-
AGE READINGS AND ASSESSMENT IN COASTAL BATOID ELASMOBRANCHS FROM SMALL-SCALE SIZE-SELECTIVE FISHERY: THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA COMPARABILITY IN MULTISPECIFIC ASSEMBLAGES. bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-03-16 Umberto Scacco, Fabiana Zanardi, Silvio Kroha, Emanuele Mancini, Francesco Tiralongo, Giuseppe Nascetti
Age readings and assessment of vertebral growth increments were obtained in four batoid elasmobranch species, namely Dasyatis pastinaca, Raja asterias, Torpedo marmorata, and Torpedo torpedo. Samples were obtained opportunistically from the bycatch of a size-selective fishery, such as local small-scale trammel net fishing, in the coastal waters of the Central Tyrrhenian Sea during 2019-21. We analysed
-
Surface temperatures are influenced by handling stress independently of corticosterone levels in wild king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-03-16 Agnes Lewden, Chelsea Ward, Aude Noiret, Sandra Avril, Lucie Abolivier, Caroline Gerard, Tracey L Hammer, Emilie Raymond, Jean-Patrice Robin, Vincent A Viblanc, Pierre Bize, Antoine STIER
Assessing the physiological stress responses of wild animals opens a window for understanding how organisms cope with environmental challenges. Since stress response is associated with changes in body temperature, the use of body surface temperature through thermal imaging could help to measure acute and chronic stress responses non-invasively. We used thermal imaging, acute handling-stress protocol
-
A Preliminary list of Birds from Laguna de Matusagarati: A Wildlife Refuge in Darien Province, Panama bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-03-15 Jorge L Garzon, Gumercindo Pimentel, Jean Paul Carrera, Anayansi Valderrama, Yennifer Alfaro, Jorge L Medina, Pedro Castillero
The wetland Laguna de Matusagarati, in the province of Darien, eastern Panama region, possesses an approximate extension of 56, 000 hectares, the largest wetland in Panama and one of the biggest of Central America. Despite 70% of this wetland is on protected areas by Ministerio de Ambiente Panama, there are areas where the anthropogenic impact is notable, livestock, rice and oil palm crops, logging
-
Effects of Feed Processing Type, Protein Source, and Environmental Salinity on Litopenaeus vannamei Feeding Behaviour bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-03-15 Amina Salina Moss, Adam J Brooker, Stella Ozioko, Marit Nederlof, Sudip Debnath, Johan Schrama
In an 8-week trial, the effects of feed processing types (extruded vs. steamed pellets) and protein source (soya/pea vs. fish meal) on Litopenaeus vannamei were studied under 30 ppt (first 30 days) and 5 ppt (last 15 days) salinity conditions. Diets included D1-SE soya/pea extruded, D2-SS soya/pea steamed, D3-FE fishmeal extruded, and D4 (FS) fishmeal steamed pellets. No significant weight differences
-
Dental radiography as a low-invasive field technique to estimate age in small rodents, with the mole voles (Ellobius) as an example bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-03-14 Varvara R. Nikonova, Anna E. Naumova, Arman M. Bergaliev, Margarita M. Dymskaya, Anna I. Rudyk, Elena V. Volodina, Antonina Smorkatcheva
Most studies which deal with natural populations require a reliable and convenient way of age estimation. However, even rough aging of live individuals is often a real challenge. In this study, we develop a radiographic method of age estimation in Ellobius talpinus, a promising model species for population and behavioral ecology. Using a portable X-ray equipment, we radiographed wild, non-sedated animals
-
Clinical factors associated with SFTS diagnosis and severity in cats bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-03-12 Hiromu Osako, Qiang Xu, Takeshi Nabashima, Jean Claude Balingit, Khine Mya Nwe, Fuxun Yu, Shingo Inoue, Daisuke Hayasaka, Mya Myat Ngwe Tun, Kouichi Morita, Yuki Takamatsu
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a potentially fatal tick-borne zoonosis caused by SFTS virus (SFTSV). In addition to tick bites, animal-to-human transmission of SFTSV has been reported, but little is known about feline SFTSV infection. In this study, we analyzed data on 187 cats with suspected SFTS to identify biomarkers for SFTS diagnosis and clinical outcome., Body weight, red
-
A reference database of reptile images bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-03-10 Peter H Uetz, Maya Patel, Zainab Gbadamosi, Stacey Shoope, Jeremy Nguyen
While there are millions of reptile images available online, they are not well organized and not easily findable, accessible, interoperable, or reproducible (FAIR). More importantly, they are not standardized and thus hardly comparable. Here we present a reference database of more than 14,000 standardized images of 1,045 reptile species (969 lizard and 76 snake species), that are based on preserved
-
A comparison of the parasitoid wasp species richness of tropical forest sites in Peru and Uganda – subfamily Rhyssinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-03-09 Tapani Hopkins, Hanna Tuomisto, Isrrael C. Gómez, Ilari E. Sääksjärvi
