Article
Evolutionary Biology
Jonathan M. Huie, Ivan Prates, Rayna C. Bell, Kevin de Queiroz
Summary: The study aims to uncover convergent and divergent patterns of diversification in Anolis lizards on the Greater Antillean islands and in Central and South America. It found that mainland Anolis exhibit similar ecologies and morphologies to those on the islands, suggesting exceptional morphological convergence between the island and mainland faunas. However, regional differences and historical contingencies can lead to replicate yet variable radiations, indicating that replicated radiations occur more frequently beyond island settings than previously recognized.
BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Austin H. Patton, Luke J. Harmon, Maria del Rosario Castaneda, Hannah K. Frank, Colin M. Donihue, Anthony Herrel, Jonathan B. Losos
Summary: Research shows that neotropical Anolis lizards, originating in South America, colonized and radiated on Caribbean islands before returning to the mainland for further diversification. When mainland and island evolutionary radiations collide, extensive continental radiations can result from island ancestors, with incumbent and invading mainland clades achieving ecological and morphological disparity in different ways. In interactions between mainland radiation derived from island ancestors and incumbent mainland radiation, the island-derived clade tends to have an advantage.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biology
James T. Stroud, Ansley Petherick, Benjamin Krasnoff, Kamau Walker, Jonathan J. Suh, Jonathan B. Losos
Summary: Research has found that closely related species with similar ecological habits show differences in the proportional size of signaling traits. Anolis lizards, for example, have a retractable throat fan called a dewlap, which varies greatly in size and color among species. The study observed that dewlaps of Anolis lizards exhibit positive allometry, meaning that relative dewlap size increases with body size. The study also found that coexisting species have different scaling relationships in terms of signal size, while convergent species with similarities in ecology, morphology, and behavior tend to have similar dewlap scaling relationships. This suggests that dewlap scaling relationships may follow the same pattern as other traits in the evolution of Anolis lizards, where ecologically different sympatric species have developed divergent traits.
Article
Zoology
L. Lee Grismer
Summary: The shape differences between the closely related sandstone night lizard and granite night lizard are likely ecomorphological adaptations for navigating different substrates in their respective microhabitats. Xantusia gracilis prefers a loose, heterogeneous sandstone microhabitat, while X henshawi prefers a compact, more homogeneous granite boulder microhabitat.
VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Grace S. Gleason, Katherine Starr, Thomas J. Sanger, Alex R. Gunderson
Summary: Adaptive thermal tolerance plasticity can reduce the negative effects of warming. In this study, we tested the capacity for heat hardening in lizard embryos and found that hardened embryos had greater survival after lethal heat exposure. However, heat pre-treatment led to an increase in embryo heart rates, indicating an energetic cost. These results support the existence of adaptive thermal tolerance plasticity in embryos and emphasize the associated costs. The findings highlight the importance of considering thermal tolerance plasticity as a mechanism for embryo response to warming.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Christopher J. Glasby, Christer Erseus, Patrick Martin
Summary: Annelids, including polychaetes and clitellates, have developed various morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations to survive in different environments, such as on land, beaches, and underwater. They share common adaptations such as constructing protective cocoons and developing gills, but also have specific adaptations unique to each group, allowing them to thrive in diverse habitats.
Article
Ecology
Amane Araki, Koji Noshita
Summary: This study discovered a differential morphospace occupation pattern between terrestrial and aquatic gastropods and attempted to quantify these differences through morphospace analysis. The results showed a bimodal distribution of shell height in terrestrial species along with the absence of high-spired shells with high aperture inclination. While terrestrial species were distributed along optimal lines of shell instability and hindrance to locomotion, aquatic species were distributed not only along this line but also within a suboptimal region of low spire with low inclination. The hypothesis proposed that aquatic species could adopt a posture with the growth direction perpendicular to the substrate due to reduced functional demands.
