Climatic and geographic variations have profound effects on the resource utilization of individuals and populations. Evaluating resource use in different environments is crucial for understanding species ecological adaptation strategies and promoting biodiversity conservation. Stable isotopes are widely used to assess trophic niches, providing quantitative indicators of ecological interactions between

The subfamily Seirinae (Collembola: Entomobryidae) is among the most diverse suprageneric taxa of epedaphic springtails and is particularly abundant and species-rich in tropical and subtropical regions. Numerous studies have investigated its internal and external phylogenetic relationships, enhancing our understanding on Seirinae systematics. Recent taxonomic efforts have also advanced our knowledge

Tibetan sheep are indigenous to the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Owing to the harsh hypoxic environment in this plateau, the hemoglobin (Hb) protein in Tibetan sheep has undergone adaptive changes over time. Hb is primarily responsible for transporting O2 and CO2 between the lungs and other tissues of the body. The α subunit of Hb, encoded by the HBA gene, is a crucial component of the protein. However

Lachninae (Insecta: Aphididae) represent a fascinating group of aphids that are traditionally divided into five tribes. Among these, members of the tribe Tuberolachnini exhibit remarkable morphological and biological diversity. One genus of this group, Miyalachnus, known from Japan, is characterized by unique features. Our study aimed to re-examine the tribal classification within Lachninae, with a

All living organisms exist in a world affected by many external influences, especially water and light. Photonic nanostructures present in certain insects, have evolved over time in response to diverse environmental conditions, facilitating communication within and between species, camouflage, thermoregulation, hydration, and more. Up to now, only a few insect species have been discovered whose elytron

Tardigrade diversity and distribution are enigmatic in most parts of the globe, and only some European countries can boast of a relatively well-studied water bear fauna. However, even these suffer from the lack of genetic data, which would substantiate faunistic data and make biogeographic comparisons easier. Denmark has never been intensively and systematically researched in this regard, thus a citizen

The deep-sea acorn worm Quatuoralisia malakhovi belongs to the phylum Hemichordata, class Enteropneusta, family Torquaratoridae, which was described in 2005. Owing to their epibenthic lifestyle and deep-sea habitat features, torquaratorids differ anatomically from shallow-water acorn worms; however, their morphology and fine structure are poorly studied. We have the opportunity to make three complete

Toe fringes are a key innovation for sand dwelling lizards, and the relationship between toe fringe function and substrate properties is helpful in understanding the adaptation of lizards to sand dune environments. We tested the sand burial performance of Phrynocephalus mystaceus on different sand substrates with toe fringe manipulation, with the aim of assessing whether the function of the toe fringes

Rapidly expanding human activities have profoundly changed the habitat use of both large carnivores and their prey, but whether and how human activities affect the interactions between them has received relatively less attention. In this study, we conducted a systematically designed camera-trapping survey on an endangered large carnivore (North Chinese leopard Panthera pardus japonensis) and its wild

Regenerating legs is advantageous for arthropods as their appendages exhibit crucial functional specializations. Many arthropods possess a ‘preferred breakage point’, where the appendage is most likely to break and where regeneration likely to occur, however, different taxa exhibit different levels of regenerative potential. Centipede appendage regeneration is categorized as 'progressive' or 'explosive'

Drumming is a non-vocal auditory display producing airborne as well as seismic vibrations by tapping body extremities on a surface. It is mostly described as an alarm signal but is also discussed to signal dominance or mating quality. To clarify the function of drumming in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus), we compared the occurrence of drumming during predator, opposite-sex and same-sex encounters

Centipedes are terrestrial and predatory arthropods that possess an evolutionary transformed pair of appendages used for venom injection—the forcipules. Many arthropods incorporate reinforcing elements into the cuticle of their piercing or biting structures to enhance hardness, elasticity or resistance to wear and structural failure. Given their frequent exposure to high mechanical stress, we hypothesise

The conservation of aquatic and semiaquatic turtles requires knowledge of the area and vegetation structure of habitat used for nesting, and nesting migration route. We aimed to survey the effects of habitat features to the nest site selection, nesting success, and test the possibility of nest site fidelity. Our study was carried out at 10 different nesting areas, with special emphasis on data from

Research into the hunting behavior in members of the Cricetidae family offers an opportunity to reveal what changes in the predatory behavioral sequences occur when a rodent species shifts from an omnivorous to a predatory lifestyle. The study tests the following hypotheses: are there phylogenetic differences in the divergence of species’ predatory lifestyles in hamsters or do ecological factors lead

Correction: Front Zool 20, 38 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-023-00515-x Following publication of the original article [1], the authors reported that the link to the data repository is missing in section Availability of data and materials. The original content of Availability of data and materials was: The dataset supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available through a data