The global distribution of parasitoid wasp species richness is poorly known. Past attempts to compare data from different sites have been hampered by small sample sizes and lack of standardisation. During the past decades, we have carried out long-term Malaise trapping using a standardised approach in the tropical forests of Peru (western Amazonia) and Uganda (eastern Africa). Here, we test how well
-
Testing a Method for Quantifying Microplastic Content in Mytilus californianus bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-03-08 Ajeetesh Sidhu, William Sun, Mariam Helal, Aryaman Gupta, Aarsh Mittal, Serena Ramanathan, Manu Thakur, Bhoomi Jain, Dylan Wang, Andrew Benson, Connor T Adams
With the proliferation of microplastics within the environment, there has been an increased need to quantify them within organic tissues of aquatic species. Several studies have examined the potential role of mussels in filtering these contaminants, prompting interest in characterizing uptake and retention of microplastics in these species. There are a variety of methods to isolate and quantify microplastics
-
Molecular evaluation of Conogethes punctiferalis (Guenee, 1854): Species status and intraspecific divergence bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-03-06 Jin An, Ya-Lin Yao, Ping Gao, Minghua Xiu, Cheng-Min Shi
Species are not only the fundamental unit of taxonomy but also the basic unit of pest management. Insects of Conogethes are important agricultural and forestry pests. However, species boundaries within Conogethes often appear obscure. In the present study, we re-evaluated the species status of Conogethes by applying three species delimitation approaches based on the mitochondrial DNA sequences, with
-
Beyond power limits: the kinetic energy capacity of skeletal muscle bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-03-05 David Labonte, Natalie C Holt
Muscle is the universal agent of animal movement, and limits to muscle performance are therefore an integral aspect of animal behaviour, ecology, and evolution. A mechanical perspective on movement makes it amenable to analysis from first principles, and so brings the seeming certainty of simple physical "laws" to the challenging comparative study of complex biological systems. Early work in biomechanics
-
Evaluation of efficacy of formic acid and thermal remediation for management of Tropilaelaps and Varroa mites in central Thailand bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-03-05 Madison Sankovitz, Nathalie Steinhauer, Tanawat Yemor, Steven C Cook, Jay D Evans, Samuel D Ramsey
The western honey bee, Apis mellifera, faces a new threat from the spread of parasitic Tropilaelaps (Tropi) mites, specifically T. mercedesae, which adds additional complexity to an apicultural landscape heavily impacted by Varroa destructor. In this study conducted in central Thailand, we investigated the efficacy of two methods of applying formic acid and a thermal remediation technique in controlling
-
Element accumulation in the tracheal and bronchial cartilages of monkeys bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-03-04 Cho Azuma, Takao Oishi, Yoshiyuki Tohno, Lining Ke, Xiao-zhen Zhao, Takeshi Minami, Noriko Horii-Hayashi, Koichi Inoue
Compositional changes in the tracheal and bronchial cartilages can affect respiratory ventilation and lung function. We aimed to elucidate element accumulation in the tracheal and bronchial cartilages of monkeys and divided it into four sites: tracheal, tracheal bifurcation, left bronchial, and right bronchial cartilages. The elemental content was analyzed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission
-
A novel cell communication method reveals that grik4 and gabrd may be critical for inducing death in RGNNV-infected grouper. bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-03-04 tengfei he, yepin yu
To investigate the infectious mechanism of RGNNV, we adopted multi-omics methods to study the precise cellular interactions. We combined proteomic, bulk-RNA seq and sc-RNA seq to search for the secret of RGNNV's influence on the nervous system in grouper. Besides, we created a sc-RNA seq workflow for cell communication analysis that can be applied to those non-model organisms with a reference for the
-
A new interesting and unidentified Schmidtea species in Romania (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Dugesiidae) bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-28 Babalean Anda Felicia
This paper presents the characters (morphology and aspects of reproductive biology) of a population belonging to the genus Schmidtea, in Romania. This population shows similarities with the other Schmidtea species: with S. polychroa, the presence of cephalic sensory fossae; with S. mediterranea, the asexual reproduction by fission; with S. nova, the presence of a diaphragm of the ejaculatory duct to
-
Phylogenomics resolves a 100-year-old debate regarding the evolutionary history of caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-26 Xinyu Ge, Lang Peng, John C Morse, Jingyuan Wang, Haoming Zang, Lianfang Yang, Changhai Sun, Beixin Wang
