! It's the python. Are you up? We got a call for the python.”
The words were almost the same, but I woke up to see that
Caesar's face held a grimace. The
call he feared had come.
Let's back up to the night before.
In the last post I left you in a moment of triumph. Kanai had led four of us right to our
target species... Read more »
Rahman, Shahriar Caesar, & et al. (2013) Monsoon does matter: annual activity patterns in a snake assemblage from Bangladesh. The Herpetological Journal, 203-208. info:/
- September 15, 2014
- 08:00 AM
- 1,243 views
Sweating Is The Pits
by Mark E. Lasbury in The 'Scope
New research is delving into the possible negative aspects of antiperspirants and deodorants. A 2014 study indicates that bacterial fauna is altered by the use of antiperspirants and can lead to overgrowth of bacteria that actually produce more foul smelling chemicals. On a more important note, research is showing that aluminum from antiperspirants may contribute to breast cancer growth, including promotion of estrogen hormone production, altered iron metabolism, and increased oxygen radical for........ Read more »
Callewaert C, Hutapea P, Van de Wiele T, & Boon N. (2014) Deodorants and antiperspirants affect the axillary bacterial community. Archives of dermatological research. PMID: 25077920
Watson LC, Gies D, Thompson E, & Thomas B. (2012) Randomized control trial: evaluating aluminum-based antiperspirant use, axilla skin toxicity, and reported quality of life in women receiving external beam radiotherapy for treatment of Stage 0, I, and II breast cancer. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics, 83(1). PMID: 22516385
Darbre PD, Mannello F, & Exley C. (2013) Aluminium and breast cancer: Sources of exposure, tissue measurements and mechanisms of toxicological actions on breast biology. Journal of inorganic biochemistry, 257-61. PMID: 23899626
Rodrigues-Peres RM, Cadore S, Febraio S, Heinrich JK, Serra KP, Derchain SF, Vassallo J, & Sarian LO. (2013) Aluminum concentrations in central and peripheral areas of malignant breast lesions do not differ from those in normal breast tissues. BMC cancer, 104. PMID: 23496847
- September 15, 2014
- 05:57 AM
- 2,186 views
Turritopsis Dohrnii - Is It Really Immortal?
by beredim in Strange Animals
The "Immortal" JellyfishCredit: Peter Schuchert/The Hydrozoa DirectoryKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: CnidariaClass: HydrozoaOrder: AnthoathecataFamily: OceaniidaeGenus: TurritopsisSpecies: Turritopsis dohrnii (formerly classified as T. nutricula.)Common Name: The immortal jellyfishMost of the animals featured on the site are chosen based on their unusual looks. However, this not the case with Turritopsis dohrnii, which seemingly has no notable morphological characteristics. On the outside, i........ Read more »
Martínez DE. (1998) Mortality patterns suggest lack of senescence in hydra. Experimental gerontology, 33(3), 217-25. PMID: 9615920
- September 10, 2014
- 07:42 AM
- 1,664 views
Indian Purple Frog (Pignosed Frog)
by beredim in Strange Animals
Indian Purple FrogCredit: Karthickbala at ta.wikipedia (CC-BY-SA-3.0)via Wikimedia CommonsKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: AmphibiaOrder: AnuraFamily: SooglossidaeGenus: NasikabatrachusSpecies: Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensisConservation Status: EndageredCommon name(s): Indian purple frog, Pignosed frog, Indian purple frogMeet the Indian puple frog, an endangered and odd-looking species of frog from the mountains of India’s Western Ghats.The species was formally described o........ Read more »
Biju SD, & Bossuyt F. (2003) New frog family from India reveals an ancient biogeographical link with the Seychelles. Nature, 425(6959), 711-4. PMID: 14562102
Thomas A, Suyesh R, Biju SD, & Bee MA. (2014) Vocal behavior of the elusive purple frog of India (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis), a fossorial species endemic to the Western Ghats. PloS one, 9(2). PMID: 24516517
- September 1, 2014
- 07:56 AM
- 969 views
New Clues Revealed about the Longevity of Naked Mole Rats
by beredim in Strange Animals
Naked Mole RatCredit: UT Health Science Center at San AntonioThe hairless, odd-looking creature in the photo is a naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber).Among many weird traits, the species also holds the record for longest living rodent. For comparison, the house mouse (Mus musculus) has a maximum lifespan of just 2-3 years, whereas naked mole rats have been recorded to live as much as 32 years!The exact mechanisms behind the species remarkable longevity have yet to be clearly unveiled, ho........ Read more »
Rodriguez KA, Osmulski PA, Pierce A, Weintraub ST, Gaczynska M, & Buffenstein R. (2014) A cytosolic protein factor from the naked mole-rat activates proteasomes of other species and protects these from inhibition. Biochimica et biophysica acta. PMID: 25018089
- August 29, 2014
- 06:38 AM
- 813 views
Fish with Lungs Gives Clues to the Origin of Tetrapods
by beredim in Strange Animals