Many questions in biology benefit greatly from the use of a variety of model systems. High-throughput sequencing methods have been a triumph in the democratization of diverse model systems. They allow for the economical sequencing of an entire genome or transcriptome of interest, and with technical variations can even provide insight into genome organization and the expression and regulation of genes

Parental care benefits offspring but comes with costs. To optimize the trade-off of costs and benefits, parents should adjust care based on intrinsic and/or extrinsic conditions. The harm to offspring hypothesis suggests that parents should invest more in younger offspring than older offspring because younger offspring are more vulnerable. However, this hypothesis has rarely been comprehensively tested

The most extraordinary systems of symbiosis in insects are found in the suborder Auchenorrhyncha of Hemiptera, which provide unique perspectives for uncovering complicated insect-microbe symbiosis. We investigated symbionts associated with bacteriomes and fat bodies in six cicada species, and compared transmitted cell number ratio of related symbionts in ovaries among species. We reveal that Sulcia

The investigation of the effects of artificial 50 Hz electric field (E-field) frequency on Apis mellifera is a relatively new field of research. Since the current literature focuses mainly on short-term effects, it is unknown whether E-fields have permanent effects on bees or whether their effects can be neutralized. In this study we assessed gene expression immediately after exposure to the E-field

Various morphological adaptations are associated with symbiotic relationships between organisms. One such adaptation is seen in the nemertean genus Malacobdella. All species in the genus are commensals of molluscan hosts, attaching to the surface of host mantles with a terminal sucker. Malacobdella possesses several unique characteristics within the order Monostilifera, exhibiting the terminal sucker

Energy and time allocation in seabirds differ between consecutive stages of breeding given various requirements of particular phases of the reproductive period. Theses allocations may also be sex-specific considering differential energetic or nutritional requirements of males and females and/or sexual segregation in foraging niches and/or areas. In this study we investigated the foraging ecology of

Anuran metamorphosis, which is driven by thyroid hormone (TH)-mediated processes, orchestrates intricate morphological and functional transformations for the transition from aquatic tadpoles to terrestrial life, providing a valuable model for studying organ functionalization, remodeling, and regression. Larva-specific organ regression is one of the most striking phenomena observed during the anuran

Rapid identification and classification of bats are critical for practical applications. However, species identification of bats is a typically detrimental and time-consuming manual task that depends on taxonomists and well-trained experts. Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (DCNNs) provide a practical approach for the extraction of the visual features and classification of objects, with potential

A comprehensive understanding of the dietary habits of carnivores is essential to get ecological insights into their role in the ecosystem, potential competition with other carnivorous species, and their effect on prey populations. Genetic analysis of non-invasive samples, such as scats, can supplement behavioural or microscopic diet investigations. The objective of this study was to employ DNA metabarcoding

The recent combination of genomics and single cell transcriptomics has allowed to assess a variety of non-conventional model organisms in much more depth. Single cell transcriptomes can uncover hidden cellular complexity and cell lineage relationships within organisms. The recent developmental cell atlases of the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, a representative of the basally branching Cnidaria

Few scholars have left a deep and remaining influence on generations of zoologists. One of them is certainly Claus Nielsen, who recently passed away at the age of 85 years. Claus Nielsen was on the editorial board of Frontiers in Zoology, the journal of the German Zoological Society, for the last 20 years, since 2003. On behalf of the whole Editorial board and the publisher team, we would like to acknowledge

Correction: Frontiers in Zoology (2023) 20:31 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-023-00509-9 Following publication of the original article [1], the authors reported an error in the spelling of a species name. Based on the taxonomic code of zoology (https://code.iczn.org/formation-and-treatment-of-names/article-32-original-spellings), the species name “Macrostomum schäreri” in the article should be corrected

One of the most peculiar groups of the mostly colonial phylum Bryozoa is the taxon Monobryozoon, whose name already implies non-colonial members of the phylum. Its peculiarity and highly unusual lifestyle as a meiobenthic clade living on sand grains has fascinated many biologists. In particular its systematic relationship to other bryozoans remains a mystery. Despite numerous searches for M. ambulans

Proper adjustments of metabolic thermogenesis play an important role in thermoregulation in endotherm to cope with cold and/or warm ambient temperatures, however its roles in energy balance and fat accumulation remain uncertain. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of previous cold exposure (10 and 0 °C) on the energy budgets and fat accumulation in the striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis)

Recent climate changes have produced extreme climate events. This study focused on extreme snowfall and intended to discuss the vulnerability of temperate mammals against it through interspecies comparisons of spatial niches in northern Japan. We constructed niche models for seven non-hibernating species through wide-scaled snow tracking on skis, whose total survey length was 1144 km. We detected a