Article
Ophthalmology
Austin M. Wahle, Hannah Q. Kim, Douglas B. Menke, James D. Lauderdale, Ashley M. Rasys
Summary: The fovea, a pit in the center of the macula with a high concentration of photoreceptor cells, plays a critical role in visual acuity for primates. The maturation process of the fovea involves changes in foveal pit depth, rod-free zone diameter, and photoreceptor cell packing, which occur concurrently with age, eye size, and retinal length/area. This study explores fovea maturation in Anolis sagrei lizards and finds that their maculae undergo a different maturation process compared to primates, with increased macular size and minimal photoreceptor cell packing.
EXPERIMENTAL EYE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Daren C. Card, Andrew G. Van Camp, Trenten Santonastaso, Michael I. Jensen-Seaman, Nicola M. Anthony, Scott V. Edwards
Summary: The study identified the core MHC genomic region in two squamate species and revealed similarities and differences in the genomic structure and composition of MHC regions between squamates and mammals. The investigation also highlighted unique features of the anole MHC, such as higher proportions of DNA transposons and larger MHC region size. Evolutionary analyses of MHC homologs in squamates and other amniotes demonstrated species-specific relationships and functional relevance of certain codons under diversifying selection.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Sarah S. Kienle, Roxanne D. Cuthbertson, Joy S. Reidenberg
Summary: Secondarily aquatic tetrapods have unique craniofacial musculoskeletal morphology for implementing different aquatic feeding strategies. Suction feeding specialists have larger masseter muscles, while biting taxa do not show consistent craniofacial musculoskeletal adaptations. Overall, all pinnipeds have well-developed and robust craniofacial musculature that plays a crucial role in facilitating various aquatic feeding strategies.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Joseph Barnett, Steven Poe
Summary: Despite the wide prevalence of sleep in animals, sleep research has primarily focused on a few model organisms and behaviors studied in artificial laboratory settings. This study investigates the development of sleeping perch selection in four arboreal lizard species in their natural habitat. The findings show that the height of sleeping perches varies by age and sex, with males sleeping higher than females and adults sleeping higher than juveniles in most species.
Article
Zoology
Amy Y. Cheu, Samantha A. Reed, Sara D. Mann, Philip J. Bergmann
Summary: Many animals transition between different media while navigating their environments, and this study found that brown anole lizards exhibit performance and kinematic differences between running on land and water. The findings suggest that animals can adapt to novel environments by modulating their kinematics.
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Michelle Tigchelaar, William W. L. Cheung, Essam Yassin Mohammed, Michael J. Phillips, Hanna J. Payne, Elizabeth R. Selig, Colette C. C. Wabnitz, Muhammed A. Oyinlola, Thomas L. Frolicher, Jessica A. Gephart, Christopher D. Golden, Edward H. Allison, Abigail Bennett, Ling Cao, Jessica Fanzo, Benjamin S. Halpern, Vicky W. Y. Lam, Fiorenza Micheli, Rosamond L. Naylor, U. Rashid Sumaila, Alessandro Tagliabue, Max Troell
Summary: Aquatic food systems are at risk due to climate change, and efforts to build climate resilience must focus on reducing social vulnerabilities. Systemic interventions are needed to enhance the resilience of aquatic and terrestrial food systems for the benefit of achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Zhong-Liang Peng, Wei Wu, Chen-Yang Tang, Jin-Long Ren, Dechun Jiang, Jia-Tang Li
Summary: Animal olfactory systems have evolved to detect odor cues in the environment, but aquatic environments present a unique challenge due to the higher density and viscosity of water. This study used RNA sequencing to investigate gene expression changes in the olfactory systems of aquatic and non-aquatic snake species. The results showed significant differences in gene expression profiles between aquatic and non-aquatic habitats, suggesting adaptations to the aquatic environment. Specific genes, such as RELN, may play a role in regulating neuronal patterns for complex chemical information recognition in aquatic snakes. The high expression of TRPC2 and V2R family genes in the accessory olfactory systems of aquatic snakes may enhance their ability to detect water-soluble odor molecules. This research provides a foundation for understanding the olfactory adaptation of snakes in unique habitats.