Juvenile Polypterus senegalusAbout 400 million years ago, fish left the water and began to evolve into land-living creatures. But how did this transition happen? In a new and unusual study, researchers from the McGill University took a fish species known to be able to occasionally walk using its fins and raised it on land. The scientists found that when raised on land, this primitive strange fish with lungs, walks much better than its water-raised friends. The experiment could she........ Read more »
Standen EM, Du TY, & Larsson HC. (2014) Developmental plasticity and the origin of tetrapods. Nature. PMID: 25162530
- August 25, 2014
- 08:28 AM
- 2,093 views
Chinese Food And The One Hour Dilemma
by Mark E. Lasbury in The 'Scope
Everyone thinks they have the answer to why you get hungry soon after eating a plate of Chinese food, but it may be more complex than a simple answer. Some people blame MSG, others say it is the higher glycemic index of rice and noodles, while others claim it is the low fat, low protein aspects of Chinese food. New studies shows that MSG, high glycemic index foods and vegetable protein diets do not alter satiety and hunger hormone levels as compared to other meal types. It may be that the satiet........ Read more »
Neacsu M, Fyfe C, Horgan G, & Johnstone AM. (2014) Appetite control and biomarkers of satiety with vegetarian (soy) and meat-based high-protein diets for weight loss in obese men: a randomized crossover trial. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 100(2), 548-558. PMID: 24944057
Geliebter A, Lee MI, Abdillahi M, & Jones J. (2013) Satiety following intake of potatoes and other carbohydrate test meals. Annals of nutrition , 62(1), 37-43. PMID: 23221259
Boutry C, Matsumoto H, Airinei G, Benamouzig R, Tomé D, Blachier F, & Bos C. (2011) Monosodium glutamate raises antral distension and plasma amino acid after a standard meal in humans. American journal of physiology. Gastrointestinal and liver physiology, 300(1). PMID: 21030612
- August 20, 2014
- 08:00 AM
- 911 views
Because He Is The One
by Mark Lasbury in As Many Exceptions As Rules
Swatting a fly is hard. They always seem to know you’re coming, and even if you do surprise them, they often avoid your assassination attempts. New research is showing how they do it. A 2014 paper indicates that animals with faster metabolic rates actually process information and react quicker than larger animals. This, along with recent data showing how flies can jump away from a visual stimulus before taking flight and how they can coordinate a 0.03 second banking turn with incoming visu........ Read more »
Muijres FT, Elzinga MJ, Melis JM, & Dickinson MH. (2014) Flies evade looming targets by executing rapid visually directed banked turns. Science (New York, N.Y.), 344(6180), 172-7. PMID: 24723606
Healy K, McNally L, Ruxton GD, Cooper N, & Jackson AL. (2013) Metabolic rate and body size are linked with perception of temporal information. Animal behaviour, 86(4), 685-696. PMID: 24109147
Jumpertz R, Hanson RL, Sievers ML, Bennett PH, Nelson RG, & Krakoff J. (2011) Higher energy expenditure in humans predicts natural mortality. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 96(6). PMID: 21450984
- August 16, 2014
- 06:27 AM
- 1,679 views
True facts about anglerfish | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
To the female anglerfish, the human male is a very loud, annoying and unnecessarily complicated pair of gonads. Continue reading...... Read more »
Miya Masaki, James W Orr, Rachel J Arnold, Takashi P Satoh, Andrew M Shedlock, Hsuan-Ching Ho, Mitsuomi Shimazaki, Mamoru Yabe, & Mutsumi Nishida. (2010) Evolutionary history of anglerfishes (Teleostei: Lophiiformes): a mitogenomic perspective. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 10(1), 58. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-10-58
Widder E. A. (2010) Bioluminescence in the Ocean: Origins of Biological, Chemical, and Ecological Diversity. Science, 328(5979), 704-708. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1174269
- August 16, 2014
- 06:08 AM
- 1,802 views
The Mata mata turtle
by beredim in Strange Animals
Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: ReptiliaOrder: TestudinesFamily: ChelidaeGenus: ChelusSpecies: Chelus fimbriataConservation Status: Least ConcernCommon Name(s): Mata mata, Mata mata turtle, Matamata and other similar variationsMata mata, a strange name for what is sure one of the world's strangest turtles! This large, South American river turtle is the only surviving species of the genus Chelus and is easily one of the most unusual creatures you are likely to encounter in the Amazon........ Read more »
Lombardini ED, Desoutter AV, Montali RJ, & Del Piero F. (2013) Esophageal adenocarcinoma in a 53-year-old mata mata turtle (Chelus fimbriatus). Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine : official publication of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, 44(3), 773-6. PMID: 24063112
Wang L, Zhou X, Nie L, Xia X, Liu L, Jiang Y, Huang Z, & Jing W. (2012) The complete mitochondrial genome sequences of Chelodina rugosa and Chelus fimbriata (Pleurodira: Chelidae): implications of a common absence of initiation sites (O(L)) in pleurodiran turtles. Molecular biology reports, 39(3), 2097-107. PMID: 21655955
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