Article
Zoology
S. -c. Frank, K. Christensen, R. Lourenco, D. Harms, B. A. Buzatto
Summary: Spiders, especially Araneomorphae, have been extensively studied for their courtship behaviors, while the understanding of courtship in Mygalomorphae is limited. This study focuses on the courtship behaviors of a mygalomorph, the Sydney funnel-web spider, and describes new behaviors not previously observed in this group. The mating positions and behaviors of males and females are also detailed. The research provides valuable insights into the evolutionary aspects of sexual selection in Mygalomorphae, which has been understudied and biased towards tarantulas.
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Huaihua Yu, Litao Wan, Yingying Peng, Dongxu Zhang, Wenjun Xu, Xugan Wu, Jie He
Summary: The study systematically investigated the mating behavior of Portunus trituberculatus under indoor conditions and the role of shelters in the mating process. Results showed that crabs with shelters preferred hiding in them, leading to shorter total mating durations compared to those without shelters. Despite the presence of shelters, mating rates between groups remained similar, highlighting the importance of shelters in reducing cannibalism and improving survival rates during mating.
AQUACULTURE REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Caihong Han, Qionglin Peng, Mengshi Sun, Xinyu Jiang, Xiangbin Su, Jiangtao Chen, Mingze Ma, Huan Zhu, Xiaoxiao Ji, Yufeng Pan
Summary: Most animal species exhibit dimorphic sexual behaviors, with males showing higher levels of aggression. Current models have focused on the male-specific product of the fruitless gene, fruM, which controls male courtship and male-specific aggression patterns in fruit flies and describes a male-specific mechanism underlying sexually dimorphic behaviors. This study demonstrates that the doublesex gene (dsx), which produces male-specific DsxM and female-specific DsxF transcription factors, also plays a role in the nervous system to control both male and female sexual and aggressive behaviors.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biology
Nathan W. Burke, Gregory I. Holwell
Summary: Male springbok mantises overcome the threat of female cannibalism by coercively wrestling females, increasing their chances of mating. However, this behavior may result in injuries and scar tissue formation in females, representing a potential negative pleiotropic side-effect.
Review
Entomology
Rosalind L. Murray, Darryl T. Gwynne, Luc F. Bussiere
Summary: In many species of Empis, Rhamphomyia and Hilara dance flies, females display ornaments prior to mating, which have evolved through sexual selection. This article reviews the mating diversity, including different types of ornaments and factors influencing sexual selection on each sex. The Empidinae subfamily within the dance flies provides unique opportunities to explore the causes and consequences of sexually selected ornament expression.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Clare M. Kimock, Lauren J. N. Brent, Constance Dubuc, James P. Higham
Summary: The study found that canine height and body mass in rhesus macaques are not related to dominance rank, but similarity in dominance rank affects the occurrence of aggressive interactions. Additionally, dominance rank predicts the likelihood of winning an agonistic interaction.
Article
Zoology
Yubing Ma, Zeyuan Hua, Aijia Mao, Daiqin Li, Shichang Zhang
Summary: The occurrence of male opportunistic mating was found to be positively correlated with the intensity of female sexual cannibalism, providing evidence that this mating strategy may have evolved in response to the selection pressure posed by female sexual cannibalism.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Ellen A. Humbel, Rebecca T. Kimball, Lisa A. Taylor
Summary: Vibrant male coloration and energetic courtship displays set jumping spiders apart from most arachnids. This study investigated the relationship between male coloration and female aggression during courtship. It was found that female condition influenced the response to courting males, and striped males had a higher likelihood of mating success.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Nathan W. Burke, Gregory Holwell
Summary: The study showed that prey availability and male-male competition can affect mating behavior in the Springbok mantis, with matings occurring more frequently and rapidly in the presence of both prey and competitors. This suggests that male mating decisions are influenced by competition and the risk of cannibalism.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
L. Ancillotto, L. Vignoli, J. Martino, C. Paoletti, A. Romano, G. Bruni
Summary: Sexual dichromatism was found in the genus Salamandrina, where males exhibit more conspicuous ventral colorations in the throat region, specifically featuring rounder, larger, and brighter gular white patches than females. Additionally, a new mating ritual behavior, throat hyperextension, was described in male S. perspicillata, which enhances the visibility of the dimorphic coloration in the gular region, presumably as a visual cue to attract females. The potential role of sexual dichromatism in sexual selection and the evolutionary history of the genus Salamandrina was discussed.
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Masumi Ueno, Masami Nakata, Yoshiki Kaneko, Masafumi Iwami, Seika Takayanagi-Kiya, Taketoshi Kiya
Summary: Sexual dimorphisms of the silkmoth brain are regulated by the fruitless (fru) gene. Fru is highly expressed in the male larval testis and the adult female brain. Knockout experiments revealed the importance of fru in survival, testis development, and adult sexual behavior.
INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Alejandro Gonzalez-Voyer, Gavin H. Thomas, Andras Liker, Oliver Kruger, Jan Komdeur, Tamas Szekely
Summary: Sex roles describe sex differences in courtship, mate competition, social pair-bonds and parental care. A key challenge is to identify associations among the components and the drivers of sex roles. We found that proxies of sex roles showed extensive variation and lability, indicating independent evolution among sex role components. Climate and life history weakly associated with sex roles, while adult sex ratio was associated with sexual dimorphism, mating system and parental care.
Article
Biology
Basabi Bagchi, Quentin Corbel, Imroze Khan, Ellen Payne, Devshuvam Banerji, Johanna Liljestrand-Ronn, Ivain Martinossi-Allibert, Julian Baur, Ahmed Sayadi, Elina Immonen, Goran Arnqvist, Irene Soderhall, David Berger
Summary: Our study reveals that female seed beetles have higher phenoloxidase (PO) activity compared to males, and there are sex differences in the expression of genes in the prophenoloxidase activating cascade. Experimental evolution under enforced monogamy led to a decrease in female PO activity and an increase in tolerance to bacterial infection unrelated to mating. Additionally, female PO activity is correlated with male genitalia harmfulness across 12 species of seed beetles, suggesting that sexual conflict influences sexual dimorphisms in immunity in this group of insects.
Article
Psychology, Biological
Haruka Osaki, Eiiti Kasuya
Summary: This study investigates the mutual wing-eating behavior in mating pairs of wood-feeding cockroaches, which challenges the unilaterality theory of sexual cannibalism and nuptial feeding. The hypothesis based on true monogamy suggests that this behavior could potentially benefit both individuals in terms of offspring rearing, highlighting a new significance in reproductive strategies.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Nathan W. Burke, Gregory Holwell
Summary: Noncopulatory cannibalism, where females attack and consume males instead of mating, may persist if it benefits female fecundity more than it harms reproductive failure. In this study, researchers examined the economics of cannibalism with and without mating in the facultatively parthenogenetic mantis Miomantis caffra. Contrary to their predictions, mating once significantly increased fitness compared to not mating, and cannibalizing a male did not provide any fitness advantage for both mated and unmated females. Thus, precopulatory cannibalism in M. caffra may have reasons other than fecundity enhancement or total mating avoidance.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
P. D. Brown, T. Schroeder, J. Rios-Arana, R. Rico-Martinez, M. Silva-Briano, R. L. Wallace, E. J. Walsh
Summary: This study investigates the species composition of rotifers in rock pools, playas, and tanks in aridland systems, and reveals high beta-dissimilarity among different sites. While environmental factors have some explanatory power for community composition, stochastic processes dominate in these systems.
Article
Ecology
Gustavo Emilio Santos-Medrano, Roberto Rico-Martinez, Daniel Robles-Vargas
Summary: This study evaluated the combined effects of different temperatures and food densities on the life history of Euchlanis dilatata, and investigated the impact of temperature on various biological processes. The results showed that the highest instantaneous growth rate was achieved when E. dilatata was fed with N. oculata at 25 degrees C, while the lowest growth rate was observed when fed with C. vulgaris at both temperatures. Additionally, at 20 degrees C, the mean generation time and age at first reproduction exhibited higher activation energy.
ISRAEL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Fisheries
Jesus Alvarado-Flores, Mario Alberto Arzate-Cardenas, Daniela Perez-Yanez, Eduardo Cejuda
Summary: Exposure to hazardous materials can cause morphological alterations in zooplankton, which serve as indicators of adverse effects at (sub) individual and population levels. These alterations are more frequent in subsequent generations, highlighting the importance of studying the causes and consequences of such changes.
