Pub Date : 2025-11-13DOI: 10.1186/s12983-025-00585-z
Francisco Javier Zamora-Camacho, Pedro Aragón
Two central elements of the global change are a rise in average temperatures and the contamination of natural habitats, among others, with agricultural fertilizers, which can stress living beings. Avoidance of these stressors is often impossible for animals confined in certain habitats, such as pond-dwelling tadpoles, which can indeed select less stressful microhabitats after metamorphosis. However, the stressors faced during the larval stage may have long-term repercussions. In this work, we reared tadpoles in either heated or non-heated tanks, in each case either exposed or not to ammonium contamination. The resultant metamorphs were reared, released from such stressors, until adulthood, when their body size, body condition and locomotor performance were gauged. Whereas larvae reared in non-heated tanks responded to ammonium with a lower body size as adults, in accordance with previous experiments, the opposite was true for those reared in heated tanks. Body condition was greater in ammonium-exposed individuals, in which locomotor performance was reduced, as compared with non-ammonium-exposed conspecifics. Greater body size in adults in heated water as a response to ammonium could be a consequence of temperature mediating detoxifying metabolic routes of tadpoles. Better body condition and worse locomotor performance in ammonium-exposed individuals could reflect a prioritization of the storage of resources to the detriment of locomotion in ammonium-exposed individuals, or a limitation in the ability to optimize locomotion but not storage of resources.
{"title":"When time turns the tide: the interactive effects of ammonium and warming during the larval stage on the resulting adult frogs","authors":"Francisco Javier Zamora-Camacho, Pedro Aragón","doi":"10.1186/s12983-025-00585-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-025-00585-z","url":null,"abstract":"Two central elements of the global change are a rise in average temperatures and the contamination of natural habitats, among others, with agricultural fertilizers, which can stress living beings. Avoidance of these stressors is often impossible for animals confined in certain habitats, such as pond-dwelling tadpoles, which can indeed select less stressful microhabitats after metamorphosis. However, the stressors faced during the larval stage may have long-term repercussions. In this work, we reared tadpoles in either heated or non-heated tanks, in each case either exposed or not to ammonium contamination. The resultant metamorphs were reared, released from such stressors, until adulthood, when their body size, body condition and locomotor performance were gauged. Whereas larvae reared in non-heated tanks responded to ammonium with a lower body size as adults, in accordance with previous experiments, the opposite was true for those reared in heated tanks. Body condition was greater in ammonium-exposed individuals, in which locomotor performance was reduced, as compared with non-ammonium-exposed conspecifics. Greater body size in adults in heated water as a response to ammonium could be a consequence of temperature mediating detoxifying metabolic routes of tadpoles. Better body condition and worse locomotor performance in ammonium-exposed individuals could reflect a prioritization of the storage of resources to the detriment of locomotion in ammonium-exposed individuals, or a limitation in the ability to optimize locomotion but not storage of resources.","PeriodicalId":55142,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Zoology","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145499480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-13DOI: 10.1186/s12983-025-00587-x
Adrian Surmacki, Piotr Minias
Ear tufts are plumage features which have particularly high prevalence in owls (Strigidae). Several hypotheses have been developed to explain their function, mostly including camouflage, species recognition, deterring predators/mobbers, and visual signaling among conspecifics. In the present study, we used phylogenetically-informed comparative approach to reconstruct evolutionary history of ear tufts across the entire Strigidae family (184 species). Specifically, data on the occurrence and relative size of ear tufts compiled from color plates and photographs were analyzed in relation to life history and ecological traits. We found that ear tuft occurrence coevolved with circadian activity rhythm and predominated in species with strictly nocturnal activity. The highest evolutionary rate was found for transitions from nocturnal to mixed activity in species without ear tufts and from mixed towards nocturnal activity in species with ear tufts. Consistently, strictly nocturnal owl species showed larger ear tufts (controlling for differences in body size) compared to species with mixed activity. We also found that owls preying upon birds had relatively larger ear tufts. Finally, a strong phylogenetic signal in tuft occurrence provided evidence for high evolutionary conservedness of this trait. Our results suggest that ear tufts may enhance camouflage of nocturnal owls during the daylight rest, when they might be threatened by visually oriented predators or mobbed by their potential prey. Our results lay foundations for further experimental research required to determine the ultimate function of ear tufts in owls.