Trichoptera (caddisfly) phylogeny provides an interesting example of aquatic insect evolution, with rich ecological diversification, especially for underwater architecture. Trichoptera provide numerous critical ecosystem services and are also one of the most important groups of aquatic insects for assessing water quality. The phylogenetic relationships of Trichoptera have been debated for nearly a
-
Antimicrobial resistance, virulence genes profiles and molecular epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains from captive giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-21 XIA YAN, Mei Yang, James Edward Ayala, Lin Li, Yang Zhou, Rong Hou, Songrui Liu, Yunli Li, Chanjuan Yue, Dongsheng Zhang, Xiaoyan Su
This study aimed to investigate the antibiotic susceptibility, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), mobile genetic elements (MGEs), virulence genes, and molecular epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) strains isolated from giant pandas. The screening of 178 nonduplicated Klebsiella pneumoniae strains identified eight CRKP strains, with the most abundant ARGs observed in ampC/blaDHA
-
Prevalence and genotypes of Chlamydia psittaci in pet birds of Hong Kong bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-21 Jackie Cheuk Kei Ko, Yannes Wai Yan Choi, Emily Shui Kei Poon, Nicole Wyre, Jennifer Le Lin Go, Leo Lit Man Poon, Simon Yung Wa Sin
Psittacosis, or parrot fever, is a zoonotic disease caused by Chlamydia species associated with birds. One of the causative agents of the disease is Chlamydia psittaci, which is often carried by psittacine and can be highly pathogenic and virulent to humans. In Hong Kong, a city with high population density, psittacosis is a notifiable disease with over 60% of cases in the last decade resulting in
-
Range of Ixodes laguri, a nidicolous tick that parasitizes critically endangered rodents, with details on its western distribution limit in Austria bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-21 Franz Rubel
The nidicolous tick Ixodes laguri is a nest-dwelling parasite of small mammals that mainly infest rodents of the families Cricetidae, Gliridae, Muridae and Sciuridae. There is no proven vectorial role for I. laguri, although it is suggested that it is a vector of Francisella tularensis. In this study, a first map depicting the entire geographical distribution of I. laguri based on georeferenced locations
-
In situ observation and range extension of the first discovered monoplacophoran Neopilina galatheae bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-20 Chong Chen
Monoplacophoran molluscs have been dubbed "living fossils" due to their absence in the fossil record for about 375 million years, until Neopilina galatheae Lemche, 1957 was trawled off Costa Rica in 1952. Since then, over 35 species of living monoplacophorans have been discovered. Nevertheless, in situ observations of these rare deep-sea animals remain scant. Here, we observed and collected an intact
-
Integrative phylogenetic analysis of the genus Episoriculus (Mammalia: Eulipotyphla: Soricidae) bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-19 Yingxun Liu, Xuming Wang, Tao Wan, Rui Liao, Shunde Chen, Shaoying Liu, Bisong Yue
Shrews in the genus Episoriculus are among the least-known mammals in China, where representatives occur mainly in the Himalayan and Hengduan mountains. We sequence one mitochondrial and three nuclear genes from 77 individuals referable to this genus, collect morphometric data for five shape and 11 skull measurements from 56 specimens, and use museum collections and GenBank sequences to analyze phylogenetic
-
New observations of fluorescent organisms in the Banda Sea and in the Red Sea bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-19 Lars Henrik Poding, Peter Jaegers, Mareike Huhn, Stefan Herlitze, Budiono Senen, Gino Valentino Limmon
Fluorescence is a widespread phenomenon found in animals, bacteria, fungi, and plants. In marine environments fluorescence has been proposed to play a role in physiological and behavioral responses. Many fluorescent proteins and other molecules have been described in jellyfish, corals, and fish. Here we describe fluorescence in marine species, which we observed and photographed during night dives in
-
Hindlimb kinematics, kinetics, and muscle dynamics during sit-to-stand and sit-to-walk transitions in emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae) bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-18 Yuting LIn, Jeffery W Rankin, Luis P Lamas, Mehran Moazen, John R Hutchinson
Animals not only need to walk and run but also lie prone to rest and then stand up. Sit-to-stand (STS) and sit-to-walk (STW) transitions are vital behaviours little studied in species other than humans so far, but likely impose biomechanical constraints on limb design because they involve near-maximal excursions of limb joints that should require large length changes and force production from muscles
-
