Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kateryna Gaertner, Craig Michell, Riikka Tapanainen, Steffi Goffart, Sina Saari, Manu Soininmaki, Eric Dufour, Jaakko L. O. Pohjoismaki
Summary: Speciation, a fundamental evolutionary process, leads to genetic differentiation of populations and results in discrete morphological, physiological and behavioural differences. This study analyzed the genetic and gene regulation differences between fibroblasts of two closely related mammals, the arctic/subarctic mountain hare and the temperate steppe-climate adapted brown hare, and discovered a species-specific expression pattern of 1623 genes, indicating differences in cell growth, cell cycle control, respiration, and metabolism.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Jose Costa, Joao Queiros, Fernando Ballesteros, Nadia Mucci, Joao Souto, Eugenio Silva, Jose Melo-Ferreira, Paulo Celio Alves
Summary: The genetic diversity and population structure of the threatened broom hare (Lepus castroviejoi) were assessed using genetic non-invasive sampling. The results showed low genetic diversity and the presence of ancient introgression events, highlighting the need for conservation measures of this species.
BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Irina Ruf, Jin Meng, Lucja Fostowicz-Frelik
Summary: This study presents the first survey on the vascular features of the auditory region in lagomorphs, including living species and key fossil taxa. The results reveal the origin and evolutionary patterns of the arterial course and structure in Lagomorpha, suggesting a high level of morphological conservatism in this clade.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Irina Ruf
Summary: This study provides a detailed description of the turbinal skeleton of Pentalagus furnessi, an Amami rabbit from Japan, using CT scans and 3D reconstructions. The turbinal skeleton of Pentalagus furnessi shows similarities to other Leporidae species but also exhibits unique characteristics. Additionally, the comparison with its possible sister taxon reveals an intriguing pattern that warrants further discussion.
VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Beatrice Ana-Maria Jitea, Mirela Imre, Tiana Florea, Catalin Bogdan Sirbu, Iasmina Luca, Adrian Stancu, Alexandru Calin Ciresan, Gheorghe Darabus
Summary: This study examined 24 European brown hares and found that two of them were infected with L. serrata nymphs. Morphological and molecular analysis were used to characterize the collected nymphs. Histopathological examination revealed various lesions in the infected hares. This study provides the first report on L. serrata nymphs collected from L. europaeus in Romania using molecular and morphological characterization simultaneously.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Ilias Karmiris, Thomas G. Papachristou, Dimitrios Fotakis
Summary: Silvopasture is a traditional agroforestry practice that plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and protecting species. However, the abandonment of this practice in Europe has led to changes in vegetation and wildlife habitats, potentially negatively impacting certain species' habitat use.
Article
Microbiology
Vlad-Dan Cotutiu, Andrei Daniel Mihalca, Katarzyna Anna Holowka, Angela Monica Ionica, Cristina Daniela Cazan, Calin Mircea Gherman
Summary: This study reports the presence of T. callipaeda infection in European brown hares in Romania, highlighting their role as reservoir hosts for this zoonotic ocular nematode.
Article
Agronomy
Gabriela Frunza, Otilia Cristina Murariu, Marius-Mihai Ciobanu, Razvan-Mihail Radu-Rusu, Daniel Simeanu, Paul-Corneliu Boisteanu
Summary: This study aimed to characterize the nutritional and technological properties of rabbit and hare meat. The results showed that hare meat had lower fat content, lighter energy, and better lipid health indices compared to rabbit meat.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jakub Gryz, Dagny Krauze-Gryz
Summary: Brown hares in a field and forest mosaic in central Poland have experienced a long-term decline in population, possibly due to changes in farming practices resulting in decreased habitat quality.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Violeta Razmaite, Arturas Siukscius
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the impact of sex and hunting season on the carcass, meat, and fat quality of brown hares. The data analysis revealed no significant differences in carcass measurements between male and female hares, but the hunting season influenced the size of the hares. Moreover, males had lower dry matter content and higher drip loss in the thigh muscle compared to females. The hunting season affected protein and hydroxyproline contents in the longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and also had an impact on the dry matter, protein, and hydroxyproline contents in the biceps femoris (BF) muscles.
Article
Zoology
Wenjuan Shan, Mayinur Tursun, Shiyu Zhou, Yucong Zhang, Huiying Dai
Summary: Lepus yarkandensis, a national second-class protected animal endemic to China and found only in the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang, has been studied in terms of its mitochondrial genome to understand its characteristics and phylogeny. The study revealed the adaptation of L. yarkandensis to arid and hot environments, as well as its close relation to sympatric species like Lepus tibetanus pamirensis. This research provides essential data for phylogenetic studies of Lepus spp. and for the conservation of this species.
Article
Microbiology
Leonardo Brustenga, Maria Pia Franciosini, Manuela Diaferia, Giulia Rigamonti, Laura Musa, Barbara Lidia Russomanno, Fabrizia Veronesi
Summary: This study assessed the endoparasite community in game hares bred for restocking purposes and found that parasites characterized by a direct life cycle, including six species of coccidia from the genus Eimeria and the nematode Trichostrongylus retorataeformis, were the most prevalent parasites.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Paulina Maria Lesiczka, David Modry, Hein Sprong, Manoj Fonville, Jiri Pikula, Vladimir Piacek, Tomas Heger, Kristyna Hrazdilova
Summary: The European brown hare serves as a host for Ixodes ricinus and a reservoir for various zoonotic pathogens. Research highlights the need for correct interpretation and setting of positivity cut-offs for different detection methods of Anaplasma phagocytophilum to define their zoonotic potential. Detailed molecular typing is necessary to determine the zoonotic potential of different strains and their natural reservoirs.
