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Hox genes are known for their role in the specification of typical body plan features in animals. Evolutionary changes in Hox gene function are believed to be involved in the emergence of the diverse body plans we observe in animals today. Spiders share many body plan features with other arthropods, but also have numerous unique traits of their own. Studies of spider Hox genes have already provided insights into evolutionarily conserved and derived features of the spider body plan and their genetic basis. However, many aspects of Hox gene biology have been insufficiently studied in spiders so far. In this review, we highlight previous comparative studies of Hox genes in spiders and their significance for our understanding of the evolution of the spider body plan. We also identify aspects of Hox gene biology that need to be studied in greater detail. Many spider Hox genes have not been investigated beyond their mRNA expression patterns, and the role of Hox genes with apparently plesiomorphic or dual functions, like ftz and Hox3 is still unclear. Spiders have a duplicated Hox gene cluster, but possible sub-or neofunctionalisation of duplicates have not yet been studied systematically. Future research should therefore focus on these issues, in addition to the role of Polycomb and trithorax-mediated regulation, the identification of regulatory regions, cofactors or spider-specific target genes, and the significance of non-coding RNAs transcribed from within the Hox cluster and even from the antisense strand of particular Hox genes.

Climate change pushes species polewards and upwards – as temperatures rise, species move to areas that were previously too cold for them. During range expansions, species encounter unfamiliar environmental conditions, which may require evolutionary adaptation, but expanding populations may often be hampered by their genetic and demographic properties. Whether range-expanding populations can adapt may greatly affect species distributions, but the question is largely unexplored for native species expanding in response to climate change. In seasonal environments, organisms must endure harsh conditions and synchronise growth and reproduction with the presence of food and mates. To time their life cycles, many animals and plants use seasonal changes in daylength. Insects typically overwinter in diapause (dormancy with paused development and suppressed metabolism), which is induced by short days well before winter. But across-latitude differences in daylength pose challenges for latitudinal range expansions. I focus on whether traits related to seasonal timing and winter survival have evolved during range expansion of the wall brown butterfly (Lasiommata megera) in Sweden. In Chapter I, I confirmed that the wall brown has, in 2000–2020, expanded northwards along the eastern and western coasts of Sweden, and in Chapter II, I demonstrated that these parallel expansions have proceeded independently from the south, in isolation from each other. Laboratory experiments in Chapter I revealed that caterpillars from northern populations have evolved to correctly interpret their local daylength cues. This rapid evolution, repeated along two range expansions, indicates that latitudinal differences in daylength may seldom hinder insect range expansions. In Chapter II, I found that northern range margin populations have lower genetic variation than southern ones but are unlikely to have received much locally maladaptive gene flow from the south. Further, a genomic scan suggested that

In 2022, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus clade 2.3.4.4b became enzootic and caused mass mortality in Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis and other seabird species across north-western Europe. We present data on the characteristics of the spread of the virus between and within breeding colonies and the number of dead adult Sandwich Terns recorded at breeding sites throughout north-western Europe. Within two months of the first reported mortalities, 20,531 adult Sandwich Terns were found dead, which is >17% of the total north-western European breeding population. This is probably an under-representation of total mortality, as many carcasses are likely to have gone unnoticed and unreported. Within affected colonies, almost all chicks died. After the peak of the outbreak, in a colony established by late breeders, 25.7% of tested adults showed immunity to HPAI subtype H5. Removal of carcasses was associated with lower levels of mortality at affected colonies. More research on the sources and modes of transmission, incubation times, effective containment, and immunity is urgently needed to combat this major threat for colonial seabirds.

Honungsbiets naturliga hemvist är framförallt det ihåliga trädet, det känner nog nästan alla till, kanske också av egen erfarenhet.

Ixodes ricinus nymphs and adults removed from humans, and larvae and nymphs from birds, have been analysed for infection with Babesia species and Borrelia species previously in separately published studies. Here, we use the same data set to explore the coinfection pattern of Babesia and Borrelia species in the ticks. We also provide an overview of the ecology and potential public health importance in Sweden of I. ricinus infected both with zoonotic Babesia and Borrelia species. Among 1952 nymphs and adult ticks removed from humans, 3.1% were PCR-positive for Babesia spp. Of these Babesia-positive ticks, 43% were simultaneously Borrelia-positive. Among 1046 immatures of I. ricinus removed from birds, 2.5% were Babesia-positive, of which 38% were coinfected with Borrelia species. This study shows that in I. ricinus infesting humans or birds in Sweden, potentially zoonotic Babesia protozoa sometimes co-occur with human-pathogenic Borrelia spp. Diagnostic tests for Babesia spp. infection are rarely performed in Europe, and the medical significance of this pathogen in Europe could be underestimated.

We measured resting metabolic rate (RMR), tidal volume (V-T), breathing frequency (f(R)), respiratory flow, and endexpired gases in rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) housed in managed care after an overnight fast and 1-2 hr following a meal. The measured average (+/- standard deviation) V-T (4.0 +/- 1.3 L) and f(R) (1.9 +/- 1.0 breaths/min) were higher and lower, respectively, as compared with estimated values from both terrestrial and aquatic mammals, and the average V-T was 43% of the estimated total lung capacity. The end-expired gas levels suggested that this species keep alveolar O-2 (10.6% or 80 mmHg) and CO2 (7.6% or 57 mmHg), and likely arterial gas tensions, low and high, respectively, to maximize efficiency of gas exchange. We show that following an overnight fast, the RMR (566 +/- 158 ml O-2/min) was 1.8 times the estimated value predicted by Kleiber for terrestrial mammals of the same size. We also show that between 1 and 2 hr after ingestion of a meal, the metabolic rate increases an average of 29% (709 +/- 126 ml O-2/min). Both body mass (M-b) and f(R) significantly altered the measured RMR and we propose that both these variables should be measured when estimating energy use in cetaceans., Funding Agencies|A special thanks to the many volunteers and staff at Clearwater Marine Aquarium and Gulf World for making these measurements possible. A special thanks to Ellen Leonard, Mel Mason, Beth Schumacher, Hailee Crocket, Rhegan Shields, and Kodi Underwood at Gulf [2022-06]; research department of the Dolphin Company [2023-01]; Animal Care Committee of Fundacion Oceanografic

The global decline of freshwater mussels and their crucial ecological services highlight the need to understand their phylogeny, phylogeography and patterns of genetic diversity to guide conservation efforts. Such knowledge is urgently needed for Unio crassus, a highly imperilled species originally widespread throughout Europe and southwest Asia. Recent studies have resurrected several species from synonymy based on mitochondrial data, revealing U. crassus to be a complex of cryptic species. To address long-standing taxonomic uncertainties hindering effective conservation, we integrate morphometric, phylogenetic, and phylogeographic analyses to examine species diversity within the U. crassus complex across its entire range. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (815 specimens from 182 populations) and, for selected specimens, whole mitogenome sequences and Anchored Hybrid Enrichment (AHE) data on ∼ 600 nuclear loci. Mito-nuclear discordance was detected, consistent with mitochondrial DNA gene flow between some species during the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Fossil-calibrated phylogenies based on AHE data support a Mediterranean origin for the U. crassus complex in the Early Miocene. The results of our integrative approach support 12 species in the group: the previously recognised Unio bruguierianus, Unio carneus, Unio crassus, Unio damascensis, Unio ionicus, Unio sesirmensis, and Unio tumidiformis, and the reinstatement of five nominal taxa: Unio desectus stat. rev., Unio gontierii stat. rev., Unio mardinensis stat. rev., Unio nanus stat. rev., and Unio vicarius stat. rev. Morphometric analyses of shell contours reveal important morphospace overlaps among these species, highlighting cryptic, but geographically structured, diversity. The distribution, taxonomy, phylogeography, and conservation of each species are succinctly described.

