Article
Biology
Russell K. Engelman
Summary: This study finds that the occipital condyle width (OCW) can accurately estimate the body mass of mammals, especially species with relatively large heads. Compared to traditional measurement metrics, OCW has higher model accuracy and can be used without close living analogues, providing a reliable method for estimating body mass in previously problematic groups.
Article
Zoology
J. M. Parrett, E. M. Slade, R. J. Knell
Summary: When competition between males for mates is intense, some males may adopt alternative tactics for acquiring fertilizations, including developing into multiple morphs to cope with sperm competition. A study on the dung beetle species Proagoderus watanabei found that males exhibit trimorphism in traits such as weapon features and testes investment, indicating different levels of sperm competition risk among alpha, beta, and gamma males in the species.
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Aldo Benites-Palomino, Jorge Velez-Juarbe, Ali Altamirano-Sierra, Alberto Collareta, Jorge D. Carrillo-Briceno, Mario Urbina
Summary: This study provides evidence of targeted feeding by sharks on the fossil bones of physeteroids in the late Miocene, suggesting that sharks actively sought out the lipid-rich nasal complexes of these coeval physeteroids. Bite marks on the cranial bones indicate that sharks specifically targeted the forehead region where these structures were attached. The similarities in bite patterns found on physeteroid fossils from other regions suggest that sharks actively scavenged on physeteroid carcasses for their fat sources.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
K. Tsagarakis, S. Panigada, A. Machias, M. Giannoulaki, A. Foutsi, N. Pierantonio, G. Paximadis
Summary: The study evaluated competition for resources between dolphins and purse seines in the North Aegean Sea ecosystem, with results showing relatively low levels of competition despite high dolphin abundance. Consumption of anchovy by dolphins was low, while sardine competition was slightly higher. Food competition did not appear to be a significant issue, but attention should be paid to ensure the future sustainability of dolphin populations in relation to key forage species.
OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Zainal Zahari Zainuddin, Symphorosa Sipangkui, Mohd Farqhan Kelana, Yap Keng Chee, Mohamed Reza Mohamed Tarmizi, Pierre Comizzoli
Summary: The Arctic Lab aims to study ancient climate change and ancient earthquakes using InSAR technology. They are particularly concerned about the rapid melting of the ice caps in Greenland. By researching these changes, they hope to better predict future climate change trends.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biology
Renee C. Firman, Dustin R. Rubenstein, Bruno A. Buzatto
Summary: This study explores the relationship between testes size and patterns of female distribution in Australian rodents, finding that longer mating seasons are associated with smaller testes size and social species have smaller testes. These findings suggest that patterns of female distribution can influence post-mating sexual selection among species.
Article
Biology
Felicien Degueldre, Serge Aron
Summary: Sperm competition is positively correlated with sperm production and viability but unrelated to sperm DNA integrity in Cataglyphis desert ants, highlighting the important role of sperm competition in shaping reproductive performance in eusocial Hymenoptera.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
Lachlan J. J. Hart, Nicolas E. Campione, Matthew R. R. McCurry
Summary: This study applies a range of body mass estimation techniques to extinct Temnospondyli species, as well as living analogues, to accurately estimate their body masses. The findings provide a basis for examining the body size evolution of this clade.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Kittisak Buddhachat, Janine L. Brown, Manthanee Kaewkool, Anocha Poommouang, Patcharaporn Kaewmong, Kongkiat Kittiwattanawong, Korakot Nganvongpanit
Summary: This study used skin tissue samples from 23 marine mammal species to investigate the relationship between adult body weight, length, relative telomere length, and lifespan. The results showed correlations between lifespan and adult body weight and length, but no correlation with relative telomere length. Larger marine mammals were found to live longer, but relative telomere length was not a good predictor of species longevity.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Jennie R. Sims, Vitor M. Faca, Catalina Pereira, Carolline Ascencao, William Comstock, Jumana Badar, Gerardo A. Arroyo-Martinez, Raimundo Freire, Paula E. Cohen, Robert S. Weiss, Marcus B. Smolka
Summary: The kinase ATR plays a crucial role in mammalian meiosis by promoting meiotic progression and coordinating key events in DNA repair and quality control. This study used phosphoproteomics to identify ATR signaling events and found ATR-dependent phosphorylation in DNA repair proteins and mRNA regulatory proteins. The study also highlighted the importance of ATR signaling in the proper localization of CDK2 in spermatocytes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Russell K. Engelman
Summary: This study estimates the body mass of large, extinct rodents using occipital condyle width and finds that previous estimates were widely controversial and inaccurate.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Callum S. McDiarmid, Roger Li, Ariel F. Kahrl, Melissah Rowe, Simon C. Griffith
Summary: Research on sperm is important in various fields such as ecology and evolution. Sperm Sizer, a freely available Java program, can semi-automate the process of measuring sperm length efficiently. The program produces high quality sperm length data and can be used in various species.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Anthropology
An-Di Yim, Lyle W. Konigsberg, Hsiao-Lin Hwa, Chin-Chen Chang, Jo-Yu Chen, Hon-Man Liu
Summary: The study tested previously developed subadult body mass estimation methods using a Taiwanese sample, finding good accuracy and bias similar to other validation studies. It was observed that errors increased with age, and allometric relationships between different skeletal traits and body mass were largely consistent across populations, with a revised method proposed for future improvements.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Pekka Kaitaniemi, Anna Lintunen
Summary: This study explored a simple tree height- and distance-based competition index to predict structural tree attributes in three boreal tree species growing in low to moderate densities within mixed stands. The results suggest that quantifying competitive interactions based on individual tree heights and locations has the potential to improve the prediction of tree attributes, although outcomes may vary by species.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Zhenwei Du, WenTing Li, Cong Liu, ChunXiu Wang, DongXue Wang, ShuaiPeng Zhu, XiangTao Kang, RuiRui Jiang, LeKun Deng, DongHua Li, GuiRong Sun
Summary: This study analyzed the testes of Gushi chicken roosters with high and low sperm motility using RNA-seq and identified differentially expressed RNAs involved in sperm motility. The study also revealed the pathways and genes related to sperm motility in chickens.