Early during onychophoran development and prior to the formation of the germ band, a posterior tissue thickening forms the posterior pit. Anterior to this thickening forms a groove, the embryonic slit, that marks the anterior–posterior orientation of the developing embryo. This slit is by some authors considered the blastopore, and thus the origin of the endoderm, while others argue that the posterior

Modern integrative taxonomy-based annelid species descriptions are detailed combining morphological data and, since the last decades, also molecular information. Historic species descriptions are often comparatively brief lacking such detail. Adoptions of species names from western literature in the past led to the assumption of cosmopolitan ranges for many species, which, in many cases, were later

As an important catecholamine neurotransmitter in invertebrates and vertebrates, dopamine plays multiple roles in the life of the honey bee. Dopamine receptors (DA), which specifically bind to dopamine to activate downstream cascades, have been reported to be involved in honey bee reproduction, division of labour, as well as learning and motor behaviour. However, how dopamine receptors regulate honey

Appendicularia consists of approximately 70 purely marine species that belong to Tunicata the probable sister taxon to Craniota. Therefore, Appendicularia plays a pivotal role for our understanding of chordate evolution. In addition, appendicularians are an important part of the epipelagic marine plankton. Nevertheless, little is known about appendicularian species, especially from deeper water. Using

Studies have demonstrated that the sounds of animals from many taxa with nonlinear phenomena (NLP)—caused by nonlinear characteristics of vocal organ dynamics that lead to nonlinear vocal phenomena—can influence the behavior of receivers. However, the specific functions of different NLP components have received less attention. In most frog species, females produce few or no vocalizations; in contrast

Experts use knowledge to infer the distribution of species based on fuzzy logical assumptions about the relationship between species and the environment. Thus, expert knowledge is amenable to fuzzy logic modelling, which give to propositions a continuous truth value between 0 and 1. In species distribution modelling, fuzzy logic may also be used to model, from a number of records, the degree to which

Suckermouth armoured catfish (Loricariidae) are a highly speciose and diverse freshwater fish family, which bear upper and lower lips forming an oral disc. Its hierarchical organisation allows the attachment to various natural surfaces. The discs can possess papillae of different shapes, which are supplemented, in many taxa, by small horny projections, i.e. unculi. Although these attachment structures

The common bedbug Cimex lectularius is a widespread ectoparasite on humans and bats. Two genetically isolated lineages, parasitizing either human (HL) or bat (BL) hosts, have been suggested to differentiate because of their distinct ecology. The distribution range of BL is within that of HL and bedbugs live mostly on synanthropic bat hosts. This sympatric co-occurrence predicts strong reproductive

Extreme environmental conditions at high altitude, such as hypobaric hypoxia, low temperature, and strong UV radiation, pose a great challenge to the survival of animals. Although the mechanisms of adaptation to high-altitude environments have attracted much attention for native plateau species, the underlying metabolic regulation remains unclear. Here, we used a multi-platform metabolomic analysis

Play is a common and developmentally important behaviour in young mammals. Specifically in Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus), reduced opportunity to engage in rough-and-tumble (RT) play has been associated with impaired development in social competence. However, RT play is a complex behaviour having both a kinematic aspect (i.e., performing complex 3D manoeuvres during play fights) and a social aspect

A particular type of site fidelity is faithfulness to the nest site, where birds are not only reoccupying breeding territories but also reusing nests built in previous breeding seasons. Staying faithful to the nest site is believed to be an adaptive strategy, and based on the ability to predict an individual's own breeding success, a hypothesis of “win-stay:loose-switch” was proposed. In this study

The development, maintenance, and use of immune defences are costly. Therefore, animals face trade-offs in terms of resource allocation within their immune system and between their immune system and other physiological processes. To maximize fitness, evolution may favour investment in one immunological defence or subsystem over another in a way that matches a species broader life history strategy.

The African Great Lakes have long been recognized as an excellent location to study speciation. Most famously, cichlid fishes have radiated in Lake Tanganyika and subsequently spread into Lake Malawi and Lake Victoria, where they again radiated. Other taxa have diversified in these lakes, such as catfish, ostracods, gastropods, and Monegenean gill parasites of cichlids. However, these radiations have

The classic optimal foraging theory (OFT) predicts animals’ food patch use assuming that individuals in a population use the same strategy while foraging. However, due to the existence of animal personality, i.e. repeatable inter-individual differences and intra-individual consistency in behaviours over time and/or across contexts, individuals often exhibit different behavioural strategies, challenging

For decoding the mechanism of how cells and organs function information on their ultrastructure is essential. High-resolution 3D imaging has revolutionized morphology. Serial block face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) offers non-laborious, automated imaging in 3D of up to ~ 1 mm3 large biological objects at nanometer-scale resolution. For many samples there are obstacles. Quality imaging is