{"title":"Evolutionary history reveals information on the functionality of ear tufts in owls (family: Strigidae)","authors":"Adrian Surmacki, Piotr Minias","doi":"10.1186/s12983-025-00587-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-025-00587-x","url":null,"abstract":"Ear tufts are plumage features which have particularly high prevalence in owls (Strigidae). Several hypotheses have been developed to explain their function, mostly including camouflage, species recognition, deterring predators/mobbers, and visual signaling among conspecifics. In the present study, we used phylogenetically-informed comparative approach to reconstruct evolutionary history of ear tufts across the entire Strigidae family (184 species). Specifically, data on the occurrence and relative size of ear tufts compiled from color plates and photographs were analyzed in relation to life history and ecological traits. We found that ear tuft occurrence coevolved with circadian activity rhythm and predominated in species with strictly nocturnal activity. The highest evolutionary rate was found for transitions from nocturnal to mixed activity in species without ear tufts and from mixed towards nocturnal activity in species with ear tufts. Consistently, strictly nocturnal owl species showed larger ear tufts (controlling for differences in body size) compared to species with mixed activity. We also found that owls preying upon birds had relatively larger ear tufts. Finally, a strong phylogenetic signal in tuft occurrence provided evidence for high evolutionary conservedness of this trait. Our results suggest that ear tufts may enhance camouflage of nocturnal owls during the daylight rest, when they might be threatened by visually oriented predators or mobbed by their potential prey. Our results lay foundations for further experimental research required to determine the ultimate function of ear tufts in owls.","PeriodicalId":55142,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Zoology","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145499479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-06DOI: 10.1186/s12983-025-00589-9
Hila Dror, Tamar Lotan, Dror Angel
Aeolid nudibranchs prey on various cnidarians and incorporate nematocysts from their prey into the cnidosac, located at the tip of their cerata for self-defense. This study examined the predator–prey interactions between two nudibranch species, Caloria militaris and Flabellina affinis, and various cnidarians, focusing on scyphozoan polyps from common eastern Mediterranean medusae, including Aurelia sp. Cassiopea andromeda, Phyllorhiza punctata, and Rhopilema nomadica. An initial short-term experiment assessed predation by both nudibranch species, after which subsequent experiments focused exclusively on C. militaris. Short-term experiments for 24 h and long-term experiments lasting up to 258 days were conducted to determine whether C. militaris consumes a variety of cnidarians, and if it incorporates the prey nematocysts into its cnidosacs. Laboratory experiments indicate that while F. affinis avoids scyphozoan polyps, C. militaris readily consumes all tested scyphozoan and hydrozoan species and can subsist on them for extended durations of up to 258 days. C. militaris predation rate, reaching 95 polyps day−1 increased with greater prey availability, but did not reach saturation even at very high prey abundances (> 80 polyps day−1), suggesting a higher predation capacity. Surprisingly, despite this intense predation, C. militaris did not incorporate any of the scyphozoan nematocysts in its cnidosac; only nematocysts from its known hydrozoan prey were identified in the cnidosac. C. militaris is a generalist that preys on hydrozoa and can extensively feed on a variety of scyphozoan polyps, yet it does not incorporate scyphozoan nematocysts into its cnidosacs. This is the first report to demonstrate complete selectivity in nematocyst sequestration over an extended feeding period in a nudibranch possessing a functional cnidosac. These findings contribute to understanding nudibranch feeding ecology and the potential role these predators may play in regulating jellyfish blooms.
