Zoology最新文献

{"title":"Hydrodynamic flow in the peripheral olfactory system of pelagic fishes: A comparison between southern bluefin tuna, Thunnus maccoyii and black marlin, Istiompax indica","authors":"Myoung-Hoon Ha ,&nbsp;Travis Dutka ,&nbsp;Julian Pepperell ,&nbsp;Lucille Chapuis ,&nbsp;Caroline C. Kerr ,&nbsp;Shaun P. Collin","doi":"10.1016/j.zool.2026.126318","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zool.2026.126318","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The peripheral olfactory system of teleosts reveals great morphological diversity, which directly affects the delivery of water-borne odorants in an aquatic environment. In pelagic teleosts, hydrodynamic conditions also play an important role in olfaction, as they continuously experience a flow of water across their tapered head. In this study, the structure of the olfactory chamber, olfactory rosette, and nostrils of two species of pelagic teleosts, the southern bluefin tuna <em>Thunnus maccoyii</em>, and the black marlin <em>Istiompax indica</em>, are examined in order to understand the morphology of their peripheral olfactory system. The inter-nostril distance and the volume of the ventilatory sac are also assessed using light microscopy and diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced computed tomography to quantitatively assess the theoretical hydrodynamics of olfaction. The results show that both species have their olfactory chambers distant from the tip of the snout, possess a thick boundary layer above the nostrils, a circular olfactory rosette, and a radiating arrangement of olfactory lamellae. A comparison between the two species reveals that <em>T. maccoyii</em> has a long inter-nostril distance (20.05 mm), small nostril openings (incurrent: 0.13 mm², excurrent: 4.88 mm²), a horizontally long olfactory chamber, and a relatively small ventilatory sac (209.81 mm³), while <em>I. indica</em> has a short inter-nostril distance (3.60 mm), large nostril openings (incurrent: 4.50 mm², excurrent: 8.15 mm²), a vertically long olfactory chamber, and a large ventilatory sac (308.14 mm³). The morphological similarities between the two species suggest olfactory adaptations for a pelagic lifestyle, while the differences highlight the adaptations suitable for the unique hydrodynamic conditions associated with different swimming speeds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49330,"journal":{"name":"Zoology","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 126318"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145927170","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Blood chemistry and health status of Eleonora’s falcon (Falco eleonorae) nestlings","authors":"S.M. Xirouchakis,&nbsp;K. Baxevani,&nbsp;A. Kardamaki,&nbsp;A. Perodaskalaki,&nbsp;A. Anagnostopoulou,&nbsp;K. Damianakis","doi":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126317","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126317","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Blood biochemistry offers reliable tools for assessing the physiological condition of wildlife populations, thus aiding their management and conservation. This study provides reference blood biochemistry values for free-living Eleonora’s falcon nestlings based on 135 samples collected from 2018 to 2022 in an eastern Crete colony. Significant inter-annual differences in analytes highlight strong environmental effects. Albumin and glucose levels increased with age, whereas phosphorus decreased. Nestlings in better body condition showed higher globulin, calcium, and phosphorus concentrations but lower glucose levels compared to those in poorer condition. Falcons from low-quality nest sites had elevated sodium and uric acid concentrations. No significant differences were detected based on hatching order or sex, except for higher albumin levels in females. Although haemoglobin levels decreased with increasing hatching order and brood size, this trend was not significant, suggesting mild physiological stress in younger fledglings due to intra-brood competition. Relationships between haemoglobin and total protein, calcium, glucose, and uric acid suggest potential biomarkers for monitoring the health of colonies of this species and other raptor populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49330,"journal":{"name":"Zoology","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 126317"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145835804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Female Condition on Egg Size in Lesser Kestrels (Falco naumanni)","authors":"Reuven Yosef ,&nbsp;Malamati A. Papakosta ,&nbsp;Dimitrios E. Bakaloudis ,&nbsp;Jakub Z. Kosicki ,&nbsp;Christos G. Vlachos","doi":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126316","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126316","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Egg size is a key determinant of reproductive success in birds, influencing nestling growth, survival, and overall fitness. For Lesser Kestrels <em>Falco naumanni</em>, a small raptor often supported by nest-box programs, we hypothesized that female condition would significantly predict egg size, with higher-quality females producing larger eggs. Thus, over four breeding seasons, we investigated the influence of female condition, expressed as the Scaled Mass Index (SMI), and clutch size on egg dimensions (length, breadth, and volume) in a nest-box population in central Greece. We found that female condition significantly and positively affected both egg breadth and volume but did not influence egg length, and clutch size had no discernible effect on any egg dimension. Among the traits measured, breadth exhibited the highest repeatability, suggesting a stronger genetic component, whereas length and volume were more sensitive to environmental factors. Our findings suggest that conservation efforts should prioritize maintaining or improving female body condition – through, for example, ensuring high habitat quality, adequate food