LATIN AMERICAN JOURNAL OF AQUATIC RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Uriel Arreguin Rebolledo, Roberto Rico-Martinez, Rocio Fernandez, Federico Paez-Osuna
Summary: This study evaluated the toxicity of chloroquine (CQ) alone and in combination with copper (Cu) to Proales similis and found that these combined chemicals may have potential hazards on aquatic systems.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dino C. H. Demidof, Jesus Alvarado-Flores, Gilberto Acosta-Gonzalez, Daniela Ortega-Camacho, Saasil Yeimy Pech-Chi, Jessica Borbolla-Vazquez, Job Ali Diaz-Hernandez, Eduardo Cejudo
Summary: This study found that not only large industrial cities, but also young touristic cities with high population growth rates can be affected by urban contamination. A natural protected area near Cancun, Mexico, was evaluated for metal pollution, with higher concentrations of metals and wastewater indicators found in sediments and plants in the storm drain section of the area. The ecological risk of this protected area was estimated to range from mild to strong, with zinc being the most concerning metal.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gabriela Beatriz Alvarado-Suarez, Marcelo Silva-Briano, Mario Alberto Arzate-Cardenas, Ana Laura Carbajal-Hernandez, Beatriz Yanez-Rivera, Roberto Rico-Martinez
Summary: Glyphosate levels and transfer across trophic levels in zooplankton have been rarely studied. It was found that glyphosate was more likely to be incorporated through the medium than through food (zooplankton). The intake of glyphosate led to decreased survival and feeding rates in zebrafish larvae, while zooplankton species bioconcentrated glyphosate in large quantities.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Correction
Environmental Sciences
Dino C. H. Demidof, Jesus Alvarado-Flores, Gilberto Acosta-Gonzalez, Daniela Ortega-Camacho, Saasil Yeimy Pech-Chi, Jessica Borbolla-Vazquez, Job Ali Diaz-Hernandez, Eduardo Cejudo
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Uriel Arreguin-Rebolledo, Federico Paez-Osuna, Miguel Betancourt-Lozano, Roberto Rico-Martinez
Summary: This study evaluated the multi-and transgenerational effects of the commonly found pesticides glyphosate (GLY) and chlorpyrifos (CPF) in the estuarine rotifer Proales similis. The results showed that the mixture of GLY and CPF had a strong toxic effect and significantly decreased the growth rates of the rotifers. This suggests that the presence of a mixture of GLY and CPF in the environment can pose a risk to marine and estuarine invertebrates.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Radoslav Smolak, Elizabeth J. Walsh, Patrick D. Brown, Robert L. Wallace
Summary: The rotifer fauna of Africa has been studied for over 100 years, but there has been no recent synthesis. This study compiled data from 265 publications, revealing the distribution and diversity of rotifers in different habitats across Africa. The results showed that the sub-Saharan region, particularly Mali, had the highest predicted biodiversity, while Lake Victoria had lower diversity than expected.
JOURNAL OF PLANKTON RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Samara Kusztyb, Warren Januszkiewicz, Elizabeth J. Walsh, Rick Hochberg, Robert L. Wallace
Summary: Most species of Keratella have dome-shaped dorsal plates consisting of polyhedral units and raised ridges. The arrangement of these units forms a facet pattern (FP) that can be used to categorize different species. The study also found that FPs provide resistance to physical stresses and protect Keratella from fractures to the lorica caused by predatory attacks or being caught in branchial chambers.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Alejandra Sofia Sanchez-Avila, Robert L. Wallace, Elizabeth J. Walsh
Summary: This study investigated the predation behavior of Actinosphaerium sp., a freshwater heliozoan, on seven rotifer species, and found that larger and more mobile rotifers were more likely to be preyed upon. Preference was shown towards Asplanchna sieboldii and Brachionus calyciflorus, while Lacinularia flosculosa had very low predation probability. Therefore, size and mobility are the primary risk factors influencing rotifer predation vulnerability.
Review
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Robert L. Wallace, Rick Hochberg, Elizabeth J. Walsh
Summary: Rotifer research has progressed beyond description and population dynamics, and now focuses on neurobiological connectomes, genomic architecture and control systems, physiology, life history, ecological responses, biogeography, morphospace analysis, evolution within Gnathifera, educational opportunities, and international collaboration.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Rick Hochberg, Thiago Q. Araujo, Elizabeth J. Walsh, Jonathon E. Mohl, Robert L. Wallace
Summary: The retrocerebral organ (RCO) is a singular syncytial organ composed of a posterior glandular region, an expansive reservoir, and an anterior duct. The glandular portion has an active synthetic cytoplasm with paired nuclei, abundant rER, ribosomes, Golgi, and mitochondria. Granules from the gland undergo homotypic fusion to form tubular secretions that accumulate in the reservoir. The ultrastructure suggests these secretions may be hydrated glycoproteins.
INVERTEBRATE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Robert L. Wallace, Katrina M. Dash, Thiago Q. Araujo, Elizabeth J. Walsh, Siddhartha Das, Rick Hochberg
Summary: In this study, the ultrastructure and cytochemistry of the warts in female Sinantherina socialis were explored to determine their function and chemical contents. The results showed that the warts are specialized regions of the integumental syncytium and contain numerous membrane-bound secretion vesicles. The vesicles likely contain saturated fatty acids such as lactones, which may act as a chemical deterrent to predators.
ZOOLOGISCHER ANZEIGER
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sarai Hernandez-Flores, Gustavo Emilio Santos-Medrano, Roberto Rico-Martinez
Summary: An integral analysis was conducted on the acute and chronic toxicity, bioaccumulation, sites of entry, and distribution of four trace metals (copper, iron, lead, nickel) and the non-trace metal mercury in the ciliate Paramecium caudatum. Mercury was found to be the fastest accumulating and most toxic metal. The sensitivity of Paramecium caudatum to the five metals tested was similar to other ciliate species. The findings suggest the potential for safer guidelines to protect aquatic biota.
BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
