Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tamara Pokorny, Joachim Ruther
Summary: Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are major constituents of insect cuticular lipid layer and play a role in desiccation resistance and intraspecies communication. CHC profiles differ between species and can also vary within populations, colonies, and sexes. In this study, intrasexual CHC variability was found within a population of a solitary insect species that uses CHCs for mate recognition. Three distinct female CHC profile patterns and two male chemotypes were discovered. This study contributes to our understanding of the effects of CHC variability on desiccation resistance and intraspecies communication.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Olivia Miller, Casey Hale, Leeah Richardson, David Sossa, Aaron Iverson, Scott McArt, Katja Poveda, Heather Grab
Summary: This study found that commercial bumble bee colonies managed for early spring crop pollination may act as ecological traps for wild bumble bee queens by disrupting their natural nest usurpation behavior. However, the use of queen excluders was successful in preventing wild queen deaths without affecting colony performance. Therefore, it is recommended to fit commercial colonies used during the bumble bee nest-searching period with queen excluders to prevent negative impacts on wild pollinator communities and their services.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Ellen van Wilgenburg, Mario Mariotta, Neil Durie Tsutsui
Summary: The recognition system of ant colonies is influenced by genetic and diet-derived chemicals. However, dietary changes do not explain the unusual colony structure of introduced Argentine ants.
Article
Entomology
Masakazu Nishimura, Masato Ono
Summary: The study observed intercolony drifting of the Japanese paper wasp using individual color marking of workers, and found no genetic relatedness between drifting workers and the recipient colony. Genetic analysis revealed reproduction by non-kin drifting worker(s) in the queenless host colony, indicating a unique reproductive strategy in temperate eusocial wasps. This natural event of male production by non-kin workers may serve as an alternative reproductive strategy evolved under predation and climatic pressures, and is also discussed from the viewpoint of mutual help.
ENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Dayana Alves da Silva Cunha, Rodolpho Santos Telles Menezes, Claudia Andrea Lima Cardoso, William Fernando Antonialli Junior
Summary: This study evaluated the efficiency of cuticular hydrocarbon extraction from insects preserved in ethanol and found that the chemical profiles of ethanol-preserved specimens were similar to those without ethanol exposure, suggesting that studying ethanol-preserved specimens is possible.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Federico Cappa, Giulia Torrini, Giuseppe Mazza, Alberto Francesco Inghilesi, Claudia Benvenuti, Leonardo Viliani, Pio Federico Roversi, Rita Cervo
Article
Biology
Federico Cappa, Alessandro Cini, Lisa Signorotti, Rita Cervo
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alessandro Cini, Adele Bordoni, Federico Cappa, Iacopo Petrocelli, Martina Pitzalis, Immacolata Iovinella, Francesca Romana Dani, Stefano Turillazzi, Rita Cervo
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mattia Menchetti, Gerard Talavera, Alessandro Cini, Vania Salvati, Vlad Dinca, Leonardo Platania, Simona Bonelli, Emilio Balletto, Roger Vila, Leonardo Dapporto
Summary: This study examined the co-occurrence of endemics in different centres in the region from Alps to Sicily by studying butterfly populations. The results showed that endemics from different centres exhibited differences in ecological traits, divergence time, and distribution patterns. The Alpine and Southern Italian regions were identified as high-incidence zones for endemics, highlighting the importance of considering multiple endemicity centres in the region's biogeography.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Benjamin A. Taylor, Alessandro Cini, Christopher D. R. Wyatt, Max Reuter, Seirian Sumner
Summary: The study uses machine learning to analyze gene expression profiles of Polistes dominula paper wasps following the loss of a queen, revealing a strong response of individual gene expression to queen loss, even in individuals that appear phenotypically unaffected.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Ryan E. Brock, Alessandro Cini, Seirian Sumner
Summary: Aculeate wasps are diverse insects that play important roles in ecosystems, yet their ecosystem services are not well understood compared to other insect groups. Their economic value is mainly reflected in their roles in natural pest management and biological control programs.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alessandro Cini, Fulvia Benetello, Leonardo Platania, Adele Bordoni, Sara Boschi, Emiliano Franci, Gea Ghisolfi, Lorenzo Pasquali, Riccardo Negroni, Leonardo Dapporto
Summary: The abandonment of agricultural land and afforestation of grassland pose major threats to butterflies in European and Mediterranean regions. To conserve the Italian endemic butterfly Zerynthia cassandra, a habitat management strategy was developed, focusing on environmental factors influencing oviposition and implementing data-driven interventions to increase habitat suitability. By conducting experimental studies and monitoring, effective vegetation cuts were identified to increase oviposition, demonstrating the importance of fine-tuning interventions based on local micro-habitat features. This data-driven and sustainable strategy can serve as a model for managing other species with similar ecological requirements and facing similar threats.
INSECT CONSERVATION AND DIVERSITY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Zoology
Alessandro Cini, Luca Pietro Casacci, Volker Nehring
Article
Neurosciences
Allison N. Rozanski, Alessandro Cini, Taylor E. Lopreto, Kristine M. Gandia, Mark E. Hauber, Rita Cervo, Floria M. K. Uy
Summary: The study compares investment in visual and olfactory brain regions in the paper wasp Polistes dominula and its obligate social parasite P. sulcifer. The results show significant volumetric differences between the two species, reflecting their different life histories. Social parasites have proportionally larger optic lobes and central complex, while hosts have larger antennal lobes and mushroom body calyces, revealing adaptations for navigation and social interaction respectively.