Individual differences in free-range chicken systems are important factors in fluencing how birds use the range (or not), even if individuals are reared in the same environmental conditions. Here, we investigated how various aspects of the birds ' behavioral and cognitive tendencies, including their optimism/pessimism, cognitive flexibility, sociability, and exploration levels, are associated with range use and how they may change over time (before and after range access). To achieve this, 100 White Leghorn laying hen chicks underwent three distinct behavioral/cognitive tests - the cognitive bias test, the detour test, and the multivariate test -prior to gaining access to the range, between 9 and 39 days of age. After range access was allowed (from day 71), birds ' range use was evaluated over 7 nonconsecutive days (from 74 -91 days of age). Subsequently, a subset of birds, classi fied as high rangers (n = 15) and low rangers (n = 15) based on their range use, underwent retesting on the same three previous tests between 94 and 108 days of age. Our results unveiled a negative correlation trend between birds ' evaluation of the ambiguous cue and their subsequent range use (rho =0.19, p = 0.07). Furthermore, low rangers were faster to learn the detour task ( x2 = 7.34, df = 1, p = 0.006), coupled with increased sociability during the multivariate test (rho = -0.23, p = 0.02), contrasting with their highranging counterparts, who displayed more exploratory behaviors (F[1,27] = 3.64, p = 0.06). These behavioral patterns fluctuated over time (before and after range access); however, conclusively attributing these changes to birds ' aging and development or the access to the range remains challenging. Overall, our results corroborate that behavioral and cognitive individual differences may be linked to range use and offer novel perspectives on the early behavioral and cognitive traits that may be linked to range use. These findings may serve as a foundation for adapting env, Funding Agencies|Institut Carnot France Futur Elevage; Novogen

Introduction: Domestication is the process of modifying animals for human benefit through selective breeding in captivity. One of the traits that often diverges is the size of the brain and its constituent regions; almost all domesticated species have relatively smaller brains and brain regions than their wild ancestors. Although the effects of domestication on the brain have been investigated across a range of both mammal and bird species, almost nothing is known about the neuroanatomical effects of domestication on the world's most common bird: the chicken (Gallus gallus). Methods: We compared the quantitative neuroanatomy of the telencephalon of white leghorn chickens with red junglefowl, their wild counterpart, and several wild galliform species. We focused specifically on the telencephalon because telencephalic regions typically exhibit the biggest differences in size in domesticate-wild comparisons. Results: Relative telencephalon size was larger in chickens than in junglefowl and ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus). The relative size of telencephalic regions did not differ between chickens and junglefowl, but did differ in comparison with ruffed grouse. Ruffed grouse had larger hyperpallia and smaller entopallial, nidopallial, and striatal volumes than chickens and junglefowl. Multivariate analyses that included an additional three wild grouse species corroborated these findings: chicken and junglefowl have relatively larger nidopallial and striatal volumes than grouse. Conversely, the mesopallial and hyperpallial volumes tended to be relatively smaller in chickens and junglefowl. Conclusion: From this suite of comparisons, we conclude that chickens do not follow a pattern of widespread decreases in telencephalic region sizes that is often viewed as typical of domestication. Instead, chickens have undergone a mosaic of changes with some regions increasing and others decreasing in size, and there are few differences between chickens and junglefowl., Funding Agencies|University of Lethbridge; Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada; Canada Foundation for Innovation; Canada Research Chairs Program

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are omnipresent in the environment. Due to their physical and chemical properties, POPs bioaccumulate in higher trophic-level species. Birds inhabit many niches and trophic levels and share physiological characteristics with humans. Wild bird eggs reflect the pollution of the environment and exposure experienced by the female prior to egg formation. Bird eggs are relatively easy to collect, easy to handle and store, and decompose slowly. In addition, bird eggs can also be used as biomarkers by examining the eggshell pigmentation and thickness. Aquatic bird eggs have been used most often with less published on terrestrial birds that also suffer consequences of pollution. Here, we review candidate species whose eggs can be used as nearglobal indicators. We found the Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) as a suitable near-global indicator of terrestrial pollution. It is the most widespread Ardeid with extensive natural expansion, not threatened, occurs in high numbers, breeds in colonies with other Ardeids, has a high trophic status, and eggs are relatively large and easy to collect. Eggs of Cattle Egrets from eight countries and four continents have been analysed for pollutants such as PCBs, DDTs, HCH, HCB, dicofol, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, mirex, and endosulfan. Multi-country and trans-continental studies using Cattle Egret eggs would therefore be possible, tracking the effectiveness of interventions such as the Stockholm Convention.

Studies of food preferences in captive primates have so far mainly been restricted to frugivorous species. It was therefore the aim of the present study to assess the occurrence of spontaneous food preferences in a mainly folivorous primate, the captive Southern brown howler monkey, and to analyze whether these preferences correlate with nutrient composition. Using a two-alternative choice test, we presented ten male and five female adult Alouatta guariba clamitans with all possible binary combinations of ten types of food that are part of their diet in captivity and recorded their choice behavior. We found the howler monkeys to display the following rank order of preference: banana > mango > watermelon > papaya > beetroot > apple > pear > orange > cucumber > tomato. This preference ranking significantly and positively correlated with the total carbohydrate content and with the sucrose content of the food items. We also found significant positive correlations between the food preference ranking and the content of the minerals copper and magnesium. Male and female howler monkeys did not differ significantly in their food preference rankings. These results suggest this howler monkeys under human care are not opportunistic, but selective feeders with regard to maximizing their net gain of energy as only the content of carbohydrates, but not the contents of total energy, proteins, or lipids significantly correlated with the displayed food preferences. Thus, the food preferences of this primate are similar to those reported in several species of frugivorous primates tested with cultivated fruits and vegetables.

In Europe, the honey bee (Apis mellifera) has been confronted by multiple threats often linked to human activities. An online survey was spread between September 2021 and March 2022 among 2,111 beekeepers. The results showed that beekeepers are powerless to deal with threats. They believe that man-made problems can be mitigated or eliminated through authorities. Bee colonies suffer under parasites, predators or declining natural resources. In Southern Europe, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep bees. The situation is in contrast to that described for Northern Europe, especially Iceland, where threats are almost non-existent. This North/South duality is also evident when describe future perspectives in their region. The uncertainty of production can lead to a negative outlook for certain people, especially because selling honey is a motivation, but others have a positive outlook for the future., En Europe, l’abeille domestique (Apis mellifera) est confrontée à de multiples menaces souvent liées aux activités humaines. Une enquête en ligne a été diffusée entre septembre 2021 et mars 2022 auprès de 2 111 apiculteurs. Les résultats ont montré que les apiculteurs sont souvent impuissants face aux menaces. Certains pensent que les problèmes causés par l’homme peuvent être atténués ou éliminés par les autorités. D’autres sont plus préoccupés par les menaces naturelles telles que les parasites, les prédateurs ou le déclin des ressources naturelles. Dans le sud de l’Europe, il devient de plus en plus difficile d’élever des abeilles. Cette situation contraste avec celle décrite pour l’Europe du Nord, en particulier l’Islande, où les menaces sont presque inexistantes. Cette dualité Nord/Sud est également évidente lorsqu’il s’agit de décrire les perspectives d’avenir dans leur région. Les incertitudes de la production conduisent les uns à une perspective négative aussi parce que vendre du miel est une motivation, tandis que les autres voient l’avenir de manière positive.