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yuan Yuan, Yaolei Zhang, Peijun Zhang, Chang Liu, Jiahao Wang, Haiyu Gao, A. Rus Hoelzel, Inge Seim, Meiqi Lv, Mingli Lin, Lijun Dong, Haoyang Gao, Zixin Yang, Francesco Caruso, Wenzhi Lin, Rute R. da Fonseca, Ding Wang, Xianyan Wang, Marianne H. Rasmussen, Mingming Liu, Jinsong Zheng, Liyuan Zhao, Paula F. Campos, Hui Kang, Maria Iversen, Yue Song, Xinyu Guo, Jiao Guo, Yating Qin, Shanshan Pan, Qiwu Xu, Lingfeng Meng, A. Yunga, Shanshan Liu, Simon Ming-Yuen Lee, Xin Liu, Xun Xu, Huanming Yang, Guangyi Fan, Kun Wang, Songhai Li
Summary: The study generated high-quality genome assemblies of 17 marine mammals, revealing unique and convergent genomic variations associated with the transition to aquatic life in marine mammal lineages. The research advances understanding of the timing, pattern, and molecular changes associated with the evolution of mammalian lineages adapting to aquatic life.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
W. C. Tan, A. Herrel, D. Roedder
Summary: Habitat change and fragmentation are major drivers of biodiversity loss worldwide. Despite increased research efforts, there are biases in the study of habitat fragmentation, with focus on specific continents and limited exploration of response variables. However, there is a shift towards utilizing advanced technologies in research, indicating a need for increased investment in biodiversity hotspots.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Leonardo De Oliveira, Felipe Gobbi Grazziotin, Paola Maria Sanchez-Martinez, Mahmood Sasa, Oscar Flores-Villela, Ana Lucia Da Costa Prudente, Hussam Zaher
Summary: A new study reveals that goo-eating snakes have a unique venom delivery system that relies on their lower jaw instead of upper lip and maxillary glands. This change likely occurred in the ancestor of goo-eating snakes, possibly due to the loss of the embryonic posterior maxillary lamina.
SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Priscila S. Rothier, Anne-Claire Fabre, Julien Clavel, Roger B. J. Benson, Anthony Herrel
Summary: Vertebrate limb morphology is influenced by the environment and can evolve differently in proximal and distal segments. This study investigates the relationship between bone condensation timing and morphological diversity in more than 600 mammalian species. Results show that distal elements exhibit greater shape diversity and faster evolutionary responses than intermediate and upper limb segments. Late developing distal bones display greater morphological variation, while functional specialization drives within-element covariation. Proximal and distal limb segments show different macroevolutionary patterns, with the distal elements showing higher disparity and potential for variation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Heather E. White, Abigail S. Tucker, Vincent Fernandez, Roberto Portela Miguez, Lionel Hautier, Anthony Herrel, Daniel J. Urban, Karen E. Sears, Anjali Goswami
Summary: Through studying the development of mammalian cranial morphology, it was found that the cranial shape during fetal stage follows a cone-shaped pattern, reflecting the developmental process. The variation in cranial morphology is significantly associated with the level of development at birth. It is hypothesized that placental mammal cranial development closely resembles that of the ancestral therian mammal, while marsupial cranial development represents a more derived mode of mammalian development.
Article
Ecology
Elise Sivault, Kim R. McConkey, Francois Bretagnolle, Asmita Sengupta, Joanna E. Lambert, Eckhard W. Heymann, Anthony Herrel, Pierre-Michel Forget
Summary: By studying skull dimensions and body weight in mammals, we found that body weight is a more reliable predictor for fruit and seed size, but skull dimensions can provide accurate predictions for seed ingestion and dispersal capacity in extinct species.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Maitena Dumont, Joshua Milgram, Anthony Herrel, Ron Shahar, Boaz Shacham, Celine Houssin, Arnaud Delapre, Raphael Cornette, Marion Segall
Summary: This study describes the different patterns of enamel distribution and thickness in snake teeth, and investigates the link between prey hardness and enamel thickness and morphology. The results show that the distribution and thickness of enamel in snake teeth are related to prey hardness.