Transgenesis enables mapping of segmental ganglia in the leech Helobdella austinensis bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-18 Dian-Han Kuo, Lidia Szczupak, David Weisblat, Enrique Portiansky, Christopher Winchell, Jun-Ru Lee, Fu-Yu Tsai
The analysis of how neural circuits function in individuals and change during evolution is simplified by the existence of neurons identified as homologous within and across species. Invertebrates, including leeches, have been used for these purposes in part because their nervous systems comprise a high proportion of identified neurons, but technical limitations make it challenging to assess the full
-
Exploring unique sequence repeat patterns and secondary structures in rDNA internal transcribed spacers ITS1 and ITS2 for characterization of catfish species bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-17 MOHD IMRAN, SANA NAFEES
The genetic variabilities in internal transcribed spacers ITS1 and ITS2 of rDNA are explored to a limited extent in vertebrates including fish species. This study explores unique molecular signature in these spacers from multiple fish species from the order siluriformes. Supporting the concerted evolution, both ITS1 and ITS2 were found prevalent with microsatellite and random repeats, with diverse
-
The highly repetitive genome of Myxobolus sp., a myxozoan parasite of fathead minnows bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-17 Viraj R. Muthye, Aralia Leon Coria, Hongrui Liu, Constance A. M. Finney, Cameron P. Goater, James D. Wasmuth
Background: The Myxozoa is a group of at least 2,400 endoparasites within the phylum Cnidaria. All myxozoans have greatly reduced in size and morphology compared to free-living members of the phylum. They are best known for causing disease in economically important fish across the world; for example, Myxobolus cerebralis causes Whirling Disease, which can kill 90% of infected juvenile salmonid fish
-
Effects of sodium butyrate and rosemary leaves on performance, biochemical parameters, immune status, and carcass traits of broiler chickens bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-16 Mostafa Abbas Shalaby, Hamed Yahya Saifan, Khaled Abo-El-Sooud, Mohamed Ahmed Tony, Aya Mohye Yassin
ABSTRACT Effects of sodium butyrate (SB) and rosemary leaves (RL) on growth performance, biochemical profile, immune status, and carcass traits of broiler were evaluated. Fifty-one-day old Hubbard chicks (unsexed) were purchased from Al-Ahram Company for Poultry, Egypt and reared on floor pens in a private farm. The chicks were weighed on arrival and assigned at random into five equal groups, with
-
Knockdown Resistance (kdr) Associated Organochlorine Resistance in Mosquito-Borne Diseases (Culex quinquefasciatus): Systematic Study of Reviews and Meta-Analysis bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-14 EBRAHIM ABBASI, Salman Daliri
Introduction: Culex quinquefasciatus is one of the most important carriers of human pathogens. The use of insecticides is one of the most important methods of combating this vector. But the genetic resistance created in Culex quinquefasciatus has led to disruption in the fight against this pest. As a result, it is necessary to know the level of resistance in order to fight this vector. Based on this
-
Evaluation of a novel Tc-24 recombinant antigen ELISA for serologic testing for Trypanosoma cruzi in dogs bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-14 Rojelio Mejia, Guilherme G Verocai, Ilana A Mosley, Bin Zhan, Lindsey Vongthavaravat, Rachel E Busselman, Sarah Anne Hamer
Chagas disease is a parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Diagnosis of chronic Chagas disease in dogs relies on limited serological test options. This study used a new Tc-24 recombinant antigen ELISA on an archival set of 70 dog serum samples from multi-dog kennel environments in Texas subjected to three existing Chagas serological tests. Tc-24 ELISA produced a quantitative result and could
-
Iguanas from above: Citizen scientists provide reliable counts of endangered Galapagos marine iguanas from drone imagery bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-12 Andrea Varela-Jaramillo, Christian Winkelmann, Gonzalo Rivas-Torres, Juan M Guayasamin, Sebastian Steinfartz, Amy MacLeod
Population surveys are vital for wildlife management, yet traditional methods often demand excessive time and resources, leading to data gaps for many species. Modern technologies such as drones can facilitate field surveys but may also increase data analysis challenges. Citizen Science (CS) can address this issue by engaging non-specialists for data collection and analysis. We evaluated CS for population
-
The ultrastructure of the starfish skeleton is correlated with mechanical stress bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-10 Raman Raman, Susanna Labisch, Jan-Henning Dirks
Echinoderms and vertebrates both possess mesodermal endoskeletons. In vertebrates, the response to mechanical loads and the capacity to remodel the ultrastructure of the skeletal system are fundamental attributes of their endoskeleton. To determine whether these characteristics are also inherent in Echinoderms, we conducted a comprehensive biomechanical and morphological study on the endoskeleton of