Beekeeping is a demanding activity that requires both particular human qualities from those who practise it and an environment that is favourable to bees. This is why the interviewed beekeepers advise to take time to think before starting to keep the bees, to find a mentor, and to always have the desire to get to know the bees even if this is not enough for success. In Northern and Western Europe, beekeepers consider patience and calmness as essential qualities to be a “good beekeeper”, while in Southern Europe, passion for bees is the main driver of success. The reasons for abandonment or failure also include human and environmental factors. To better understand the relationship between beekeepers and their bees, interviewees were encouraged to share their best memories. With years of experience, contemplative memories fade into memorable situations in which bee practices are described, and then in turn, they fade into moments of sociability. Honey harvesting plays an important role. Productive considerations are more expressed in Southern Europe, where it is an exceptional harvest that marks on people’s minds, more than the first honey harvest. The strong connection to their bees and the territory they live in is also expressed in the choice of their favourite honey. Many beekeepers mentioned the local honey production, which they are proud to produce with their own bees, even though they sometimes became criticized for a too high price for this local product., Published online: 11 Jun 2024Taylor & Francis Group an informa businessCONTACT Samuel Perichon sa.perichon@gmail.com

A growing animal ingests food from the environment and distributes the assimilated energy between chemical energy stored in synthesized biomass and energy spent on metabolic processes, including food processing, maintenance, activity and overhead costs for growth. Under food restriction, the growth rate is usually decreased. However, the extent of this reduction may be influenced by a potential trade-off with maintenance metabolism. The latter seems to be down-regulated under food restriction in some animals and up-regulated in others. Recently, the Maintenance-Growth Model (MGM) was developed for ontogenetic and post-mature growth, including several aspects not considered by common mechanistic growth models, most importantly the division of maintenance costs into non-negotiable and negotiable parts, where the latter can be up- or downregulated under food restriction. Using empirical data, MGM has been calibrated and successfully applied to an insect growing under ad libitum conditions. Here, the model is further calibrated to newly collected individual data for the same species growing under two different regimes of food restriction, complemented with previously collected data for food-limited cohorts. We find that two alternative model scenarios of MGM are able to generate rather good predictions of observed growth under food restriction, assuming either upregulated maintenance or decreased effective assimilation (assimilation minus energy spent on processing and searching food). We find the latter scenario least plausible, implying that the current study provides the first indication for the occurrence of upregulated maintenance in an insect species when food is scarce, an unexpected result that requires further investigation. The inclusion of maintenance regulation in MGM enables the new growth model to be used in the modelling of life-history dependent trade-offs between maintenance, growth and maturation for various other species., CC BY 4.0 DEEDCorresponding author at: Department of Bioscience, University of Skövde, Högskolevägen, Box 408, SE-541 28 Skövde, Sweden. E-mail address: karl.mauritsson@his.se (K. Mauritsson).Funding was provided by the Swedish research council, grant number 2018-05523.

Acquiring DNA from wild bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) is typically undertaken utilizing highly invasive (but non-lethal) sampling techniques comprising wing biopsies and occasional blood samples. While non-invasive sampling is possible through the extraction of DNA from faecal samples, it is not always possible to acquire samples from individual bats whilst conducting fieldwork, and as such, this method is primarily applicable to roost occupancy identification. Similarly, wing swabbing is liable to cross-contamination from roost mates. Here we present the first use of oral (buccal) swabbing for successful, species-resolution DNA sequencing of Vespertilionidae and Rhinolophidae in 10 bat species (nine Vespertilionidae and one Rhinolophidae) from the UK., Technical note

1. The term “applied ecology of fear” was recently introduced to describe the growing research field that applies the theory of the ecology of fear to manage wildlife behaviour. The management goal is to drive targeted species spatially and temporally away from areas of human interest by inducing cues from real or simulated predators to reduce human-wildlife conflict. 2. We aimed to quantify, through a meta-analysis, if prey anti-predator response would vary among field trials versus pen-based studies, predator cue types, predator hunting style and prey feeding type, and be stronger in response to larger predators relative to the prey's size. We also explored what studies found in terms of wildlife habituation to cues. 3. We used species belonging to the Cervidae family as a case study since deer are among the group of species with the highest degree of human-wildlife conflict. We retrieved 114 studies from online databases and collected information from 39 of those studies that fitted our research scope. 4. We found that acoustic cues more frequently led to an anti-predator response in deer than olfactory or visual cues. Neither predator hunting strategy nor deer feeding strategy or type of study (free-ranging or pen-based animals) influenced the extent to which deer responded to cues. Deer more frequently responded to cues that belonged to a larger predator relative to their size. Habituation was reported in less than one-third of the studies, with a study period ranging from 1 to 90 days, and occurred as soon as 7 days after the start of the study on average. 5. Our meta-analysis suggested that acoustic cues hold most potential as a tool to manage deer behaviour. These findings support the development of applied ecology of fear tools that introduce predator cues to reduce human-wildlife conflicts. Major knowledge gaps remain that limit the effective use of such tools in wildlife management and future research should focus on improving our understanding of habitua

Background Describing geographical variation in morphology of organisms in combination with data on genetic differentiation and biogeography can provide important information on how natural selection shapes such variation. Here we study genetic structure using ddRAD seq and wing shape variation using geometric morphometrics in 14 populations of the damselfly Lestes sponsa along its latitudinal range in Europe. Results The genetic analysis showed a significant, yet relatively weak population structure with high genetic heterozygosity and low inbreeding coefficients, indicating that neutral processes contributed very little to the observed wing shape differences. The genetic analysis also showed that some regions of the genome (about 10%) are putatively shaped by selection. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the Spanish and French populations were the ancestral ones with northern Swedish and Finnish populations being the most derived ones. We found that wing shape differed significantly among populations and showed a significant quadratic (but weak) relationship with latitude. This latitudinal relationship was largely attributed to allometric effects of wing size, but non-allometric variation also explained a portion of this relationship. However, wing shape showed no phylogenetic signal suggesting that lineage-specific variation did not contribute to the variation along the latitudinal gradient. In contrast, wing size, which is correlated with body size in L. sponsa, had a strong negative correlation with latitude. Conclusion Our results suggest a relatively weak population structure among the sampled populations across Europe, but a clear differentiation between south and north populations. The observed geographic phenotypic variation in wing shape may have been affected by different local selection pressures or environmental effects.