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Vincent Stin, Ramiro Godoy-Diana, Xavier Bonnet, Anthony Herrel
Summary: We present a method for measuring the 3D vortical structures generated by anguilliform swimmers using volumetric velocimetry. By quantifying the wake of freely swimming dice snakes (Natrix tessellata), we observed the formation of multiple vortices along the snake's body due to its undulation. These vortices typically consisted of paired vortex tubes, with some connected to form a hairpin structure.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Marjorie Roscian, Louise Souquet, Anthony Herrel, Theodore Uyeno, Dominique Adriaens, Barbara De Kegel, Isabelle Rouget
Summary: Compared to the well-studied articulated vertebrate jaws, the structure and function of cephalopod jaws are not well understood. The unique features of cephalopod jaws include the lack of contact between the two jaw elements, their embedded position in a muscular mass, and their connection through a muscle joint. This study provides a quantitative analysis of the variation in the buccal mass muscles of cephalopods using different methods. The results reveal the general structure of the muscles and the presence of a unique muscle in octopods.
JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Louise Souquet, Olivier Basuyaux, Gwendoline Guichard, Anthony Herrel, Isabelle Rouget, Susan Evans, Mehran Moazen
Summary: Due to their small size, juvenile cuttlefish may have lower absolute performance levels compared to adults, but they compensate by showing a higher relative performance and partitioning resources. In this study, we examined the ontogenetic changes in beak shape, wear pattern, mechanical properties, muscular anatomy, and bite force of the common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis. We found that both upper and lower beaks showed shape variation in the rostrum area, possibly due to wear induced by feeding. The mechanical properties of the beaks in juveniles indicated greater resistance compared to adults. Moreover, muscle development and relative bite force differed between cuttlefish of different ages, with juveniles having similar bite force for their size but an advantage for opening.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Anaisa Cajigas Gandia, Roberto Alonso Bosch, Carlos A. Mancina, Anthony Herrel
Summary: Geographical ranges and physiological tolerances of species are correlated. Widespread species encounter higher climatic variation and are expected to be more tolerant and better able to conserve their geographical ranges under future climate change scenarios.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Colin M. M. Donihue, Anthony Herrel, Maxime Taverne, Johannes Foufopoulos, Panayiotis Pafilis
Summary: Small islands can drive rapid changes in animal traits, such as bite force, due to competition for limited resources. In a study involving lizards introduced to small Greek islets, changes in body size and bite force were observed, indicating intense competition. However, diet did not show consistent changes, suggesting competition as the main driver of trait changes. This study highlights the importance of competition in driving rapid evolution in response to resource scarcity on small islands.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Eric Parmentier, Anthony Herrel, Marine Banse, Heidie Hornstra, Frederic Bertucci, David Lecchini
Summary: The swim bladder serves as buoyancy and is also involved in hearing and voluntary sound production. This study investigates the functions of swim bladder-associated muscles in lionfish species. The results show that lionfish can produce low-frequency hums and intermittent knocks as aposematic signals. Analysis suggests that these sounds are produced by muscles closely associated with the swim bladder, which also play a role in maneuvering and locomotion.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Zoology
A. C. Fabre, R. Amine, H. Dutel, J. Raffaelli, N. Frobisch, A. Herrel
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Zoology
L. Kever, A. Marghoub, M. Moazen, S. Evans, M. K. Vickaryous, A. Abzhanov, A. Herrel
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Zoology
A. Lowie, A. Herrel, B. De Kegel, M. Wilkinson, J. Measey, J. C. O'Reilly, N. J. Kley, P. Gaucher, J. Brecko, T. Kleinteich, D. Adriaens
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2023)