-
Variability of immune gene expression among different groups within ant colonies shows a multifaceted response to infection by a non-lethal ectoparasitic fungus bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-09 Kincso Orban-Bakk, Eva Schultner, Juergen Heinze, Balint Marko, Eniko Csata
Social insect colonies are known to be targeted by a wide variety of different parasites and pathogens because of their high host abundance. However, within a colony, the level of risk to exposure could vary among individuals depending on their role. Unlike many known parasites, which mostly target specific groups of individuals, e.g. foragers, the myrmecoparasitic fungus Rickia wasmannii infects entire
-
Unlocking the secrets of kangaroo locomotor energetics: Postural adaptations underpin increased tendon stress in hopping kangaroos bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-08 Lauren Thornton, Taylor Dick, John R Hutchinson, Glen A. Lichtwark, Craig P. McGowan, Jonas Rubenson, Alexis Wiktorowicz-Conroy, Christopher Clemente
Hopping kangaroos exhibit remarkably little change in their rate of metabolic energy expenditure with locomotor speed compared to other running animals. This phenomenon may be related to greater elastic energy savings due to increasing tendon stress; however, the mechanisms which enable the rise in stress remain poorly understood. In this study, we created a three-dimensional (3D) kangaroo musculoskeletal
-
Eco-Anthropological factors explaining forest patch use by 3 species of wild Atelid monkeys co-existing with a small-scale farming community in Northeastern Costa Rica, Central America bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-08 Juan P. Perea-Rodriguez, Hugo Carbonero, Rocio Vargas, Claudia Chaves
The main risks for the conservation of wild non-human primates (NHP) in Costa Rica, Central America, are deforestation and the allocation of lands for agricultural activities. This is because these ecologically deleterious practices fragment continuous forests resulting in a mosaic of forest patches that differ in size and properties. Due to this, NHP, who are currently the vertebrates with the highest
-
Daily vocalization patterns of the Saipan Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus hiwae) bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-07 Willson B Gaul, Jie Lin, Ellie Roark
We investigated how detectability and vocalization patterns of Saipan Reed Warblers (Acrocephalus hiwae) varied by time of day. We used long-duration sound recordings from eleven locations occupied by Saipan Reed Warblers to model the probability of detecting a vocalization in each hour of the day. We found that Saipan Reed Warblers sang during all daylight hours. We did not find evidence of a dawn
-
Internal Transcribed Spacers as Phylogenetic Markers Enable Species-level Metataxonomic Analysis of Ciliated Protozoa bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-07 Sripoorna Somasundaram, Zhongtang Yu
Background: The conventional morphology-based classification of ciliates is often inaccurate and time-consuming. To address this issue, sequencing, and analysis of the 18S rRNA gene of ciliates have been used as an alternative. However, this method has limitations because the highly conserved nature of this gene makes it challenging to achieve species-level resolution. This study assesses the capability
-
Fecundity Estimation of Atlantic mudskipper Periophthalmus barbarus in Ogbo-Okolo mangrove Forest of Santa Barbara River, Bayelsa State Niger Delta, Nigeria bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-05 Ayibatonyo Markson Nathaniel, Ilemi Jennifer Soberekon, Igoniama Esau Gamage, Akayinaboderi Augustus Eli, Morufu Olalekan Raimi
Rationale: Fecundity estimation and reproductive biology of Atlantic mudskippers (Periophthalmus barbarus) in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria needs to be studied. Objectives: To estimate fecundity, gonadosomatic index, and condition factor of P. barbarus and describe its reproductive biology. Methods: P. barbarus specimens were collected from Ogbo-Okolo mangrove forest in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
-
Effect of environmental conditions on the wing morphometric variation in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in India bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-05 Gaurav Sharma, Devojit Kumar Sarma, Rakesh Bhutiani
Aedes aegypti an efficient vector of different arboviral diseases, is a major concern for public health globally. Originating from Africa, this vector has now invaded most of the parts of the world, which shows its thriving adaptability against diverse ecological conditions. In India too, Ae. aegypti has been found almost everywhere and along with Ae. albopictus, it contributed more than 0.2 million
-
The clouded mother-of-pearl Protogoniomorpha anacardii Linnaeus, 1758 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) – an updated record of butterfly for Saudi Arabia bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-02-01 ATEAH ALFAKIH, EISA ALI AL FAIFY