The sponge fauna of the Western Mediterranean stands as one of the most studied in the world. Yet sampling new habitats and a poorly studied region like the Balearic Islands highlights once again our limited knowledge of this group of animals. This work focused on demosponges of the order Tetractinellida collected in several research surveys (2016–2021) on a variety of ecosystems of the Balearic Islands, including shallow caves, seamounts and trawl fishing grounds, in a broad depth range (0–725 m). Tetractinellid material from the North Atlantic and more than twenty type specimens were also examined and, for some, re-described in this work. All species were barcoded with the traditional molecular markers COI (Folmer fragment) and 28S (C1-C2 or C1-D2 fragment). A total of 36 species were identified, mostly belonging to the family Geodiidae (15 species), thereby bringing the number of tetractinellids recorded in the Balearic Islands from 15 to 39. Eight species from this study are new: Stelletta mortarium sp. nov., Penares cavernensis sp. nov., Penares isabellae sp. nov., Geodia bibilonae sp. nov., Geodia microsphaera sp. nov. and Geodia matrix sp. nov. from the Balearic Islands; Geodia phlegraeioides sp. nov. and Caminus xavierae sp. nov. from the North East Atlantic. Stelletta dichoclada and Erylus corsicus are reported for the first time since their description in Corsica in 1983. Pachastrella ovisternata is documented for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea. Finally, after comparisons of type material, we propose new synonymies: Geodia anceps as a junior synonym of Geodia geodina, Erylus cantabricus as a junior synonym of Erylus discophorus and Spongosorites maximus as a junior synonym of Characella pachastrelloides.

The organization and coordination of fish schools provide a valuable model to investigate the genetic architecture of affiliative behaviours and dissect the mechanisms underlying social behaviours and personalities. Here we used replicate guppy selection lines that vary in schooling propensity and combine quantitative genetics with genomic and transcriptomic analyses to investigate the genetic basis of sociability phenotypes. We show that consistent with findings in collective motion patterns, experimental evolution of schooling propensity increased the sociability of female, but not male, guppies when swimming with unfamiliar conspecifics. This finding highlights a relevant link between coordinated motion and sociability for species forming fission-fusion societies in which both group size and the type of social interactions are dynamic across space and time. We further show that alignment and attraction, the two major traits forming the sociability personality axis in this species, showed heritability estimates at the upper end of the range previously described for social behaviours, with important variation across sexes. The results from both Pool-seq and RNA-seq data indicated that genes involved in neuron migration and synaptic function were instrumental in the evolution of sociability, highlighting a crucial role of glutamatergic synaptic function and calcium-dependent signalling processes in the evolution of schooling.

Collective motion is common across all animal taxa, from swarming insects to schools of fish. The collective motion requires intricate behavioral integration among individuals, yet little is known about how evolutionary changes in brain morphology influence the ability for individuals to coordinate behavior in groups. In this study, we utilized guppies that were selectively bred for relative telencephalon size, an aspect of brain morphology that is normally associated with advanced cognitive functions, to examine its role in collective motion using an open-field assay. We analyzed high-resolution tracking data of same-sex shoals consisting of 8 individuals to assess different aspects of collective motion, such as alignment, attraction to nearby shoal members, and swimming speed. Our findings indicate that variation in collective motion in guppy shoals might not be strongly affected by variation in relative telencephalon size. Our study suggests that group dynamics in collectively moving animals are likely not driven by advanced cognitive functions but rather by fundamental cognitive processes stemming from relatively simple rules among neighboring individuals. Collective motion occurs when animals coordinate their movement in schools, flocks, or herds. Using an experimental approach, we show that the size of the cognitive center in the vertebrate brain, the telencephalon, does not influence the ability to coordinate movement in single-sex guppy shoals artificially selected to have large or small telencephalon size. Advanced cognitive functions are likely not used during coordination of movements in guppy shoals.

The twisted-winged parasite genus Stylops has a history of different species concepts with varying host specificity resulting in diverse species diversity estimates in different regions of the Holarctic. The adoption of a supergeneralist species concept in Europe, proposing synonymization of all Western Palaearctic Stylops species, did not facilitate taxonomic clarity and obscured the available life-history data in the region for decades. Lack of molecular data has allowed divergent opinions on species hypotheses and little opportunity for evaluating them in this morphologically challenging genus. To solve these discrepancies and gain novel information about host associations, we applied whole-genome sequencing to 163 specimens, representing a significant portion of putative European species. We evaluate the existing and conflicting species hypotheses with molecular species delimitation using Species bOundry Delimitation using Astral (SODA) and use a maximum likelihood phylogeny to investigate host associations of the species. Furthermore, we evaluate the effect of a number of loci used in SODA for the number of inferred species. We find justification for synonymization of multiple species and indications of undescribed species, as well as new host-parasite relationships. We show that the number of inferred species in SODA is exceedingly and positively correlated with the number of loci used, urging for cautious application. The results of our study bring clarity to the Western Palaearctic species diversity of Stylops. Furthermore, the comprehensive molecular dataset generated in this study will be a valuable resource for future studies on Stylops and the evolution of parasites in general.

The structure and functioning of the brain are lateralized-the right hemisphere processes unexpected stimuli and controls spontaneous behavior, while the left deals with familiar stimuli and routine responses. Hemispheric dominance, the predisposition of an individual using one hemisphere over the other, may lead to behavioral differences; particularly, an individual may be programed to act in a certain way concerning hemispheric dominance. Hand preference is a robust estimator of hemispheric dominance in primates, as each hemisphere controls the opposing side of the body. Studies have found links between hand preference and the exhibition of behaviors in contexts such as exploring and manipulating objects. However, little is known whether hand preference predicts behavioral variations in other ecologically relevant contexts like predation. We investigated the relationship between hand preference and behavioral responses to two types of predator models in captive Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) (n = 22). Besides, a nonpredator novel object was included as control. We found 91% of the macaques to be lateralized with no group-level bias. A higher rate of tension and focus (behavioral response) behavior was found in predator contexts than in the novel object condition. Unlike their right-hand counterparts, individuals with a strong left-hand preference elicited frequent focus and tension behavior toward the predator models. Additionally, the behavioral response varied with predator type. We also found an interaction effect between hand preference and predator type. Our study suggests that hand preference can reliably predict behavioral variations in the context of potential predation. While these results are consistent with lateralized brain function, indicating lateralization a neural mechanism of behavioral variation, the interaction effect between hand preference and predator type elucidates the importance of context-specificity when investigating laterality noni, Funding Agencies|HORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions [893016]

This thesis examines the Swedish 19th century family magazine, Svenska Familj-Journalen, and the interaction between bourgeois attitudes, science, and depictions of animals. My main purpose is to demonstrate how image-text divergences can discover ruptures between 19th century bourgeoise ideology and science. The study consists of a selection of illustrations and texts, the majority being popular zoology depictions that were published in the magazine between 1877–1882. By using nature-culture oppositions as well as art historian Sonya Petersson’s concept of the counteractive illustration, I am able to elucidate differences between texts and images. The texts and images are subsequently analyzed by relating them to contemporary scientific discourses, as well as to the early Swedish animal welfare and nature conservation movements. The results of this study are that image-text divergences reveal 1) that images of animals could depict the animal as such, rather than as a symbol of bourgeois ideals, 2) an insecurity in the magazine’s attitudes toward Darwin’s theory of sexual selection, illustrating circumstances where the magazine chose to adhere to its ideological dispositions rather than accept Darwinian consensus, 3) that the magazine, in publishing texts that were critical of wild life exploitation, diverged from its progress oriented narrative, and that its use of images counteracted these messages.