Third-party interference in agonistic contests entails a deliberate intervention in an ongoing fight by a bystanding individual (third party) and may be followed by post-conflict social behaviour to provide support to a specific individual. The mechanisms behind third-party intervention are, however, still largely understudied. The aim of this study was to investigate third-party interference, with

Despite centuries of research, debate remains on the scaling of metabolic rate to mass especially for intraspecific cases. The high variation of body mass within brown bears presents a unique opportunity to study the intraspecific effects of body mass on physiological variables. The amplitude of metabolic rate reduction in hibernators is dependent on body mass of the species. Small hibernators have

Various chalcidoid wasps can actively steer their terebra (= ovipositor shaft) in diverse directions, despite the lack of terebral intrinsic musculature. To investigate the mechanisms of these bending and rotational movements, we combined microscopical and microtomographical techniques, together with videography, to analyse the musculoskeletal ovipositor system of the ectoparasitoid pteromalid wasp

Understanding how many mates an animal has in its lifetime is a critical factor in sexual selection. At the same time, differences in an organism's ecology, such as the quantity and quality of food, could be reflected in different mating rates. Mating rate had a significant effect on female net fitness (i.e., lifetime offspring production), however, laboratory measurements cannot well mirror the situation

Meteorological stressors (e.g., temperature and rain shortage) constrain brood provisioning in some bird species, but the consequences on reproductive success have been rarely quantified. Here we show, in a cooperatively breeding population of carrion crow Corvus corone in Spain, that individual feeding rates decreased significantly with rising air temperatures both in breeders and helpers, while lack

Bats are increasingly being recognized as important hosts for viruses, some of which are zoonotic and carry the potential for spillover within human and livestock populations. Biosurveillance studies focused on assessing the risk of pathogen transmission, however, have largely focused on the virological component and have not always considered the ecological implications of different species as viral

The process of copulation in Lepidoptera is understudied and poorly understood from a functional perspective. The purpose of the present paper is to study the interaction of the male and female genitalia of Tortrix viridana Linnaeus, 1758 via three-dimensional models of pairs fixed during copulation. Other techniques (confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and histology) were

Parotoid gland secretion of bufonid toads is a rich source of toxic molecules that are used against predators, parasites and pathogens. Bufadienolides and biogenic amines are the principal compounds responsible for toxicity of parotoid secretion. Many toxicological and pharmacological analyses of parotoid secretions have been performed, but little is known about the processes related to poison production

There is need of information on ecological interactions that keystone species such as apex predators establish in ecosystems recently recolonised. Interactions among carnivore species have the potential to influence community-level processes, with consequences for ecosystem dynamics. Although avoidance of apex predators by smaller carnivores has been reported, there is increasing evidence that the

Torpor is an energy saving strategy achieved by substantial reductions of metabolic rate and body temperature that enables animals to survive periods of low resource availability. During hibernation (multiday torpor), the frequency of periodic rewarming—characterised by high levels of oxidative stress—is associated with shortening of telomeres, a marker of somatic maintenance. In this study, we determined

The current modification of species distribution ranges, as a response to a warmer climate, constitutes an interesting line of work and a recent challenge for biogeography. This study aimed to determine if the climatic conditions of southern Europe are adequate to host a typical African species, the House Bunting, which is registered regularly during the last years, still in low numbers. To this end

Understanding predator–prey relationships is fundamental in many areas of ecology and conservation. In reptiles, basking time often increases the risk of predation and one way to minimise this risk is to reduce activity time and to stay within a refuge. However, this implies costs of lost opportunities for foraging, reproduction, and thermoregulation. We aimed to determine the main potential and observed

Springtails have the ability to jump using morphological structures consisting of a catapult, the furca, and a latching system constructed with interaction of the retinaculum and the dens lock. The retinaculum engages in the furca at the dens lock in order to form a spring mechanism. They exhibit diversified morphological traits that serve as adaptations to a variety of terrestrial strata and aquatic

Brittle stars, unlike most other echinoderms, do not use their small tube feet for locomotion but instead use their flexible arms to produce a rowing or reverse rowing movement. They are among the fastest-moving echinoderms with the ability of complex locomotory behaviors. Considering the high species diversity and variability in morphotypes, a proper understanding of intra- and interspecies variation

Arthropods gradually change their forms through repeated molting events during postembryonic development. Anamorphosis, i.e., segment addition during postembryonic development, is seen in some arthropod lineages. In all millipede species (Myriapoda, Diplopoda), for example, postembryonic processes go through anamorphosis. Jean-Henri Fabre proposed 168 years ago the “law of anamorphosis”, that is, “new