availability, and minimizing stress – to support optimal reproductive investment by female Lesser Kestrels in nest-box populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49330,"journal":{"name":"Zoology","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 126316"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145760663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Burrow morphology and environmental–behavioral correlates of Scartelaos histophorus in intertidal mudflats of Ca Mau, Vietnam","authors":"Quang Minh Dinh,&nbsp;Vuong Van Ly,&nbsp;Ton Huu Duc Nguyen","doi":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126305","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126305","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Burrowing behavior in mudskippers represents a key adaptation to intertidal environments, providing shelter from predators, buffering against temperature and salinity fluctuations, and serving as breeding sites. Despite its ecological significance, little is known about the burrow morphology of <em>Scartelaos histophorus</em>, a large mudskipper species widely distributed throughout Southeast Asia. This study investigated the burrow morphology of the mudskipper <em>S. histophorus</em> in the intertidal mudflats of Hiep Thanh, Ca Mau, Vietnam. The study was designed under the hypothesis that the burrow morphology of <em>S. histophorus</em> varies according to environmental parameters such as salinity, pH, and temperature, reflecting adaptive responses to intertidal conditions. A total of 64 burrows were cast and analyzed, revealing four structural types: L-shaped (57.81 %), U-shaped (23.44 %), J-shaped (6.25 %), and complex forms (12.50 %). The number of burrow openings ranged from 1 to 4, while chambers varied from 0 to 5, indicating structural variability. Burrow dimensions showed considerable variability, with total length ranging from 6 to 142 cm and burrow weight from 12.70 to 429.66 g, while depth and mouth diameter were relatively stable. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences in burrow size among structural types, with U-shaped and complex burrows generally larger than L- and J-shaped forms. Environmental variables, including pH, temperature, and salinity, were also significantly associated with burrow characteristics. Direct behavioral observations, including sediment excavation, entrance maintenance, air-bubble injection, and courtship displays, confirmed the ecological functions of different burrow types. These findings demonstrate that <em>S. histophorus</em> exhibits flexible burrowing strategies shaped by both environmental conditions and reproductive requirements, underscoring their adaptive role in sustaining intertidal biodiversity and contributing to a broader understanding of coastal ecosystem resilience at a global scale.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49330,"journal":{"name":"Zoology","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 126305"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145433553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biological and environmental drivers of Liolaemus species distribution: A case story East of the Andes","authors":"Marcelo F. Bonino,&nbsp;Félix B. Cruz","doi":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126303","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126303","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding what determines species distribution is a central goal in biogeography and macroecology, particularly in the context of ongoing environmental change. In this study we explored how intrinsic (biological) and extrinsic (environmental) factors influence the distribution of <em>Liolaemus</em> lizards occurring east of the Andes, and evaluated the extent to which their distribution patterns support Rapoport's rule. We analyzed 38 species, spanning Argentina from 52°S to 23°S, covering about 50 % of the genus distribution from sea level to 4300 masl. We used two main approaches, polygons and ecological niche models (ENMs), to evaluate the role of intrinsic factors such as critical thermal minimum (CTmin), thermal tolerance range, body size, and diet; and extrinsic factors including temperature, precipitation, elevation, and vegetation index. Our results show that CTmin is a strong predictor of range size under the ENMs approach, suggesting that greater cold tolerance is associated with broader distributions. Under the polygon approach, broader ranges correlated with colder, drier climates with pronounced seasonality. Although diet showed a weak tendency for narrower ranges in herbivorous species, it was a poor predictor overall. Thermal tolerance range, expected to increase with latitude under the climatic variability hypothesis, did not show a significant association with range size, and thus Rapoport’s rule was not supported. Furthermore, taxonomic uncertainties may obscure biogeographic patterns, particularly in widely distributed species that might represent species complexes not yet formally described. These findings highlight the combined role of biological and environmental factors, challenge the general applicability of Rapoport’s rule in <em>Liolaemus</em>, and underscore cold tolerance as a key distribution driver.