Article
Ecology
Christian F. Kammerer
Summary: The study explored the relationships between cranial suture complexity and the inferred ecology of dicynodont synapsids, finding that the naso-frontal sutures of the Cistecephalidae clade were substantially more complex, likely due to compressive forces sustained during burrowing. This suggests that the head may have played an important role in locomotion in this group, with increased sutural complexity potentially being an adaptation to resisting compressive forces during burrowing in dicynodonts.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Fabio C. de Barros, Mariana B. Grizante, Felipe A. M. Zampieri, Tiana Kohlsdorf
Summary: The study investigated the influence of specific soil properties on burrowing performance of two Calyptommatus lizard species in Brazilian Caatingas. It found that the lizards burrowed faster in fine and homogeneous sand, where functional associations between morphology and locomotion were detected. The study suggests that integrative approaches, including manipulation of environmental conditions, contribute to understanding the processes underlying phenotypic evolution in fossorial lineages.
Article
Ecology
Theja Abayarathna, Jonathan K. Webb
Summary: This study found that incubation temperatures did not influence the thermal preferences of hatchling velvet geckos, while the feeding status significantly affected their preferred body temperatures. This suggests that predicting the impact of climate warming on reptiles in the future will require a better understanding of how incubation and post-hatchling environments shape hatchling phenotypes.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fangyuan Mao, Chi Zhang, Cunyu Liu, Jin Meng
Summary: The translation discusses the last common ancestor and its descendants in Mammaliamorpha, as well as the characteristics and origins of Tritylodontidae and Eutriconodontans. It also highlights the important roles they play in evolution.
Article
Ecology
T. Y. Hui, Sam Crickenberger, Jackson W. T. Lau, Gray A. Williams
Summary: In thermally extreme environments, organisms tend to choose suboptimal temperatures to minimize risks associated with stochastic temperature variation. This hypothesis was tested on a slow-moving intertidal snail, which showed a mismatch between physiological and behavioral thermal maxima. The snails preferred temperatures cooler than their physiological thermal maxima to avoid underestimating the temporal variation in body temperature.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Kerstin K. Zander, Joost van Hoof, Sarah Carter, Stephen T. Garnett
Summary: The majority of respondents in Australia prefer a warm climate and use air-conditioning to reach a comfortable temperature at home. The preferred temperature setting for air-conditioning devices is 21.7 degrees Celsius. Factors such as age, heat tolerance, and location influence the frequency of air-conditioning use and temperature preferences.
SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Sean O'Donnell, Kaitlin M. M. Baudier
Summary: Differences in behaviour and physiology among social insect colonies provide evolutionary opportunities for adaptation to environmental selection. Our study focused on army ant colonies and found significant differences in the distributions of worker tolerances to extreme low and high temperatures (CTmin and CTmax). These differences were not related to worker body size, suggesting a possible genetic basis for the observed thermal physiology variation.
ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Chong Dong, Min Shang, Haoran Ma, Yunpeng Wang, Xiaogan Li, Haitao Ma
Summary: This paper investigates the mechanism of nucleation of orientation-preferred Cu6Sn5 at different temperatures and solder compositions, showing that temperature and solder composition play important roles in cluster distribution. Higher temperature, Ag element, and proper Cu element amounts favor nucleation of orientation-preferred Cu6Sn5, while Cu and Ag additions promote grain size increase and solder volume differences between regions lead to grain orientation differences.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Siyu Ma, Wu Deng, Jun Lu, Tongyu Zhou, Bingjian Liu
Summary: Appropriate thermal comfort is crucial for healthcare staff to ensure a conducive working environment. This empirical study investigated the thermal environment, thermal sensation of healthcare staff, and seasonal variation of metabolic rate and clothing insulation. The study developed adaptive models and compared the findings with established standards and previous studies. The research indicated that the resulting comfort temperatures closely align with recommended temperatures in healthcare building design specifications.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2023)
Editorial Material
Infectious Diseases
Sayantani Chakraborty, Abheek Sil, Avik Panigrahi
Summary: The Cydnidae bug, known as the burrowing bug, is an arthropod with morphological adaptations for digging. They release an odorous substance for self-defense, causing pigmented macules on human skin, especially during the rainy season. Understanding this condition can help avoid unnecessary investigations.
Article
Biology
Thiago Maia-Carneiro, Carlos A. Navas
Summary: The study found that in the field, microhabitat and body temperatures of Tropidurus catalanensis do not completely match their thermal preferences, and exposure to certain thermal conditions may threaten their thermal preferences. Constraints to reaching the desired temperature due to lower temperatures may jeopardize their ecophysiological and behavioral processes.
JOURNAL OF THERMAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Sobhan Sharafkhani, Mehrdad Kokabi
Summary: The preferential orientation of carbon nanotubes in polyvinylidene fluoride nanofibers can be achieved by adjusting the electrospinning conditions, and the weight percentage of the nanotubes significantly affects the performance of the polymer.