Swedish National Monitoring program on harbour porpoises

Background: The mammalian gut microbiota influences a wide array of phenotypes which are relevant to fitness, yet knowledge about the transmission routes by which gut microbes colonise hosts in natural populations remains limited. Here, we use an intensively studied wild population of wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) to examine how vertical (maternal) and horizontal (social) transmission routes influence gut microbiota composition throughout life. Results: We identify independent signals of maternal transmission (sharing of taxa between a mother and her offspring) and social transmission (sharing of taxa predicted by the social network), whose relative magnitudes shift as hosts age. In early life, gut microbiota composition is predicted by both maternal and social relationships, but by adulthood the impact of maternal transmission becomes undetectable, leaving only a signal of social transmission. By exploring which taxa drive the maternal transmission signal, we identify a candidate maternally-transmitted bacterial family in wood mice, the Muribaculaceae. Conclusion: Overall, our findings point to an ontogenetically shifting transmission landscape in wild mice, with a mother's influence on microbiota composition waning as offspring age, while the relative impact of social contacts grows.

We describe the discovery of a previously unknown population of Melodious Lark Mirafra cheniana from northern Tanzania and southern Kenya, some 2000 km north of what was previously thought to be its northern limit in central Zimbabwe. The identification of this population as M. cheniana is based primarily on analyses of mitochondrial DNA and song. We also clarify relationships within this genus by sequencing material of White-tailed Lark Mirafra albicauda for the first time; although its relationships with other species in the group remain unclear, our analyses clearly show it to be different from M. cheniana in the newly discovered population. The discovery of a population of M. cheniana in East Africa conforms to a known pattern for closely related lark species to have disjunct distributions in southern and eastern Africa.

Simple Summary In our study, we looked at a behavior called prepulse inhibition (PPI) in Drosophila melanogaster, commonly known as the fruit fly. For many animals, the sudden presentation of strong sensorial stimuli can induce a defensive response or motor reflex. PPI is a phenomenon where a small stimulus, named "prepulse," is presented shortly before a larger stimulus, so the larger stimulus induces a weaker response than it normally would. This behavior is seen in many different types of animals and is used to study conditions such as anxiety and schizophrenia. For this study, the chosen stimulus is the sudden presentation of one-second darkness, or lights-off, shown to evoke an immediate locomotion response in Drosophila. Our research found that PPI can also be seen in adult flies, which has not been reported before. Additionally, we confirmed our results by showing that a drug that affects an important brain component, called the NMDA receptor, can change PPI in flies. We suggest that studying this behavior in fruit flies could help us understand how it works in other animals, including humans. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is a widely investigated behavior to study the mechanisms of disorders such as anxiety, schizophrenia, and bipolar mania. PPI has been observed across various vertebrate and invertebrate species; however, it has not yet been reported in adult Drosophila melanogaster. In this study, we describe the first detection of PPI of visually evoked locomotor arousal in flies. To validate our findings, we demonstrate that PPI in Drosophila can be partially reverted by the N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801, known for inducing sensorimotor gating deficits in rodent models. Additionally, we show that the visually evoked response can be inhibited by multiple stimuli presentation, which can also be affected by MK-801. Given the versatility of Drosophila as a model organism for genetic screening and analysis, our results suggest that high-t

Microplastics (MPs), in the form of fragments and fibers, were recently found in honey samples collected in Ecuador as well as in honey bees collected from Denmark and China. However, little is known about how MPs impact bee health. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigated the potential toxicity of irregularly shaped polystyrene (PS)-MP fragments on honey bee health. In the first experiment of its kind with honey bees, we chronically exposed bees with a well-established gut microbiome to small (27 ± 17 µm) or large (93 ± 25 µm) PS-MP fragments at varying concentrations (1, 10, 100 µg mL−1) for 14 days. Bee mortality, food consumption, and body weight were all studied. We found that chronic exposure to PS-MP fragments has no effect on honey bee survival, but reduced the feeding rate and body weight, particularly at 10 µg PS-MP fragments per mL, which may have long-term consequences for honey bee health. The findings of this study could assist in the risk assessment of MPs on pollinator health.

Insects constitute vital components of ecosystems. There is alarming evidence for global declines in insect species diversity, abundance, and biomass caused by anthropogenic drivers such as habitat degradation or loss, agricultural practices, climate change, and environmental pollution. This raises important concerns about human food security and ecosystem functionality and calls for more research to assess insect population trends and identify threatened species and the causes of declines to inform conservation strategies. Analysis of genetic diversity is a powerful tool to address these goals, but so far animal conservation genetics research has focused strongly on endangered vertebrates, devoting less attention to invertebrates, such as insects, that constitute most biodiversity. Insects' shorter generation times and larger population sizes likely necessitate different analytical methods and management strategies. The availability of high-quality reference genome assemblies enables population genomics to address several key issues. These include precise inference of past demographic fluctuations and recent declines, measurement of genetic load levels, delineation of evolutionarily significant units and cryptic species, and analysis of genetic adaptation to stressors. This enables identification of populations that are particularly vulnerable to future threats, considering their potential to adapt and evolve. We review the application of population genomics to insect conservation and the outlook for averting insect declines.

Background The Australian black swan (Cygnus atratus) is an iconic species with contrasting plumage to that of the closely related northern hemisphere white swans. The relative geographic isolation of the black swan may have resulted in a limited immune repertoire and increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, notably infectious diseases from which Australia has been largely shielded. Unlike mallard ducks and the mute swan (Cygnus olor), the black swan is extremely sensitive to highly pathogenic avian influenza. Understanding this susceptibility has been impaired by the absence of any available swan genome and transcriptome information. Results Here, we generate the first chromosome-length black and mute swan genomes annotated with transcriptome data, all using long-read based pipelines generated for vertebrate species. We use these genomes and transcriptomes to show that unlike other wild waterfowl, black swans lack an expanded immune gene repertoire, lack a key viral pattern-recognition receptor in endothelial cells and mount a poorly controlled inflammatory response to highly pathogenic avian influenza. We also implicate genetic differences in SLC45A2 gene in the iconic plumage of the black swan. Conclusion Together, these data suggest that the immune system of the black swan is such that should any avian viral infection become established in its native habitat, the black swan would be in a significant peril.