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49330,"journal":{"name":"Zoology","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 126303"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145433555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative functional tongue morphology in male omnivorous bogue (Boops boops) and carnivorous red porgy (Pagrus pagrus) in relation to feeding habits: A study using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and morphometric analysis","authors":"Mohamed A.M. Alsafy ,&nbsp;Samir A.A. El-Gendy ,&nbsp;Ahmed M. Rashwan ,&nbsp;Samar M. Ez Elarab ,&nbsp;Manal Seif ,&nbsp;Neveen E.R. El-Bakary ,&nbsp;Ahmed A. El-Mansi ,&nbsp;Mamdouh B. Eldesoqui ,&nbsp;Amal F. Dawood ,&nbsp;Catrin S. Rutland ,&nbsp;Valentina Kubale","doi":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126306","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126306","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding how feeding strategies influence oral morphology is fundamental to fish functional anatomy and trophic ecology. However, comparative data on tongue structure across dietary groups remain scarce in teleosts. This study examined tongue morphology in <em>Boops boops</em> (bogue), an omnivorous teleost with opportunistic feeding habits, and <em>Pagrus pagrus</em> (red porgy), a carnivorous benthic feeder with specialized prey preferences. By selecting species with distinct trophic niches, we aimed to elucidate how tongue architecture reflects dietary adaptations within teleosts. Morphometric analysis supported by light and scanning electron microscopy revealed that the bogue exhibited a higher tongue length-to-body weight ratio (34.1 %) than the red porgy (14.3 %). In contrast, the red porgy showed a greater tongue length-to-body length ratio (7.1 % vs. 5.4 %) and consistently broader tongue dimensions. The bogue tongue was sword-shaped with a pointed apex, while the red porgy’s tongue featured a rounded apex. Papillary patterns differed markedly: the bogue displayed gustatory structures including fungiform papillae at the apex, mixed filiform and fungiform papillae in the body, and volcano-like filiform papillae at the root. In contrast, the red porgy exhibited predominantly mechanical structures, such as filiform papillae at the apex, dome-like filiform papillae in the body, and dome-to scale-like papillae at the root. Histologically, both species shared a common organization of mucosa, submucosa (with connective and adipose tissues), ento-glossal hyaline cartilage, and striated muscle fibers. However, the bogue’s tongue showed stratified squamous epithelium with gustatory papillae, apical taste buds, and nerve endings. At the same time, the red porgy had abundant mucous cells and mechanical papillae concentrated at the root. Additionally, vascular channels with nucleated erythrocytes were observed in both species. These findings highlight distinct structural specializations of the tongue associated with omnivorous versus carnivorous feeding modes, offering new insights into the functional morphology and evolutionary adaptation of oral structures in teleost fishes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49330,"journal":{"name":"Zoology","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 126306"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145520740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of cage feeding density on immune function in female striped hamsters","authors":"De-Li Xu,&nbsp;Xiao-Kai Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126304","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126304","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The immune system plays a crucial role in protecting animals from the attack of pathogens and hence determines their survival. However, animals’ immunity is influenced by many environmental factors. Cage feeding density is one of the most important factors influencing immune function in animals. To test whether high cage feeding density would suppress animals’ immunity, female striped hamsters (<em>Cricetulus barabensis</em>) were divided into the One/Cage, Two/Cage, and Three/Cage groups. Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) responses were higher in the One/Cage group than the other two groups, implying that cellular immunity was suppressed by high cage feeding density. The numbers of white blood cell (WBC) and lymphocytes (LYMF), the coagulation ability indicated by blood platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) were the highest in the Three/Cage group among the three groups, implying the occurrence of the fight and injury in the high cage feeding density. Other immunological parameters including the masses of thymus and spleen, intermediate granulocytes (MID), neutrophil granulocytes (GRAN) were all not impacted by cage feeding density. Total body fat mass, the levels of blood glucose, leptin and corticosterone did not differ among the three groups, and these parameters were not correlated with PHA responses, WBC, LYMF, MID and GRAN except that LYMF was positively correlated with blood glucose levels, indicating that the changes in immunity might not be caused by the energy status and stress hormone in hamsters. Suppression of cellular immunity and the increase of WBCs, LYMF under high feeding density might help us to understand the adverse effect of high population density on animals’ survival in the wild. Our findings may also provide some useful information on animal welfare, laboratory animals preparation and wildlife management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49330,"journal":{"name":"Zoology","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 126304"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145366164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Musculoskeletal comparison of the pectoral fin in mudskippers (Gobiidae: Oxudercinae)","authors":"Lam V. Nguyen ,&nbsp;Phuong T. Dang ,&nbsp;Van V. Mai ,&nbsp;Loi X. Tran","doi":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126295","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126295","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shifting of the locomotor mode from an aquatic thrust to a ground reaction force enabled vertebrates moving on land, which happened at the same time as fin-to-limb evolution. Early stages of this evolution are little known due to scattered fossil records. Oxudercine gobies, exhibiting the full spectrum of terrestriality and terrestrial locomotor behavior, provide a unique window to understand how the form and function of the pectoral fins were modified during the water-to-land transition. In the present study, the musculoskeletal system of pectoral fins of three mudskippers [<em>Oxuderces nexipinnis</em> (low terrestrial), <em>Scartelaos