ADVANCED COMPOSITES AND HYBRID MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Charlotte Philippe, Eli S. J. Thore, Sebastiaan Verbesselt, Arnout F. Gregoir, Luc Brendonck, Tom Pinceel
Summary: Global warming and environmental pollution pose threats to aquatic ecosystems. The interactive effects of these stressors can have greater impacts than expected. A study using a fish model found that exposure to a pesticide and a temperature increase had separate and combined effects on fitness-related endpoints. These findings suggest that climate change may worsen the impact of environmental pollution, and the interactive effects of chronic exposure to multiple stressors should be considered.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Jay A. Nelson, Kelly J. Rieger, Danielle Gruber, Melinda Cutler, Bailee Buckner, Christopher E. Oufiero
Summary: The study suggests that urbanization alters the thermal profile of streams and affects the physiology of fish species, but blacknose dace in urban streams appear to have good thermal tolerance and the ability to adapt to different temperatures, while remaining unaffected by thermal shocks.
JOURNAL OF THERMAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Brittany Bard, Annette Dodge, William Joyce, Michael Lawrence, Steven J. Cooke, Kathleen M. Gilmour
Summary: Juvenile rainbow trout held in pairs form dominance hierarchies, leading to chronic social stress and potential elevation of cortisol levels, resulting in lowered thermal tolerance. However, social stress did not greatly affect cardiac structure or function in the trout.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Luis Alberto Rueda-Solano, Fernando Vargas-Salinas, Jose Luis Perez-Gonzalez, Arantxa Sanchez-Ferreira, Alejandro Ramirez-Guerra, Carlos A. Navas, Andrew J. Crawford
Summary: This study investigates the origin and mate-guarding strategy of prolonged amplexus behavior in the Santa Marta harlequin toad. The results suggest that body condition and clasp force are positively associated with successful mate guarding, but the overall probability of successfully displacing amplectant males is low.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Juan G. Rubalcaba, Sidney F. Gouveia, Fabricio Villalobos, Ariovaldo P. Cruz-Neto, Mario G. Castro, Talita F. Amado, Pablo A. Martinez, Carlos A. Navas, Ricardo Dobrovolski, Jose Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho, Miguel A. Olalla-Tarraga
Summary: Body size and shape play a fundamental role in determining energy requirements and evolution in organisms. This study focuses on bats and develops a biophysical model to investigate the energy constraints on morphological evolution. The results suggest that energy costs modulate the mode of morphological evolution in bats.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Joao C. L. Costa, Roberta Graboski, Felipe G. Grazziotin, Hussam Zaher, Miguel T. Rodrigues, Ana Lucia da C. Prudente
Summary: This study investigates the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic status of Leptodeira spp. and proposes a new taxonomic arrangement based on morphological and genetic evidence. The study also highlights the presence of hidden species diversity within the genus.
Article
Zoology
Marcos J. M. Dubeux, Ubiratan Goncalves, Cristiane N. S. Palmeira, Pedro M. S. Nunes, Jose Cassimiro, Tony Gamble, Fernanda P. Werneck, Miguel T. Rodrigues, Tami Mott
Summary: Two new species of Brazilian geckos belonging to the genus Phyllopezus are described in this study, based on morphological and molecular data. These two species are found in different regions of Bahia state in Brazil and display distinct morphological and genetic characteristics from their closely related species.
Article
Zoology
Renato Sousa Recoder, Sergio Marques-Souza, Thiago Silva-Soares, Carolina Nisa Ramiro, Thiago Marcial Castro, Miguel Trefaut Rodrigues
Summary: The study evaluated population-level variation in Calyptommatus in the sandy habitats of the Caatinga in Brazil using morphological and molecular data. A new species of Calyptommatus was discovered and evidence of potential historical and/or current introgressions or incomplete lineage sorting was found.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Agustin Camacho, Carlos A. Navas, Adriana Tiemi Yamanouchi, Miguel Trefaut Rodrigues
Summary: We studied 10 lizard species in Brazil and found that morphotype and substrate affect flight strategy and speed. Burrowing snake-like lizards are more effective hunters of different types of prey, especially underground prey, compared to lacertoid species. The presence of sand has opposite effects on sprint speed for different morphotypes, with burrowing snake-like lizards being faster and lacertoids being slower. These findings are important for understanding the community structure and evolution of lizard species.
Correction
Evolutionary Biology
Manuela V. V. dos Santos, Ana L. C. Prudente, Miguel T. T. Rodrigues, Marcelo J. J. Sturaro
EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Camila do Nascimento Moreira, Adauto Lima Cardoso, Mirela Pelizaro Valeri, Karen Ventura, Malcolm Andrew Ferguson-Smith, Yatiyo Yonenaga-Yassuda, Marta Svartman, Cesar Martins
Summary: Repetitive DNA, including SatDNA and transposable elements, is a common and significant component of eukaryotic genomes. This study focuses on Holochilus nanus and other species of Oryzomyini to examine the composition and role of repetitive DNA in chromosomal diversification. Through bioinformatic, cytogenetic, and molecular techniques, the study reveals the presence of Long Terminal Repeats, Short Interspersed Nuclear Elements, and Long Interspersed Nuclear Elements in the genome of HNA.