The record of the clouded mother-of-pearl Protogoniomorpha anacardii Linnaeus, 1758 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) was updated in Saudi Arabia. At this stage, we confirmed the presence of this species in the southernmost part of Saudi Arabia based on photographs taken between 2020–2023 from Fayfa and the adjacent mountains in Jazan. The photographs match the descriptions and remarks made by Dr Torben Larsen
-
West Nile virus is transmitted within mosquito populations through infectious mosquito excreta bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-31 Rodolphe Hamel, Quentin Narpon, Idalba Serrato-Pomar, Camille Gauliard, Arnaud Berthomieu, Sineewanlaya Wichit, Dorothee Misse, Mircea T. Sofonea, Julien Pompon
Understanding transmission routes of arboviruses is key to control their epidemiology and global health burden. Using West Nile virus and Culex mosquitoes, we tested whether arboviruses are transmitted through mosquito excreta. First, we determined the presence of infectious virions in excreta and quantified a high concentration of infectious units per excreta. Second, we showed that virion excretion
-
Archaeological Ivories: A practical guide for identifying elephant and hippo ivory in the archaeological record bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-31 Harel Shochat
The use of osseous materials for crafting various artifacts is well-attested in the archaeological record of the ancient Near East. While bone, the most common and available material, was used more frequently, ivory was highly valued as an exotic material for fashioning exquisite prestige items designed for ostentatious display and linked to society's elite strata. Therefore, reliably distinguishing
-
Laboratory evaluation of the regeneration time, efficacy and wash-resistance of PermaNet® Dual (a deltamethrin-chlorfenapyr net) against susceptible and pyrethroid-resistant strains of Anopheles gambiae bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-30 Thomas William Syme, Boris N'dombidjé, Damien Todjinou, Victoria Ariori, Corine Ngufor
Pyrethroid-chlorfenapyr nets have been recommended for malaria control by the World Health Organisation (WHO) after an alpha-cypermethrin-chlorfenapyr net showed improved impact in epidemiological trials. PermaNet® Dual is a new deltamethrin-chlorfenapyr net developed by Vestergaard Sàrl to expand options to control programmes. We performed a series of laboratory studies according to WHO guidelines
-
The nunatak and tabula rasa hypotheses may be compatible: the European phylogeography of a riparian earthworm. bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-29 Irene de Sosa, Daniel F. Marchan, Christer Erseus, Emmanuel Lapied, Misel Jelic, Aleksandra Jablonska, Timea Szederjesi, Ana Almodovar, Marta Novo, Dario J. Diaz Cosin
The tabula rasa hypothesis of postglacial immigration supports the notion that species now found in northern European areas must have been recently recolonized from historical refugia. Until the 1960s, however, there was almost complete consensus that disjunctions and endemism in the North Atlantic region of Europe could not be explained without in situ survival during glacial periods (the nunatak
-
Functional characterization of CCHamides and deorphanization of their receptors in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-28 Jinghan Tan, Susanne Neupert, Jean-Paul V. Paluzzi
As a widely distributed anthropophilic mosquito species and vector of various arboviruses, Aedes aegypti poses a significant threat to human health on a global scale. Investigating mosquito neuropeptides allows us to better understand their physiology. The neuropeptides CCHamide1 (CCHa-1) and CCHamide-2 (CCHa-2) and their associated G protein-coupled receptors (CCHa-1R and CCHa-2R) were recently identified
-
Coral reef fish resilience and recovery following major environmental disturbances caused by cyclones and coral bleaching: A case study at Lizard Island bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-27 Simon A Levy, Letizia Pessina, Redouan Bshary, Zegni Triki
Coral reef fish communities can be affected by natural disturbances such as cyclones and coral bleaching. It is not yet understood how long it takes these communities to recover from such extreme events, particularly when they occur repeatedly. To investigate this, we conducted fish surveys repeatedly between 2011 and 2022 at Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. We focused on two reef
-
Microalgal biofilm induces larval settlement in the model marine worm Platynereis dumerilii bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-26 Cameron Hird, Gaspar Jekely, Elizabeth A Williams
A free-swimming larval stage features in many marine invertebrate life cycles. To transition to a seafloor-dwelling juvenile stage, larvae need to settle out of the plankton, guided by specific environmental cues that lead them to an ideal habitat for their future life on the seafloor. Although the marine annelid Platynereis dumerilii has been cultured in research labs since the 1950s and has a free-swimming