The relationship between genetic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity can provide information on whether plasticity generally facilitates or hinders adaptation to environmental change. Here, we studied wing shape variation in a damselfly (Lestes sponsa) across a latitudinal gradient in Europe that differed in time constraints mediated by photoperiod and temperature. We reared damselflies from northern and southern populations in the laboratory using a reciprocal transplant experiment that simulated time-constrained (i.e. northern) and unconstrained (southern) photoperiods and temperatures. After emergence, adult wing shape was analysed using geometric morphometrics. Wings from individuals in the northern and southern populations differed significantly in shape when animals were reared in their respective native environment. Comparing wing shape across environments, we found evidence for phenotypic plasticity in wing shape, and this response differed across populations (i.e. G x E interactions). This interaction was driven by a stronger plastic response by individuals from the northern population and differences in the direction of plastic wing shape changes among populations. The alignment between genetic and plastic responses depended on the specific combination of population and rearing environment. For example, there was an alignment between plasticity and genetic differentiation under time-constrained, but not under non-time-constrained conditions for forewings. We thus find mixed support for the hypothesis that environmental plasticity and genetic population differentiation are aligned. Furthermore, although our laboratory treatments mimicked the natural climatic conditions at northern and southern latitudes, the effects of population differences on wing shape were two to four times stronger than plastic effects. We discuss our results in terms of time constraints and the possibility that natural and sexual selection is acting differently on fore- and hind

Identifying the species that act as hosts, vectors, and vehicles of vector-borne pathogens is vital for revealing the transmission cycles, dispersal mechanisms, and establishment of vector-borne pathogens in nature. Ticks are common vectors for pathogens causing human and animal diseases, and they transmit a greater variety of pathogenic agents than any other arthropod vector group. Ticks depend on the movements by their vertebrate hosts for their dispersal, and tick species with long feeding periods are more likely to be transported over long distances. Wild birds are commonly parasitized by ticks, and their migration patterns enable the long-distance range expansion of ticks. The African-Palearctic migration system is one of the world's largest migrations systems. African-Western Palearctic birds create natural links between the African, European, and Asian continents when they migrate biannually between breeding grounds in the Palearctic and wintering grounds in Africa and thereby connect different biomes. Climate is an important geographical determinant of ticks, and with global warming, the distribution range and abundance of ticks in the Western Palearctic may increase. The introduction of exotic ticks and their microorganisms into the Western Palearctic via avian vehicles might therefore pose a greater risk for the public and animal health in the future.

Ionizing radiation has the potential to damage organic molecules and decrease the health and survival of wildlife. The accident at the Chornobyl Nuclear Plant (Ukraine, 1986) led to the largest release of radioactive material to the environment. Among the different organs of a vertebrate, the liver plays a crucial role in detoxification processes, and has been used as a biomarker to investigate cellular damage in ecotoxicological research. Here, we examined the impact of the exposure to the current levels of ionizing radiation present in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone on the liver of Eastern tree frogs (Hyla orientalis). We quantified the area of melanomacrophage cells and morphological variables of hepatocytes, two cell types often used to estimate damage caused by pol-lutants in vertebrates. First, we investigated whether these hepatic parameters were indicative of frog (indi-vidual) condition. Then, we analyzed the effect of individual absorbed dose rates and ambient radiation levels on frog livers. Most of the studied parameters were correlated with individual body condition (a good predictor of amphibian fitness and survival). We did not detect marked morphological lesions in the liver of frogs captured in medium-high radiation environments. The area occupied by melanomacrophages and the morphology of he-patocytes did not change across a gradient of radiocontamination covering two orders of magnitude. Once accounting for body condition and sampling locality, the area of melanomacrophages was lower in areas with high radiation levels. Finally, the area occupied by melanomacrophages was not linked to dorsal skin coloration. Our results indicate that current levels of radiation experienced by tree frogs in Chornobyl do not cause histo-pathological damage in their liver. These results agree with previous physiological work in the species in the Chornobyl area, and encourage further molecular and physiological research to fully disentangle the current impact of the Ch

Edge effects result from interactions between adjacent habitats, which can modify abiotic and biotic conditions and produce various negative effects on biodiversity. Given the high degree of forest fragmentation in Madagascar, understanding lemur responses to edges is a conservation priority. We aim to determine the depth of edge influence in a continuous low-land rainforest of south-eastern Madagascar and identify the response of six lemur species. We surveyed lemur abundance along nine 1 km transects from May 2015 to July 2016 totaling 112.2 km of survey effort during the day and 88.5 km at night. We characterized the habitat structure via 33 plots centered along the line transects. We used Generalized Additive Models and Generalized Linear Models to test the effect of distance from the forest edge on vegetation parameters and animal encounter rates. Edge effect on the vegetation structure can be detected up to around 100 m in terms of tree diversity and density. We found a negative edge response for Madame Fleurette’s sportive lemurs (Lepilemur fleuretae) and collared brown lemurs (Eulemur collaris), and a positive edge response for Anosy mouse lemurs (Microcebus tanosi), Southern bamboo lemurs (Hapalemur meridionalis) and Southern woolly lemurs (Avahi meridionalis). Since around half of the forested areas in Madagascar are within 100 m of forest edge, taking into account edge effect is vital when producing estimates of population sizes and informing conservation management.

Bird song can teach us much about animal behaviour and evolution. This study presents a type of song variation that has yet to be extensively studied. The Monotonous Lark Mirafra passerina is a nomadic lark with an iconic, simple and repetitive song. It has been noted to have a large song variation between irruptions, but limited variation in the same irruption, a behaviour previously, to my knowledge, unknown in the avian world. This study aims to describe the song and analyse the variation within and between irruptions, and try to explain the underlying mechanisms behind the variation. This article studies the song by analysing song material spanning 30 years with 140 samples, most from South Africa. The whole song and the syllables were measured. A custom edit distance and Euclidean distance were used to quantify song differences. Principal component analysis was performed on both syllable measurements and the whole song. The results showed a larger song variation between irruptions compared to within irruptions. It also showed that the song varies greatly between irruptions; however, a general pattern of how the song is structured was found. In addition, some indications of song retention between years were noticed. This study describes a unique example of avian behaviour that can broaden our knowledge of animal communication and its evolution and development.

Parental care can be important especially in passerine birds and can depend on environment, food availability and behaviour. A behaviour that can affect the food supply for the offspring is neophobia, the fear of novel objects. The more fear the bird exhibits the less it visits the nest with food. In my study I aimed to examine neophobia and how it differed based on sex and if offspring number and weight influenced the behaviour. Video recordings of collared flycatchers nest boxes were used to see how the behaviour differed by placing a novel object on the nest box. The behaviours tested were duration of perching, hovering and visit including latency and frequency of visit. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the sexes in duration, latency, and frequency of visit but also duration of perching before and after placing a novel object on the nest box. In addition, my results showed that nestling weight significantly influenced frequency of visit and nestling number influenced duration of visit. The study shows that the collared flycatchers do express neophobia differently based on the sex and the nestling’s weight and number. Future studies could investigate if neophobia is a plastic behaviour and the effects of prolonged exposure to novel objects whichcould change the offspring’s survival chances or even the nestling’s behaviour.