MOLECULAR GENETICS AND GENOMICS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
A. N. D. R. E. L. G. CARVALHO, A. L. E. J. A. N. D. R. O. LASPIUR, J. U. L. I. A. KLACZKO, L. U. I. S. R. O. L. A. N. D. O. RIVAS, M. I. G. U. E. L. T. R. E. F. A. U. T. RODRIGUES, M. A. R. C. O. A. U. R. E. L. I. O. DE SENA, R. I. C. A. R. D. O. CESPEDES
Summary: Only recently have lizard specialists started incorporating phylogenetic information into the classification of leiosaurids, a group of enigmatic South American lizards. To assess their relationships, multiple analyses were conducted using morphological and DNA data, revealing the monophyly of major leiosaurid clades and challenging the classification of certain genera. A new leiosaurid species, Urostrophus chungarae, was also described, emphasizing the need for further systematic investigation.
SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Letter
Zoology
Vanessa K. Verdade, Diego Almeida-Silva, Miguel T. Rodrigues
Article
Zoology
Angele Martins, Manuella Folly, Guilherme Nunes Ferreira, Antonio Samuel Garcia da Silva, Claudia Koch, Antoine Fouquet, Alessandra Machado, Ricardo Tadeu Lopes, Roberta Pinto, Miguel Trefaut Rodrigues, Paulo Passos
Summary: This article describes a new species and reassigns a known species, which is significant for the taxonomic and evolutionary research of threadsnakes. It also emphasizes the importance of protected areas in maintaining vertebrate populations.
VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Agustin Camacho, Michael J. Angilletta Jr, Ofir Levy
Summary: The time-to-thermal-death curve represents the combinations of exposure time and temperature that kill individuals of a species. A new theoretical function based on traditional measures of thermal tolerance in lizards is proposed. By comparing thermal death curves and predicted thermal vulnerability, it is found that time to loss of function or death may evolve independently from critical thermal limits and traditional parameters predict fewer deleterious sites at lower latitudes and closer to large water bodies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Agustin Camacho, Tuliana O. Brunes, Miguel Trefaut Rodrigues
Summary: This study investigates the impact of hydration levels on the thermal adaptability of Amazonian forest lizards and compares the effects of dehydration and environmental factors on climatic vulnerability using two modeling approaches.
Article
Zoology
Anna V. Albano de Mello, Renato S. Recoder, Antoine Fouquet, Miguel T. Rodrigues, Pedro M. S. Nunes
Summary: In this study, the taxonomic status of lizards of the Iphisa elegans complex were reevaluated based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analysis, as well as morphological characteristics. The results revealed the presence of nine operational taxonomic units within the genus Iphisa and these units could be distinguished by external and hemipenial morphology. A new taxonomic rearrangement of the genus was proposed, including the elevation of Iphisa elegans soinii to the specific level, and the naming and description of five new species.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Katyuscia Araujo-Vieira, Ana Carolina C. Lourenco, Joao Victor A. Lacerda, Mariana L. Lyra, Boris L. Blotto, Santiago R. Ron, Diego Baldo, Martin O. Pereyra, Angela M. Suarez-Mayorga, Delio Baeta, Rodrigo Barbosa Ferreira, Cesar L. Barrio-Amoros, Claudio Borteiro, Reuber A. Brandao, Cinthia A. Brasileiro, Maureen A. Donnelly, Marcos J. M. Dubeux, Jorn Kohler, Francisco Kolenc, Felipe Sa Fortes Leite, Natan M. Maciel, Ivan Nunes, Victor G. D. Orrico, Pedro Peloso, Tiago L. Pezzuti, Steffen Reichle, Fernando J. M. Rojas-Runjaic, Helio R. Da Silva, Marcelo J. Sturaro, Jose A. Langone, Paulo C. A. Garcia, Miguel Trefaut Rodrigues, Darrel R. Frost, Ward C. Wheeler, Taran Grant, Jose P. Pombal, Celio F. B. Haddad, Julian Faivovich
Summary: Scinax is a genus of Neotropical treefrogs with the most species diversity. It consists of 129 recognized species divided into two major clades, the S. catharinae and S. ruber clades. The relationships within and among these clades and their species groups are poorly understood. A phylogenetic analysis was conducted using genetic and phenotypic data, resulting in the partitioning of Scinax into three genera and the recognition of 13 species groups in the S. ruber clade and seven species groups in the S. catharinae clade. The study also identified 57 candidate species, highlighting the incomplete understanding of the diversity of this treefrog clade.
SOUTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY
(2023)