-
Phylogenetic and biogeographic history of the Snooks (Centropomidae: Carangiformes) spanning the closure of the Isthmus of Panama bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-25 Natalia Ossa-Hernandez, Gustavo A. Ballen, Arturo Acero P., Jose Tavera
Amphiamerican New World fishes provide a unique opportunity to explore the impact of geological processes and the formation of geographic barriers on biological diversification across both spatial and temporal dimensions. We employed phylogenetic and biogeographic methods to assess the impact of the emergence of the isthmus of Panama on the evolutionary history of Snooks. Bayesian methods were used
-
Cryopreservation of the collector urchin embryo, Tripneustes gratilla bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-24 Charley E Westbrook, Jonahthan Daly, Brian Bowen, Mary Hagedorn
The collector urchin, Tripneustes gratilla, is an ecologically important member of the grazing community of Hawaii's coral reefs. Beyond its ability to maintain balance between native seaweeds and corals, T. gratilla has also been used as a food source and a biocontrol agent against alien invasive algae species. Due to overexploitation, habitat degradation, and other stressors, their populations face
-
Investments in photoreceptors compete with investments in optics to determine eye design bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-24 Francisco J H Heras, Simon B Laughlin
Because an animal invests in an eye's optics and photoreceptor array to meet behavioural needs at minimum cost, optics and photoreceptors compete for resources to maximise eye performance. This competition has not previously been investigated. Its outcome depends on the relative costs and benefits of investing space, materials and energy in optics and photoreceptors. We introduce a measure of cost
-
The odor of a nontoxic tetrodotoxin analog, 5,6,11-trideoxytetrodotoxin, is detected by specific olfactory sensory neurons of the green spotted puffers. bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-24 Takehisa Suzuki, Ryota Nakahigashi, Masaatsu Adachi, Toshio Nishikawa, Hideki Abe
Toxic puffers accumulate tetrodotoxin (TTX), a well-known neurotoxin, by feeding on TTX-bearing organisms and using it to defend themselves from predators. Our previous studies have demonstrated that toxic puffers are attracted to 5,6,11-trideoxytetrodotoxin (TDT), a nontoxic TTX analog that is simultaneously accumulated with TTX in toxic puffers and their prey. In addition, activity labeling using
-
Nano Colonies: Rearing honey bee queens and their offspring in small laboratory arenas bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-23 Zachary S Lamas, Serhat Solmaz, Cory Stevens, Jason Bragg, Eugene V Ryabov, Shayne Madella, Miguel Corona, Jay D Evans
Honey bees create complex societies of self-organized individuals in intricate colonies. Studies of honey bees are carried out in both the field and the laboratory. However, field research is encumbered by the difficulties of making reliable observations and environmental confounders. Meanwhile, laboratory trials produce data that are not field realistic as they lack key characteristics of a natural
-
Geographic, ecological, and temporal patterns of seabird mortality during the 2022 HPAI H5N1 outbreak on the island of Newfoundland bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-18 Gretchen M. McPhail, Sydney M. Collins, Tori V. Burt, Noah G. Careen, Parker B. Doiron, Stephanie Avery-Gomm, Tatsiana Barychka, Matthew English, Jolene A. Giacinti, Megan E.B. Jones, Jennifer F. Provencher, Catherine Soos, Christopher R.E. Ward, Steven Duffy, Sabina I. Wilhelm, Jordan Wight, Ishraq Rahman, Kathryn E. Hargan, Andrew S. Lang, William A. Montevecchi
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 caused mass seabird mortality across the North Atlantic in 2022. Following outbreaks in Europe, the first case in North America was detected on the island of Newfoundland (NFLD), Canada in November 2021, before spreading through all North American flyways. During the following breeding season, NFLD experienced the second-highest number of seabird mortalities
-
Muscle-controlled physics simulations of the emu (a large running bird) resolve the grounded running paradox bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-18 Pasha A van Bijlert, A.J. "Knoek" van Soest, Anne S Schulp, Karl T Bates
Humans and birds utilize very different running styles. Unlike humans, birds adopt "grounded running" at intermediate speeds - a running gait where at least one foot is always in contact with the ground. Avian grounded running is paradoxical: animals tend to minimize locomotor energy expenditure, but birds prefer grounded running despite incurring higher energy costs. Using predictive gait simulations
-
Thermal Tolerance Plasticity and Dynamics of Thermal Tolerance in Eublepharis macularius: Implications for Future Climate-Driven Heat Stress bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-15 Emma White, Solyip Kim, Garrett Wegh, Ylenia Chiari