In studies of migration and life-history of many large whales, photo-identification has proven a very powerful tool. Unfortunately, photo-identification is not as established and common when it comes to the second largest animal on earth, the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus).Despite the massive size of the creatures many things remain unknown about them, such asmigration patterns, the geographical and temporal locations of wintering and individual seasonal range. This study aimed to investigate when fin whales normally visit Skjálfandi Bay, Iceland, and if they migrate between Skjálfandi Bay and Ireland, using photo-identification. The results showed somewhat that the fin whale visits in Skjálfandi Bay were most common in March and April which could be connected to arrival of schooling fish such as capelin (Mallotus villosus) early spring, and that visits have not changed noticeably over the years, suggesting that the fin whales will keep coming to Skjálfandi Bay. One possible fin whale match was found between Skjálfandi Bay and Ireland, suggesting but not confirming migration between the two locations. Further investigation is needed to understand fin whale migration patterns. Because of typical fin whale behavior, similar dorsal fins and unreliable weather, the photo-identification system was discussed, and improvements suggested. A more established photo-identification system could include fin whale photo-ID catalogues with pictures from dorsal view and from the left and right side. However, the photo-identification methods need further investigating to improve even more and to find the best possible way to identify and photograph fin whales., Foto-identifiering har visat sig vara ett användbart verktyg för att studera migration men även livshistoria hos många stora valar. Tyvärr är fotoidentifiering inte lika etablerat och vanligt när det gäller det näst största djuret vår jord, sillvalen (Balaenoptera physalus). Trots valens massiva storlek finns det en stor kunskapsbrist kring dess migrationsmönster, de geografiska och tidsmässiga platserna för övervintring och individuellt säsongsutbrednings-område bland annat. Denna studie syftade till att undersöka när sillvalarna normalt kommer till Skjálfandi Bay, Island, och om de migrerar mellan Skjálfandi Bay och Irland, med hjälp av foto-identifiering. Resultaten visade delvis att sillvalarna oftast besöker Skjálfandi Bay i mars och april, vilket kan vara kopplat till att stimfiskar såsom lodda (Mallotus villosus) kommer dit tidig vår, och att besökssiffrorna inte har ändrats mycket över åren vilket tyder på att sillvalarna kommer fortsätta komma till Skjálfandi Bay. En möjlig matching hittades mellan en identifierad sillval i Skjálfandi Bay och en identifierad sillval i irländska vatten, vilket tyder på men inte bekräftar migration mellan de två platserna. På grund av det typiska sillvalbeteendet och derasliknande ryggfenor samt det opålitliga vädret som en faktor, diskuterades fotoidentifieringssystemet och förbättringar föreslogs. Ett mer etablerat fotoidentifieringssystem hade kunnat inkludera fotoidentifieringskataloger med bilder på sillvalar från ovan sida och från båda sidor. Däremot behöver fotoidentifieringsmetoderna vidare undersökning för ytterligare förbättringar och för att hitta det bästa sättet att identifiera och fotografera sillvalar.

Browsing patterns in large herbivorous mammals are complex and decisions regarding food items occur at different levels depending on internal or external factors such as energy requirements and available food sources. A broader understanding of the behavior of animals living in habitats of economic interests for humans enables human exploitation with as little impact as possible on the animals' habitats. In this study, individual moose (Alces alces) tracks in the snow were surveyed in a mountainous environment with spruce-dominated forest, to map out what was browsed in relation to what was available in forests of two age classes: young and older. The following hypotheses were made: (1) every potential tree a moose passes will not be browsed and the browsed trees will be browsed to different degrees, and (2) the amount of available forage and the amount of used forage will differ between young and older forest. The moose tracks were followed on skis or on foot and all trees within browsing distance along a transect of 50 meters were counted and signs of browsing were recorded. Control transects (without fresh tracks) were also surveyed in the same forest areas where moose tracks were found. The data showed a higher proportion of available trees in young forest (60%) compared to older forest (40%) (all trees along the track transects), and a higher proportion of browsed trees in young forest (26%) compared to older forest (17%) (excluding Norway spruce, Picea abies). Downy birch (Betula pubescens) was the most abundant tree (56%) and Scots pine (Pinus silvestris) the least abundant (<1%). Only 20% of all available trees along the track transects were freshly browsed to some extent, and even among the more selected species no more than around 50% of all available trees were freshly browsed. In young forest, Eurasian aspen (Populus tremula), rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) and willow (Salix spp.) were the most selected by moose, while common juniper (Juniperus communis) wa, Betesmönster hos stora växtätande däggdjur är komplext och val kopplade till föda sker på olika nivåer beroende på inre och yttre faktorer så som energibehov och tillgänglig föda. En bredare förståelse om beteenden hos djur som lever i habitat där människan har ekonomiska intressen möjliggör mänsklig exploatering med så lite påverkan som möjligt på djurens livsmiljöer. I den här studien spårades individuella älgar (Alces alces) i snö i en fjällnära miljö med grandominerad skog för att kartlägga vad som betades i relation till vad som fanns tillgängligt inom två åldersklasser; ung och äldre skog. Jag ställde upp två hypoteser: (1) varje potentiellt födoträd som en älg passerar kommer inte att vara betat på och de betade träden kommer att vara betade i olika grad, samt (2) mängd tillgängligt foder och mängd nyttjat foder kommer skilja sig mellan ungskog och äldre skog. Älgspåren följdes på skidor eller till fots och alla träd inom betesavstånd längs en transekt om 50 meter räknades samt kontrollerades för bete. Även kontrolltransekter (utan färska spår) inventerades i samma skogsområden där älgspår återfunnits. Datan visade på en högre andel träd i ungskog (60%) jämfört med äldre skog (40%) (alla träd längs spårtransekterna), och en högre andel betade träd i ungskog (26%) jämfört med äldre skog (17%) (gran, Picea abies, undantaget). Glasbjörk (Betula pubescens) var det mest förekommande trädet (56%) och tall (Pinus silvestris) det minst förekommande (<1%). Enbart 20% av alla tillgängliga träd längs spårtransekterna var färskbetade i någon mån, och även hos de högre selekterade arterna var inte mer än runt 50% av alla tillgängliga träd färskbetade. I ungskog var asp (Populus tremula), rönn (Sorbus aucuparia) och sälg (Salix spp.) högst selekterade, medan en (Juniperus communis) var lägst selekterad. I äldre skog var däremot gråal (Alnus incana) högst selekterad följt av sälg och rönn, medan glasbjörk var lägst selekterad. Inget bete på bärris noterades längs någon a

Selection pressure is a constant force in evolution, pushing birds and their wings towards an optimal shape and structure, were increasing performance, and minimizing the costs is central. But even though the science of aerodynamics can provide calculations of the optimal construction for the wing in different situations this rarely directly correspond to what is observed in nature. Since the optima are not the same for all birds due to different specifications and ecology this optimum becomes harder to determine and different functions can even have different optima, resulting in selection conflict. In the genius of birds there is an immense variation between species and their wings in everything from size, shape, and function. The aim of this study is to investigate how wing morphology over a large phylogeny of bird species correlates to migration and habitat/ecology. Many studies have been done focusing on the effect of migration on the wing morphology, and some have been done focusing on other parameters such as display or daily usage. But by including the bird’s ecology and habitat related information with migration and morphology and looking at the selection from a broad perspective, can we uncover something more? The morphology of the wing cannot provide a perfect optimum for all circumstances since they require different specifications. What then, has the largest impact on the wing’s morphology? And does the relative length of the tail provide any correlations with its habitat and performance? 1185 birds of 137 species were caught at Ottenby, Öland and information on age, weight, sex, and tail length was collected for each individual bird. Photographs were taken of the back of the bird with the left wing outstretched 90 degrees from the body and analyzed in ImageJ to calculate aspect ratio and wing loading. Data on migration distance, foraging behavior, diet, and habitat density was then added for each of the species. Mean values of all parameters was cal

