Article
Ecology
Ole Bjorn Brodnicke, Camilla Elisabeth Hansen, Jonathan Michael Huie, Simon Johannes Brandl, Katrine Worsaae
Summary: Oligotrophic tropical coral reefs depend on efficient internal energy and nutrient cycling, and some small fish species have evolved a winnowing behavior to feed on prey in apparently barren sand patches. This study investigated the impact of winnowing behavior by two sand-dwelling goby species on meiobenthos abundance and diversity. The results showed that the gobies significantly reduced meiobenthic prey abundance while having little impact on diversity. The study also identified morphological structures involved in winnowing and confirmed the efficient separation of prey items from sand. The findings highlight the importance of winnowing gobies in the energy transfer from sand to higher trophic levels.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Julian Torres-Dowdall, Nidal Karagic, Andreas Haerer, Axel Meyer
Summary: Research on Neotropical cichlids has revealed a greater diversity in patterns of opsingene expression than previously known, with variations attributed to differential expression of opsins and simultaneous expression of multiple opsingenes in a dorsoventral pattern across the retina. This intraretinal variation in opsingene expression leads to steep gradients in visual sensitivity and may represent a convergent adaptation to clear waters with broad light environments, highlighting the role and flexibility of gene expression in generating adaptive phenotypic diversification.
Article
Zoology
Haoran Gu, Yuanfu Wang, Haoyu Wang, You He, Sihong Deng, Xingheng He, Yi Wu, Kaiyan Xing, Xue Gao, Xuefu He, Zhijian Wang
Summary: The study demonstrated that parents with contrasting ecological niches will result in significant postzygotic ecological isolation for parental resources. The poor foraging performance of hybrids for parental resources is mainly due to the decrease in foraging activity. Additionally, the hybrids exhibit fish spitting behavior, which is a typical example of incompatibility between intermediate traits and genetic behaviors.
FRONTIERS IN ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Ecology
Carmen Huerta, Magdalena Cruz-Rosales, Patricia Gonzalez-Vainer, Ivette Chamorro-Florescano, Jose D. Rivera, Mario E. E. Favila
Summary: Human activities have a significant impact on the reproductive behavior of Neotropical dung beetles, and further research is needed to understand their response to environmental changes.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
C. Darrin Hulsey, Courtney E. Gorman
Summary: This study examined the relationship between the length of the premaxillary ascending process and jaw protrusion in Malawi cichlid species. The research found a significant correlation between the ascending process length and maximum jaw protrusion distance, but no association with protrusion angle. These findings provide insights into the evolutionary mechanisms contributing to cichlid fish diversity.
Article
Ecology
Chaim J. J. Lasmar, Tom R. R. Bishop, Catherine L. L. Parr, Antonio C. M. Queiroz, Icaro Wilker, Rodrigo M. M. Feitosa, Fernando A. A. Schmidt, Carla R. R. Ribas
Summary: Animals integrate into the wider ecosystem by foraging and behavior, targeting scarce and atypical nutrients according to the compensation hypothesis. This study investigated the variation in resource use by ants across habitat strata and trophic levels in Neotropical biomes. The results showed consistent patterns of sugar and lipid preferences across biomes and trophic levels, indicating sugar limitation in the arboreal stratum and lipid limitation on the ground. However, there was no consistent pattern for amino acid and sodium preferences. Overall, the study suggests strong local niche partitioning of sugar and lipid use and the influence of large-scale processes on amino acid and sodium dynamics.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Karen P. Maruska, Chase M. Anselmo, Teisha King, Robert B. Mobley, Emily J. Ray, Rose Wayne
Summary: Position in a dominance hierarchy significantly affects group members' survival, health, and reproductive success, with various endocrine and neuroendocrine systems playing a role in regulating social rank. Cichlid fishes, known for their competitive behavior due to limited resources, have contributed important insights into the establishment and maintenance of dominance hierarchies.
HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Philippe S. Munyandamutsa, Wilson L. Jere, Daud Kassam, Austin Mtethiwa
Summary: Local adaptation to the littoral and pelagic zones in two cichlid haplochromine fish species from Lake Kivu was investigated using morphometrics. Cranial variation, inferred jaw mechanics, kinematic transmission of the anterior jaw four-bar linkage, and inferred bite force were all found to exhibit habitat-specific differences. Additionally, sex-specific differences in craniofacial morphology were observed, with males showing longer heads than females in both habitats. Further studies on other Lake Kivu fish species are recommended to explore the observed trophic patterns and their genetic basis of divergences.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biology
Evan Lloyd, Brian Chhouk, Andrew J. Conith, Alex C. Keene, R. Craig Albertson
Summary: Animals exhibit diverse patterns of rest and activity, influenced by foraging strategies, social behaviors, and predator avoidance. The cichlid species in Lake Malawi provide a unique opportunity to study variation in locomotor behavior, with surprising variability in circadian timing and rest duration. Nocturnal behavior in some species is associated with increased eye size and may be a response to light rather than an internal circadian rhythm.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Edward D. Burress, Martha M. Munoz
Summary: Geographic access to isolated ecosystems plays a crucial role in adaptive radiation, as demonstrated by the colonization of various lakes by cichlid fishes. Our study examined the phenotypic rate and state across 253 cichlid species in lakes, showing consistently higher rates of evolution compared to riverine lineages. While overlap in phenotypes was observed between river and lake-dwelling cichlids, there were often different evolutionary optima in lakes. These findings suggest that lake radiations mostly occupy niches already present in ancestral riverine lineages rather than accessing novel ecological niches.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Jessica Arbour, Faith Rumpp, Hernan Lopez-Fernandez
Summary: This study investigates the impact of overall organismal form on the evolution of shape and function in complex lever systems. The authors find that head shape constrains the shape of four-bar linkages and plays a role in the form-function mapping of these systems, leading to stronger correlations between shape and function and higher rates of evolution in biomechanically important features.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Robert F. Semmler, Simon J. Brandl, Sally A. Keith, David R. Bellwood
Summary: Research shows significant variation in foraging movements and spatial scales of herbivorous coral reef fishes, both within and across functional groups. This indicates that behavioral differences among superficially similar species may have important implications for competitive interactions and ecosystem functioning.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Sabine Urban, Jan Gerwin, C. Darrin Hulsey, Axel Meyer, Claudius F. Kratochwil
Summary: Color patterns are linked to the behavioral and morphological characteristics of animals, and play an important role in antipredatory strategies. This study finds a strong correlation between stripe patterns and body elongation in cichlid fish, indicating that the effectiveness of the stripes as an antipredatory strategy depends on body shape. However, genetic analyses show that stripes and body elongation segregate independently, suggesting that their correlation is maintained by correlational selection rather than genetic linkage. Furthermore, mate preference tests indicate that females do not differentiate between striped and nonstriped males, suggesting that stripes might be less important for species recognition and mate choice.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Ricardo Caliari Oliveira, Felipe Andres Leon Contrera, Helder Arruda, Rodolfo Jaffe, Luciano Costa, Gustavo Pessin, Giorgio Cristino Venturieri, Paulo de Souza, Vera Lucia Imperatriz-Fonseca
Summary: The study found that environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and solar irradiation affect bees' foraging behavior and drifting rates, whereas marking nest entrances did not decrease drifting levels, indicating other factors at play.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Marco Franco, Elsah Arce
Summary: The study demonstrates that the Mexican mojarra exhibits higher aggression levels in competing for resources, maintaining dominance over four nonnative cichlids in the Balsas river basin, indicating its superior hierarchical position.
AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Jessica Arbour, Hernan Lopez-Fernandez
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Zoology
Kara L. Feilich, Hernan Lopez-Fernandez
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Ecology
Dennis M. Higgs, Sarah R. Humphrey
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Megan F. Mickle, Rachel H. Pieniazek, Dennis M. Higgs
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Jessica H. Arbour, Carmen G. Montana, Kirk O. Winemiller, Allison A. Pease, Miriam Soria-Barreto, Jennifer L. Cochran-Biederman, Hernan Lopez-Fernandez
BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Leandro Araujo Argolo, Hernan Lopez-Fernandez, Henrique Batalha-Filho, Paulo Roberto Antunes de Mello Affonso
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Fisheries
Dennis M. Higgs, Riley K. Beach
Summary: Lake sturgeon are endangered in the Laurentian Great Lakes, prompting increased efforts to establish spawning grounds. Passive acoustic monitoring was used to quantify spawning sounds, with drums identified as a marker for spawning activity. The research shows promise for mapping sturgeon spawning activity and highlights the potential impact of human activities on communication in the species.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Acoustics
Arthur N. Popper, Lyndie Hice-Dunton, Edward Jenkins, Dennis M. Higgs, Justin Krebs, Aran Mooney, Aaron Rice, Louise Roberts, Frank Thomsen, Kathy Vigness-Raposa, David Zeddies, Kathryn A. Williams
Summary: There are significant knowledge gaps regarding the bioacoustics and animal responses to sounds associated with offshore wind energy development. A workgroup outlined research priorities for the next five years to improve understanding of the potential cumulative impacts of sound and vibration on fish and aquatic invertebrates. Key research needs include studying animal displacement and other behavioral responses to sound, as well as investigating hearing sensitivity related to particle motion, substrate vibration, and sound pressure.
JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2022)
Review
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Megan F. Mickle, Dennis M. Higgs
Summary: This review focuses on the hearing ability of elasmobranchs and their response to sound, and explores the practical applications of sound in elasmobranch conservation efforts and provides future research suggestions.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Viviana Astudillo-Clavijo, Melanie L. J. Stiassny, Katriina L. Ilves, Zuzana Musilova, Walter Salzburger, Hernan Lopez-Fernandez
Summary: African cichlids are highly diverse vertebrates and serve as a model system in evolutionary research. This study investigates the relationships of African cichlids and their close relatives using species tree and hybrid network analyses. The findings provide robust hypotheses for higher-level relationships and reveal widespread gene heterogeneity.
SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jacob J. Stasso, Rachel H. Pieniazek, Dennis M. Higgs
Summary: This study examines the behavioral responses of freshwater species to boat noise. The results show that freshwater fish can respond to increased levels of anthropogenic noise, but the severity of the response may differ based on auditory structures and therefore presumed hearing ability. The choice of metrics used in assessing fish responses to underwater noise is also crucial in developing exposure guidelines.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Henrique R. Varella, Sven O. Kullander, Naercio A. Menezes, Claudio Oliveira, Hernan Lopez-Fernandez
Summary: This study proposes a new classification for pike cichlids, elevating the clade to the rank of subtribe (Crenicichlina) and redefining the genus Crenicichla. Teleocichla is maintained as a valid genus, while four new genera are proposed. The results also suggest that resource partitioning in environments with fast-flowing water and rocky beds may have played a role in the evolution of pike cichlids.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Review
Acoustics
R. H. Pieniazek, R. K. Beach, G. M. Dycha, M. F. Mickle, D. M. Higgs
Summary: This review aims to summarize and interpret field-based literature on the effects of noise on fish, highlight novel approaches, and provide recommendations for future research.
JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Acoustics
Taylor A. Bendig, Grace M. Dycha, Elise M. Bull, Roselia Ayala-Osorio, Dennis M. Higgs
Summary: This study investigates hearing ability in three fish species (bluegill sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, and rock bass) by quantifying auditory thresholds and examining saccular otolith size and hair cell density. Physiological thresholds vary between species, but there are no differences in behavioral thresholds. Rock bass have a larger saccular otolith size, but no differences in hair cell density. This study provides insights into sound detection abilities and potential mechanisms driving differential hearing in fish, and offers a method for future research on the impact of anthropogenic noise on these species.
JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Marcelo C. Andrade, Hernan Lopez-Fernandez, Elford A. Liverpool
NEOTROPICAL ICHTHYOLOGY
(2019)