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ginevra Sistri, Mattia Menchetti, Luca Santini, Lorenzo Pasquali, Sofia Sapienti, Alessandro Cini, Leonardo Platania, Emilio Balletto, Francesca Barbero, Simona Bonelli, Luca Pietro Casacci, Vlad Dinca, Roger Vila, Cristina Mantoni, Simone Fattorini, Leonardo Dapporto
Summary: Climate change is leading to shifts in species distribution, with mountain populations particularly vulnerable. A study on Erebia pandrose butterflies in the Apennines found a decline in population size and an uphill migration trend.
INSECT CONSERVATION AND DIVERSITY
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Claudia Bruschini, Eric D. Edwards, Gerard Talavera, Varea D. Vaurasi, Galumalemana F. Latu, Leonardo Dapporto
Summary: This study investigated the butterfly fauna in the Samoan Archipelago and identified evolutionary significant units (ESUs) using COI barcode sequences. The ESUs in Samoan islands showed high levels of endemism and congruence with established taxonomy. The mechanisms of genetic differentiation in temperate butterflies differed between ancient continental lands and geologically young islands like Samoa.
Article
Computer Science, Theory & Methods
Ugo Santosuosso, Alessandro Cini, Alessio Papini
JOURNAL OF BIG DATA
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alessandro Cini, Niccolo Meriggi, Giovanni Bacci, Federico Cappa, Francesco Vitali, Duccio Cavalieri, Rita Cervo
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Article
Entomology
Alessandro Cini, Francesca Barbero, Simona Bonelli, Claudia Bruschini, Luca Pietro Casacci, Sandro Piazzini, Stefano Scalercio, Leonardo Dapporto
JOURNAL OF INSECT BIODIVERSITY
(2020)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
James A. Klarevas-Irby, Damien R. Farine
Summary: Little is known about how animals overcome temporal constraints on movement during dispersal. This study used GPS tracking of vulturine guineafowl and found that dispersers showed the greatest increase in movement at the same times of day when they moved the most prior to dispersal. These findings suggest that individuals face the same ecological constraints during dispersal as they do in daily life and achieve large displacements by maximizing movement when conditions are most favorable.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Simone Ciaralli, Martina Esposito, Stefano Francesconi, Daniela Muzzicato, Marco Gamba, Matteo Dal Zotto, Daniela Campobello
Summary: Male cuckoos may transfer nest location information to females as a nonmaterial nuptial gift through specific postures and behaviors, potentially influencing mating choices of female cuckoos.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Anne E. Aulsebrook, Rowan Jacques-Hamilton, Bart Kempenaers
Summary: Accelerometry and machine learning have been used to quantify mating behaviors of captive male ruffs. Different machine learning methods were compared and evaluated for their classification performance. The study highlights the challenges and potential pitfalls in classifying mating behaviors using accelerometry and provides recommendations and considerations for future research.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Maria G. Smith, Joshua B. LaPergola, Christina Riehl
Summary: This study analyzed individual contributions to parental care in the greater ani bird and found that workload inequality varied between groups of two and three pairs. However, there was no clear evidence of division of labour within the groups, suggesting individual differences in overall work performed.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Noah M. T. Smith, Reuven Dukas
Summary: Winner and loser effects are observed in many animals, and recent experiments suggest that they may also occur in humans. In two experiments involving video games and reading comprehension, participants who won in the first phase performed significantly better in the second phase compared to those who lost. The effect size was larger in the video game experiment, and men and women showed similar magnitudes of winner and loser effects.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Bianca J. L. Marcellino, Peri Yee, Shannon J. Mccauley, Rosalind L. Murray
Summary: This study examines the trade-off between mating effort and thermoregulatory behavior in dragonflies in response to temperature changes, and investigates the effect of wing melanin on these behaviors. The results indicate that as temperature increases, dragonflies reduce their mating effort and increase their thermoregulatory behavior.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Rafael Rios Moura, Paulo Inacio Prado, Joao Vasconcellos-Neto
Summary: This study examined the escape behavior and decision-making of Aglaoctenus castaneus spiders on different substrates. It was found that spiders inhabiting injurious substrates displayed shorter flight initiation distances and lower sensitivity to predators.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Luigi Baciadonna, Cwyn Solvi, Francesca Terranova, Camilla Godi, Cristina Pilenga, Livio Favaro
Summary: In this study, it was found that African penguins could use ventral dot patterns to recognize their lifelong partner and nonpartner colonymates. This challenges the previous assumption of limited visual involvement in penguin communication, highlighting the complex and flexible recognition process in birds.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Nick A. R. Jones, Jade Newton-Youens, Joachim G. Frommen
Summary: Environmental conditions, particularly temperature, have a significant impact on animal behavior. This study focused on aggression in Neolamprologus pulcher fish and found that aggression rates increased with temperature at lower levels, but decreased after reaching a peak. Additionally, the influence of high temperatures on aggression changed over time during the trials. These findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of the short-term effects of temperature on aggression and highlight the importance of considering non-linear changes in thermal performance.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Bruno Herlander Martins, Andrea Soriano-Redondo, Aldina M. A. Franco, Ines Carry
Summary: Human activities have affected the availability of resources for wildlife, particularly through the provision of anthropogenic food subsidies at landfill sites. This study explores the influence of age on landfill attendance and foraging behavior in white storks. Adult storks visit landfills more frequently and show dominance over juveniles in food acquisition. Juveniles have limited access to landfill resources and are forced to use lower quality areas.