The intensity and duration of heat waves, as well as average global temperatures, are expected to increase due to climate change. Heat waves can cause physiological stress and reduce fitness in animals. Species can reduce overheating risk through phenotypic plasticity, which allows them to raise their thermal tolerance limits over time. This mechanism could be important for ectotherms whose body temperatures
-
Nationwide surveillance identifies yellow fever and chikungunya viruses transmitted by various species of Aedes mosquitoes in Nigeria bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-15 Udoka Nwangwu, Judith U Oguzie, William E Nwachukwu, Cosmas O Onwude, Festus A Dogunro, Mawlouth Diallo, Chukwuebuka K Ezihe, Nneka O Agashi, Emelda I Eloy, Stephen O Anokwu, Clementina C Anioke, Linda C Ikechukwu, Chukwuebuka M Nwosu, Oscar N Nwaogo, Ifeoma M Ngwu, Rose N Onyeanusi, Angela I Okoronkwo, Francis U Orizu, Monica O Etiki, Esther N Onuora, Sobajo Tope Adeorike, Peter C Okeke, Okechukwu
Background: Since its reemergence in 2017, yellow fever (YF) has been active in Nigeria. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has coordinated responses to the outbreaks with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO). The National Arbovirus and Vectors Research Centre (NAVRC) handles the vector component of these responses. This study sought to identify the vectors driving YF transmission
-
How smart was T. rex? Testing claims of exceptional cognition in dinosaurs and the application of neuron count estimates in palaeontological research bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-13 Kai R Caspar, Cristian Gutierrez-Ibanez, Ornella C Bertrand, Thomas Carr, Jennifer Colbourne, Arthur Erb, Hady George, Thomas R Holtz, Darren Naish, Douglas R Wylie, Grant R Hurlburt
Recent years have seen increasing scientific interest in whether neuron counts can act as correlates of diverse biological phenomena. Lately, Herculano-Houzel (2022) argued that fossil endocasts and comparative neurological data from extant sauropsids allow to reconstruct telencephalic neuron counts in Mesozoic dinosaurs and pterosaurs, which might act as proxies for behavior and life history traits
-
Taxonomy and phylogeny of the family Suberitidae (Porifera: Demospongiae) in California bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-11 Thomas L Turner, Greg W Rouse, Brooke L Weigel, Carly Janusson, Matthew A Lemay, Robert W Thacker
This study presents a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the family Suberitidae (Porifera: Demospongiae) for California, USA. We include the three species previously known from the region, document two additional species previously known from other regions, and formally describe four new species as Pseudosuberites latke sp. nov., Suberites californiana sp. nov., Suberites kumeyaay sp. nov., and Suberites
-
Hydrothermal vent fauna of the Galápagos Rift: Updated species list with new records bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-10 Chong Chen, John W. Jamieson, Verena Tunnicliffe
The sighting of giant bivalves and tubeworms at the Rose Garden vent field on the Galápagos Rift in 1977 marked the discovery of hydrothermal vents, a turning point for modern biology. The following decade saw a flurry of taxonomic descriptions of vent endemic species from the first vents. With the finding of high-temperature ′black smokers′ on the East Pacific Rise, exploration shifted away from Galápagos
-
Endangered Przewalski's horse, Equus przewalskii, cloned from historically cryopreserved cells bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-09 Ben Jacob Novak, Oliver A Ryder, Marlys L Houck, Andrea S Putnam, Kelcey Walker, Lexie Russell, Blake Russell, Shawn Walker, Sanaz Sadeghieh Arenivas, Lauren Aston, Gregg Veneklasen, Jamie A Ivy, Klaus-Peter Koepfli, Anna Rusnak, Jaroslav Simek, Anna Zhuk, Ryan Phelan
Two endangered Przewalski's horse stallions were cloned from fibroblast cells cultured and cryopreserved in 1980. These stallions are clones of a male that lived from 1975-1998 that pedigree analyses identified as a genetically valuable male for present-day conservation breeding. This is the first time that multiple healthy clones have been produced for an endangered species.
-
Entomological surveys and insecticide susceptibility profile of Aedes aegypti during the dengue outbreak in Sao Tome and Principe in 2022 bioRxiv. Zool. Pub Date : 2024-01-09 Basile Kamgang, João Acântara, Armel Tedjou, Christophe Keumeni, Aurelie Yougang, Anne Ancia, Françoise Bigirimana, Sian Clarke, Vilfrido Santana Gil, Charles Wondji
Background: The first dengue outbreak was reported in Sao Tome and Principe in 2022. This study was undertaken aiming to establish the typology of Aedes larval habitats, the distribution of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus, the related entomological risk and the susceptibility profile of Ae. aegypti to insecticides for a better evidence-informed response. Methodology/Principal Findings: Entomological