Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ivanete de Oliveira Furo, Rafael Kretschmer, Patricia C. M. O'Brien, Jorge Claudio da Costa Pereira, Ricardo Jose Gunski, Analia Del Valle Garnero, Rebecca E. O'Connor, Darren Karl Griffin, Malcolm A. Ferguson-Smith, Edivaldo Herculano Correa de Oliveira
Summary: The study analyzed the karyotype of Gallinula melanops using classical and molecular cytogenetics, revealing chromosome rearrangements similar to those found in the Fulica clade, including fissions of chromosomes 4 and 5 and fusions between GGA4/GGA5 segments. This confirms the placement of G. melanops in the Gallinula genus despite suggestions to include it in the Porphyriops genus.
GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Laurie A. Hall, Ian J. Wang, Merly Escalona, Eric Beraut, Samuel Sacco, Ruta Sahasrabudhe, Oanh Nguyen, Erin Toffelmier, H. Bradley Shaffer, Steven R. Beissinger
Summary: The Virginia rail is a poorly studied wetland bird that is facing threats from wetland loss and degradation. The first genome assembly for this species will help understand its biology and ecology, and assist in its conservation efforts.
JOURNAL OF HEREDITY
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Laurie A. Hall, Ian J. Wang, Merly Escalona, Eric Beraut, Samuel Sacco, Ruta Sahasrabudhe, Oanh Nguyen, Erin Toffelmier, Howard Bradley Shaffer, Steven R. Beissinger
Summary: The black rail, a secretive and poorly understood bird, has experienced population declines due to wetland loss and degradation. Researchers have successfully assembled the genome of the black rail, which can provide valuable insights into its evolutionary history, population size, and adaptive evolution in the face of threats.
JOURNAL OF HEREDITY
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
G. E. R. A. L. D. MAYR, A. N. D. R. E. W. C. KITCHENER
Summary: This study describes new fossil evidence that supports the hypothesis that Masillaraptoridae are stem group representatives of the Falconiformes, while also revealing previously unrecognized derived traits shared by Masillaraptoridae and Falconiformes. The similarities between Masillaraptoridae and Cariamiformes are notable, as most sequence-based analyses show a close relationship between Falconiformes and Cariamiformes.
JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Paleontology
N. Zelenkov
Summary: New bird taxa from the early Eocene Bumban Member in southern Mongolia exhibit morphological similarities with modern or extinct bird families, shedding light on the diversity of the ancient ecosystem in the region.
PALEONTOLOGICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Juan C. Garcia-R, Nicholas J. Matzke
Summary: The study reveals that loss of flight is common in rails, with flightless lineages contributing significantly to dispersal. Flight distance has a significant impact on dispersal rate, and non-flying lineages also play a role in dispersal.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Emiliano A. Depino, Jorge L. Perez-Eman, Elisa Bonaccorso, Juan I. Areta
Summary: New World crakes, including Laterallini and Pardirallini, are poorly known birds with cryptic habits. This study presents a comprehensive gene-based phylogeny of New World crakes, focusing on Laterallini. The results show polyphyly within the group, revealing previously unknown relationships. The study also highlights the need for taxonomic assessments at the generic level in Laterallini, incorporating phylogenetic and natural history data.
Article
Ornithology
Jeremy J. Kirchman, Nancy Rotzel McInerney, Thomas C. Giarla, Storrs L. Olson, Elizabeth Slikas, Robert C. Fleischer
Summary: The rails, the most diverse and widespread group in the Gruiformes, have presented a challenging classification due to limited modern museum specimens until recently. By extracting DNA from museum specimens of 82 species and conducting phylogenetic analyses, researchers were able to propose a new classification of the Rallidae with 40 genera in 9 tribes. The results support the hypothesis of rails splitting into 2 major lineages around 34 million years ago.
Article
Ornithology
Daniel L. Goldberg, Ben M. Sadd, Angelo P. Capparella
Summary: Duetting is a common behavior in birds, but most research has focused on songbirds. This study focuses on rails, a group of birds that include a high percentage of duetting species but are not well-studied. By comparing 103 rail species, the researchers found that duetting is most common in rails that defend territories year-round. Other life history traits and call properties were not strongly associated with duetting. The study suggests that future research on rails will contribute to our understanding of duet evolution in birds.
Article
Zoology
Ahmed M. Abdellatif, Amany Farag, Elsayed Metwally
Summary: This study comprehensively investigated the gastrointestinal tract structure of Gallinula chloropus using anatomical, morphometric, histochemical, and immunohistochemical techniques, providing valuable insights into the physiological mechanisms of wild birds.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Federico J. Degrange, Diego Pol, Pablo Puerta, Peter Wilf
Summary: The new fossil discovery of a stem-Coracii in the Early Eocene of South America indicates a wider distribution of this clade than previously hypothesized, already extending into the Southern Hemisphere.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joseph D. Manthey, Yann Bourgeois, Yonas Meheretu, Stephane Boissinot
Summary: This study utilized whole-genome sequencing data to characterize genomic variation in populations of six Ethiopian Highlands forest bird species separated by a lowland biogeographic barrier, the Great Rift Valley (GRV). It was found that the GRV acts as a substantial biogeographic barrier even in highly dispersive species like birds, with species' dispersal ability negatively correlated with levels of population differentiation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ian Beveridge
Summary: Examination of museum collections of cyclophyllidean cestodes from the Australian bustard revealed the presence of five species not previously reported from Australia. These species are known from bustards from Africa and Eurasia. Minor differences were noted in the morphology of two species from published descriptions, which may be due to intraspecific variation.
TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chiwon Hwang, Yeosan Lee, Minjae Kim, Younggyu Seo, Seung Hwan Cho
Summary: The development of new approaches to installing diverse carbon fragments to a nitrogen atom has attracted considerable attention in chemical science. One powerful and straightforward approach is to insert a transformable sp(3)-carbon unit onto a nitrogen atom for modular diversification.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
Pamela Reyes, John M. Bates, Luciano N. Naka, Matthew J. Miller, Isabel Caballero, Catalina Gonzalez-Quevedo, Juan L. Parra, Hector F. Rivera-Gutierrez, Elisa Bonaccorso, Jose G. Tello
Summary: We conducted a study on the royal flycatcher, Onychorhynchus coronatus, a bird species found in the Neotropical lowland forests. Our research focused on phylogeographic patterns and cryptic diversity within this species. By analyzing the DNA sequences of the six recognized subspecies, we identified at least six independent lineages and found high levels of intraspecific divergence within O. coronatus. Biogeographic and dating analyses suggested that various events, such as the formation of the Amazon River and climatic shifts, influenced the diversification of lineages within this genus over approximately six million years. The comparison of phylogenetic trees and patterns with other studies highlighted the complex evolutionary history of Onychorhynchus and the early divergence of some co-distributed lineages.
JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Felix Vaux, Michael R. Gemmell, Simon F. K. Hills, Bruce A. Marshall, Alan G. Beu, James S. Crampton, Steven A. Trewick, Mary Morgan-Richards
SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Oceanography
Matthew A. Knox, Ian D. Hogg, Conrad A. Pilditch, Juan C. Garcia-R, Paul D. N. Hebert, Dirk Steinke
DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS
(2020)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
B. J. Phiri, N. P. French, P. J. Biggs, M. A. Stevenson, A. D. Reynolds, J. C. Garcia-R, D. T. S. Hayman
Summary: The study in New Zealand assessed the presence of waterborne pathogens in outdoor facilities' drinking water and tracked potential sources of microbial contamination. Results showed that untreated or filter-only treated water in public campgrounds did not comply with national standards, highlighting the need for additional water treatment methods like UV irradiation or chemical treatment.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Steven A. Trewick, Briar Taylor-Smith, Mary Morgan-Richards
Summary: Weta are a significant part of New Zealand's nocturnal ecology, but much of their diversity remains undescribed. One particular species of weta has caused problems in vineyards in the South Island, and researchers have found it in vineyards in the Awatere valley. By using morphological and genetic data, the researchers identified the wine weta and discovered four new species.
NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Julien Gaspar, Gillian C. Gibb, Steve A. Trewick
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Zoology
Bernard J. Phiri, David T. S. Hayman, Patrick J. Biggs, Nigel P. French, Juan C. Garcia-R
Summary: The study found that water samples harbor higher microbial diversity, with common pathogens such as Arcobacter and Sulfurospirillum mainly present in water, while Campylobacter is mainly found in faeces. These results contribute to understanding the quality of drinking water and can be used in the future for identifying fecal contamination in water.
NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Juan C. Garcia-R, Paul Ogbuigwe, Anthony B. Pita, Niluka Velathanthiri, Matthew A. Knox, Patrick J. Biggs, Nigel P. French, David T. S. Hayman
Summary: Giardia duodenalis, a protozoan parasite, causes disease in humans and other animals. The pathogen is classified into different assemblages, with two zoonotic subtypes. This study reports the presence of new assemblage E and sub-assemblage AIII in human isolates from the South Island of New Zealand for the first time, using deep sequencing to assess intra-host assemblage variation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Juan C. Garcia-R, Nicholas J. Matzke
Summary: The study reveals that loss of flight is common in rails, with flightless lineages contributing significantly to dispersal. Flight distance has a significant impact on dispersal rate, and non-flying lineages also play a role in dispersal.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
M. A. Knox, J. C. Garcia-R, P. Ogbuigwe, A. Pita, N. Velathanthiri, D. T. S. Hayman
Summary: Nonpharmaceutical interventions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic have significantly impacted the transmission of the Cryptosporidium parasite, with C. hominis disappearing and C. parvum continuing to be widely reported. These findings suggest that nonpharmaceutical interventions may be effective in controlling or even eradicating C. hominis.
Article
Microbiology
M. A. Knox, J. C. Garcia-R, D. T. S. Hayman
Summary: The study presents draft whole-genome sequences of two clinical isolates of C. hominis purified from patients with cryptosporidiosis in New Zealand.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Paul Ogbuigwe, Patrick J. Biggs, Juan Carlos Garcia-Ramirez, Matthew A. Knox, Anthony Pita, Niluka Velathanthiri, Nigel P. French, David T. S. Hayman
Summary: The study revealed that Giardia intestinalis infections in humans are often mixed, with multiple subtypes present in each host. Metabarcoding enabled the identification of shared subtypes between samples from the same outbreak. Considering the variation in symptoms observed in cases of giardiasis, and the potential link between symptoms and (sub-) assemblages, the frequency of mixed infections could have implications for our understanding of host-pathogen interactions.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF POVERTY
(2022)
Review
Parasitology
Juan C. Garcia-R, David T. S. Hayman
Summary: Cryptosporidium is a major cause of diarrhoea, and this study analyzes outbreaks in New Zealand to understand the transmission routes and subtypes involved. Person-to-person transmission was the main mode, followed by animal-related transmission. Subtyping data revealed the presence of specific subtypes in the outbreaks. Incorporating subtyping data into surveillance programs is important for understanding and managing cryptosporidiosis outbreaks. This study highlights the value of integrating epidemiological information and molecular typing in investigating and managing clusters of cryptosporidiosis cases.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Elizabeth E. Daly, Steven A. Trewick, Eddy J. Dowle, James S. Crampton, Mary Morgan-Richards
ETHNOBIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Juan C. Garcia-R, Emily Moriarty Lemmon, Alan R. Lemmon, Nigel French