histophorus</em> (moderate terrestrial), and <em>Periophthalmodon septemradiatus</em> (high terrestrial)] and the out-group species (<em>Oxyeleotris urophthalmus</em>) were examined. There are some anatomical modifications endowing crutching on land including: the robust and triangular cleithrum; the stiff and elongated radials and fin rays; the development of the coracoid process, the radial process, and the coraco-radialis; the two hinge-like structures; the differentiated muscular system inclining in various angles; and well-developed adductor muscles. These configurations are correlated with the degree of terrestriality. Of these anatomical modifications, the presence of the coracoid process, the radial process, and the coraco-radialis could endow terrestrial movement in early oxudercine gobies. In addition, fin rays of early oxudercine gobies could prevent them from sinking into the unconsolidated substrates which could be analogous to the condition in sarcopterygian fishes. In general, this study shows the gradual evolution of the muscular and skeletal systems of the pectoral fins in the oxudercine gobies during water-to-land transitions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49330,"journal":{"name":"Zoology","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 126295"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145208877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Flip or flop? Behavioral response to stranding in fish representing six teleost orders","authors":"Michael R. Minicozzi ,&nbsp;Shannon Hansen ,&nbsp;Michael Akland ,&nbsp;Ana Braga ,&nbsp;Owen Kyle ,&nbsp;C. Loren Buck ,&nbsp;Miriam Ashley-Ross ,&nbsp;Alice C. Gibb","doi":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126294","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126294","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aquatic and amphibious fishes produce a variety of behaviors when stranded on land, including a ballistic movement called a tail-flip jump. Although recent studies have examined jump performance (distance) in several cyprinodontiform species, less is known about the diversity of behaviors produced by teleosts when stranded on land. Here, seven species from four major teleost lineages (individual n = 4–12) were manually stranded in a terrestrial arena for two-minute trials. From videos of the trials, the number of jumps, flops (movements &lt;1 body length), displacement (total and mean), latency (time to onset of movement), and percent time moving were quantified for each individual. A principal components analysis of these variables was used to define four “behavioral spaces:” species that produced effective displacement and spent the majority of the trial period moving (<em>Danio</em>); species that produced less effective displacement and spent the majority of the trial period moving (<em>Pseudomugil</em>); species that produced less effective displacement and spent little time moving (<em>Umbra</em>); and species that produced effective displacement, but spent little time moving (<em>Kryptolebias</em>). Based on the literature and metabolic data collected for this study, it appears that the ability to extract oxygen from air (vs. water) predicts the amount of time spent moving when stranded on land. Air-breathing fishes appear to adopt a “wait and see strategy,” while species that lack the ability to breathe air move immediately and frequently, likely an attempt to return to the water as quickly as possible.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49330,"journal":{"name":"Zoology","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 126294"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bite force variation in the European pond turtle: Role of morphology, strength, body condition and population of origin","authors":"Marko Maričić,&nbsp;Vukašin Bjelica,&nbsp;Ana Golubović","doi":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126296","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zool.2025.126296","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bite force is a biomechanical trait that serves as a valuable proxy for assessing ecological interactions, feeding specialisations, and evolutionary pressures. Chelonians are a unique model system in studies of masticatory performances due to their akinetic skull and lack of teeth. It is known that body size, head morphology and sex-related differences influence bite performance of some chelonian species. In this study, we investigated the variation in bite force within and among five populations of the European pond turtle (<em>Emys orbicularis</em>) in Serbia. We examined relationship of bite force with phenotypic traits such as body size, head dimensions, body condition and muscle strength, as well as body temperature and seasonality. Bite force was measured in the field (N = 209) with an adapted digital force sensor. Our results showed significant differences in bite force across populations, suggesting that local ecological conditions may play a crucial role in shaping bite performance. In particular, turtles from more diverse and structurally complex environments, and turtles sharing their habitat with non-native pond sliders (<em>Trachemys scripta</em> ssp.) exhibited higher bite forces. We also detected a positive association between bite force and maximal pulling force, volumetric body condition index, body size and head height. Surprisingly, sex, cloacal temperature and seasonality were not significant predictors of bite force. Despite the challenges of measuring maximal performance under field conditions, our findings illustrate how variation in functional traits can reflect both intrinsic factors and ecological context, with implications for the study of biomechanical adaptations across animal taxa.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49330,"journal":{"name":"Zoology","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 126296"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145208927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}