ZOONOSES AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Biology
Anna Padula, Marina Bambi, Chiara Mengoni, Claudia Greco, Nadia Mucci, Ilaria Greco, Alberto Masoni, Sara Del Duca, Giovanni Bacci, Giacomo Santini, Renato Fani, Marco Zaccaroni
Summary: This study examined the changes in gut microbial communities of European hares after a short-term diet modification, finding that the short-term variation in food availability did not significantly alter the hares' gut microbiome. Further research is needed to estimate significant time threshold for impacting microbiome composition.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Marian Flis, Piotr Czyzowski, Slawomir Beeger, Boguslaw Rataj, Miroslaw Karpinski
Summary: A method based on animal body weight was developed to determine the age of brown hares, which can be used in scientific research and population management.
Correction
Zoology
Dionisios Youlatos, Aleksandra A. Panyutina, Makrina Tsinoglou, Ilya A. Volodin
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Ruslan I. Belyaev, Alexander N. Kuznetsov, Natalya E. Prilepskaya
Summary: This study developed a mechanistic approach for calculating available range of motion (aROM) in presacral intervertebral joints based on osteometry. Trigonometric formulae were used for aROM calculation, and it was found that facet-specific formulas resulted in greater accuracy compared to formulas based on the spine as a whole or different spine regions. The facet-specific formulas were particularly effective in calculating aROM in axial rotation (AR).
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2021)
Review
Anatomy & Morphology
Alexander N. Kuznetsov
JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Paleontology
Alexander N. Kuznetsov
Article
Zoology
Michael C. Granatosky, Sonia Amanat, Aleksandra A. Panyutina, Dionisios Youlatos
Summary: Studies have shown that Vietnamese pygmy dormice employ ultrasonic echolocation to navigate in tree canopies, demonstrating similar spatiotemporal and kinematic patterns to other small-bodied arboreal species analyzed. Speed is primarily regulated by increasing stride frequency rather than length, with little change in dormice kinematics in response to substrate size. These findings suggest that ultrasonic scanning provides sufficient information for effective quadrupedal locomotion in arboreal environments.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART A-ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Ruslan Belyaev, Alexander N. Kuznetsov, Natalya E. Prilepskaya
Summary: This study used an osteometry-based method to calculate the available range of motion in presacral intervertebral joints in artiodactyls, finding that the cervical region is the most mobile area, while the thoracic region is characterized by the greatest amplitudes of axial rotation.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2021)
Review
Ecology
Brian Kraatz, Rafik Belabbas, Lucja Fostowicz-Frelik, De-Yan Ge, Alexander N. Kuznetsov, Madlen M. Lang, Sergi Lopez-Torres, Zeinolabedin Mohammadi, Rachel A. Racicot, Matthew J. Ravosa, Alana C. Sharp, Emma Sherratt, Mary T. Silcox, Justyna Slowiak, Alisa J. Winkler, Irina Ruf
Summary: European rabbits are recognizable almost anywhere on our planet due to their global distribution and unique characteristics. The lagomorph group offers underappreciated levels of diversity, making it a strong system for studying macro- and micro-scale patterns of morphological change.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Alexander N. Kuznetsov
Summary: A comparative study was conducted on the terrestrial locomotion of four fish genera on wet clay, revealing no special adaptations for land movement. Each fish utilized existing swimming techniques for propulsion on land. Monopterus crawled using body undulations in a serpentine or sidewinding technique, while the other three genera walked using body oscillations with stiff appendages. Channa, the heaviest walking fish today, was compared in size to Devonian tetrapods and proposed as a model for terrestrial locomotion at the fish-tetrapod transition, with its metalocomotor walking technique utilizing the anal fin as a propulsor.
INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Aleksandra A. Panyutina, Viktor A. Makarov
Summary: A kinematic analysis of the smallest gliding mammal, the feathertail glider, revealed significant impacts of gliding adaptation on quadrupedal running, including limbs' sprawling position and the absence of crossing of fore- and hindlimbs. The sprawling condition of the glider is closer to reptilian state than mammalian parasagittal state.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART A-ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Viktor A. Makarov, Aleksandra A. Panyutina
Summary: The study found that the feathertail glider often uses an asymmetrical bound gait while running, with occasional gallop. The bound with extended suspension is the most common and stable gait for the glider, while other asymmetrical gaits are likely transitional forms associated with changes in speed and direction.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART A-ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Alexander N. Kuznetsov, Aleksandra A. Panyutina
Summary: The hypothesis that flapping flight in birds evolved from wing-assisted incline running (WAIR) is tested through calculations of external forces on bird wings during WAIR. Contrary to previous studies, it is found that the wings provide a negative vertical impulse, cancelling out about half of the upward impulse from the legs. This suggests that the function of the wings in WAIR is to push the body towards the slope. The force patterns and muscle analysis support the idea that WAIR is a specialized locomotor behavior specific to birds, and not a model for locomotion in avian ancestors.
BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Ruslan Belyaev, Alexander N. Kuznetsov, Natalya E. Prilepskaya
Summary: This study is the first comprehensive analysis of lumbosacral joint mobility in even-toed ungulates, revealing that the lumbosacral joint is more mobile in sagittal bending than the lumbar joint and its range of motion is closely related to body mass and running form.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Michael C. Granatosky, Severine L. D. Toussaint, Melody W. Young, Aleksandra Panyutina, Dionisios Youlatos
Summary: This study evaluates the role of treeshrews as a model for understanding the origins of primate locomotor and grasping evolution by comparing their characteristics with those of the fat-tailed dwarf lemur. The findings show that northern treeshrews exhibit a mixture of primitive mammalian locomotor characteristics and derived primate features.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART A-ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Pavel P. Gambaryan, A. N. Kuznetsov
ZHURNAL OBSHCHEI BIOLOGII
(2020)