Stingless bees are important pollinators of wild and cultivated plants, and they produce medicinal honey. However, their taxonomy and systematics are still debated and would benefit a continent-wide revision. Here, we explore the potential of wing shape in delineation and classification of Afrotropical Meliponini using geometric morphometrics. We sampled 749 specimens from nine countries of sub-Saharan Africa, belonging to the genera Meliponula (n = 8), Dactylurina (n = 2) and Plebeina (n = 1). Specimens collected from Kenya were used as standards to assess similar species collected from other eight African countries. Eleven landmarks were plotted on the right forewing of each specimen to conduct multivariate analyses and group/specimen classification. Our results show that seven out of eleven African stingless bee species were reliably discriminated using wing shape, however, there was overlap in the remaining four species, namely Meliponula cameroonensis, Meliponula ferruginea, Meliponula togoensis and Meliponula erythra. In conclusion geometric morphometrics represent a promising taxonomic tool that can be applied to identify African stingless bee species.

Microbial diversity may affect host phenotypes, including morphology and behaviour, but it remains unclear to which extent those could be mediated by host differences in diet or habitat use. We used a population of wild common waxbills living in a large open-air mesocosm to control for such differences and test whether phenotypic variation is associated with cloaca bacteria diversity. We also tested correlations between feather-associated bacteria diversity and plumage colour ornamentation. Albeit weakly correlated, individuals sharing more similar cloaca microbiotas were more similar in their carotenoid-based plumage and bill red colour, suggesting that the gut microbiota can influence ornamentation even when individuals are in the same habitat and have access to the same food resources, perhaps mediating individual differences in feeding or digestion. There were no associations between feather bacteria and plumage colour, nor between cloaca bacteria and body size or several behavioural phenotypes. These results further highlight that investigating associations between microbiota and behaviour in nature should account for variation in extrinsic factors.

Geolocating aquatic animals with acoustic tags has been ongoing for decades, relying on the detection of acoustic signals at multiple receivers with known positions to calculate a 2D or 3D position, and ultimately recreate the path of an aquatic animal from detections at fixed stations. This method of underwater geolocation is evolving with new software and hardware options available to help investigators design studies and calculate positions using solvers based predominantly on time-difference-of-arrival and time-of-arrival. We provide an overview of the considerations necessary to implement positioning in aquatic acoustic telemetry studies, including how to design arrays of receivers, test performance, synchronize receiver clocks and calculate positions from the detection data. We additionally present some common positioning algorithms, including both the free open-source solvers and the ‘black-box’ methods provided by some manufacturers for calculating positions. This paper is the first to provide a comprehensive overview of methods and considerations for designing and implementing better positioning studies that will support users, and encourage further knowledge advances in aquatic systems.

Local coexistence of bees has been explained by flower resource partitioning, but coexisting bumblebee species often have strongly overlapping diets. We investigated if light microhabitat niche separation, underpinned by visual traits, could serve as an alternative mechanism underlying local coexistence of bumblebee species. To this end, we focused on a homogeneous flower resource—bilberry—in a heterogeneous light environment—hemi-boreal forests. We found that bumblebee communities segregated along a gradient of light intensity. The community-weighted mean of the eye parameter—a metric measuring the compromise between light sensitivity and visual resolution—decreased with light intensity, showing a higher investment in light sensitivity of communities observed in darker conditions. This pattern was consistent at the species level. In general, species with higher eye parameter (larger investment in light sensitivity) foraged in dimmer light than those with a lower eye parameter (higher investment in visual resolution). Moreover, species realized niche optimum was linearly related to their eye parameter. These results suggest microhabitat niche partitioning to be a potential mechanism underpinning bumblebee species coexistence. This study highlights the importance of considering sensory traits when studying pollinator habitat use and their ability to cope with changing environments.

Domestication is a well-known example of the relaxation of environmentally based cognitive selection that leads to reductions in brain size. However, little is known about how brain size evolves after domestication and whether subsequent directional/artificial selection can compensate for domestication effects. The first animal to be domesticated was the dog, and recent directional breeding generated the extensive phenotypic variation among breeds we observe today. Here we use a novel endocranial dataset based on high-resolution CT scans to estimate brain size in 159 dog breeds and analyze how relative brain size varies across breeds in relation to functional selection, longevity, and litter size. In our analyses, we controlled for potential confounding factors such as common descent, gene flow, body size, and skull shape. We found that dogs have consistently smaller relative brain size than wolves supporting the domestication effect, but breeds that are more distantly related to wolves have relatively larger brains than breeds that are more closely related to wolves. Neither functional category, skull shape, longevity, nor litter size was associated with relative brain size, which implies that selection for performing specific tasks, morphology, and life history does not necessarily influence brain size evolution in domesticated species.

The impact of global warming on wild bee decline threatens the pollination services they provide. Exposure to temperatures above optimal during development is known to reduce adult body size but how it affects the development and scaling of body parts remains unclear. In bees, a reduction in body size and/or a reduction in body parts, such as the antennae, tongue and wings, and how they scale with body size (i.e. their allometry) could severely affect their fitness. To date, it remains unclear how temperature affects body size and the scaling of morphological traits in bees. To address this knowledge gap, we exposed both males and workers of Bombus terrestris to elevated temperature during development and assessed the effects on (i) the size of morphological traits and (ii) the allometry between these traits. Colonies were exposed to optimal (25°C) or stressful (33°C) temperatures. We then measured the body size, wing size, antenna and tongue length, as well as the allometry between these traits. We found that workers were smaller and the antennae of both castes were reduced at the higher temperature. However, tongue length and wing size were not affected by developmental temperature. The allometric scaling of the tongue was also affected by developmental temperature. Smaller body size and antennae could impair both individual and colony fitness, by affecting foraging efficiency and, consequently, colony development. Our results encourage further exploration of how the temperature-induced changes in morphology affect functional traits and pollination efficiency.

Crepuscular bees have larger compound eyes, ommatidia and ocelli than diurnal bees. These visual adaptations allow these bees to forage during twilight. While the sizes of visual organs are positively correlated with body size in diurnal bees, this relationship is as yet unclear in crepuscular bees. Here we measured the sizes of the ocellus; compound eyes; ommatidial density; and dorsal, frontal and ventral facets of 11 phylogenetically related bee species with different temporal patterns. We tested whether and how each of these visual attributes is correlated with body size and/or temporal pattern. Except for ommatidial density and size of the frontal ommatidia, which are similar in crepuscular bees of different sizes, we found that all other visual variables in diurnal and crepuscular bees are correlated with both body size and temporal pattern. The lower variability in ommatidial density among crepuscular bees suggests that their eyes operate on the threshold between light sensitivity and visual acuity. Furthermore, similar frontal ommatidial sizes in bees of different sizes indicate that this eye region is under higher evolutionary pressure in small than in large crepuscular bees to ensure light sensitivity. Finally, those crepuscular bees from different families convergently share the same visual characteristics.