{"title":"Predation on scyphozoan polyps and selective hydrozoan nematocyst incorporation dynamics in an alien aeolid nudibranch","authors":"Hila Dror, Tamar Lotan, Dror Angel","doi":"10.1186/s12983-025-00589-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-025-00589-9","url":null,"abstract":"Aeolid nudibranchs prey on various cnidarians and incorporate nematocysts from their prey into the cnidosac, located at the tip of their cerata for self-defense. This study examined the predator–prey interactions between two nudibranch species, Caloria militaris and Flabellina affinis, and various cnidarians, focusing on scyphozoan polyps from common eastern Mediterranean medusae, including Aurelia sp. Cassiopea andromeda, Phyllorhiza punctata, and Rhopilema nomadica. An initial short-term experiment assessed predation by both nudibranch species, after which subsequent experiments focused exclusively on C. militaris. Short-term experiments for 24 h and long-term experiments lasting up to 258 days were conducted to determine whether C. militaris consumes a variety of cnidarians, and if it incorporates the prey nematocysts into its cnidosacs. Laboratory experiments indicate that while F. affinis avoids scyphozoan polyps, C. militaris readily consumes all tested scyphozoan and hydrozoan species and can subsist on them for extended durations of up to 258 days. C. militaris predation rate, reaching 95 polyps day−1 increased with greater prey availability, but did not reach saturation even at very high prey abundances (> 80 polyps day−1), suggesting a higher predation capacity. Surprisingly, despite this intense predation, C. militaris did not incorporate any of the scyphozoan nematocysts in its cnidosac; only nematocysts from its known hydrozoan prey were identified in the cnidosac. C. militaris is a generalist that preys on hydrozoa and can extensively feed on a variety of scyphozoan polyps, yet it does not incorporate scyphozoan nematocysts into its cnidosacs. This is the first report to demonstrate complete selectivity in nematocyst sequestration over an extended feeding period in a nudibranch possessing a functional cnidosac. These findings contribute to understanding nudibranch feeding ecology and the potential role these predators may play in regulating jellyfish blooms. ","PeriodicalId":55142,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Zoology","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145447196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-04DOI: 10.1186/s12983-025-00586-y
Marko Glogoški, Tomislav Gojak, Duje Lisičić, Ivan Cizelj, Iva Sabolić, Anamaria Štambuk
Behavioral adaptations are considered an important factor of population success in colonizing novel environments. Individuals can be selected for specific behavioral traits during transport, introduction and especially establishment phase of the invasion process. Aside from population level average of behavioral traits, both among- and within individual variability can contribute to achieving behavioral optima for efficiently acquiring resources in new habitats. Here, we study activity/exploration behavioral traits and boldness in a novel insular population of Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus) with a known colonizing history and propagule pressure. We apply Bayesian mixed-effects models and variance partitioning to compare the activity/exploration behavioral traits and boldness between ancestral population from Pod Kopište island and novel population from Pod Mrčaru island. We found no difference in average levels of activity/exploration behavioral traits (distance moved and angular velocity) or boldness between populations or sexes. Among-individual variance in both behaviors was preserved in novel population, despite small propagule size of ten individuals. Females from ancestral Pod Kopište had substantially lower within-individual variability of distance moved than males. However, females within-individual variability for this trait increased in the novel Pod Mrčaru population, while males remained the same. Females on Pod Mrčaru population also exhibited strong increase in within-individual variability in angular velocity, even surpassing the values denoted for males in that population. In contrast, within-individual variance in boldness did not differ across population by sex groups. Our results show that among-individual behavioral variation can be preserved even in populations founded by small propagule. Our study also demonstrates sexual dimorphism in the within-individual variability of activity/exploration behavioral traits, both within the populations and in the direction and intensity of change in a new environment. Collectively, this study highlights the importance of studying behavioral flexibility in addition to average population or individual behavioral traits and emphasizes the role of females’ activity/exploration in adaptation to new environments.
{"title":"Sex-specific behavioral flexibility in rapid adaptation to a new environment","authors":"Marko Glogoški, Tomislav Gojak, Duje Lisičić, Ivan Cizelj, Iva Sabolić, Anamaria Štambuk","doi":"10.1186/s12983-025-00586-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-025-00586-y","url":null,"abstract":"Behavioral adaptations are considered an important factor of population success in colonizing novel environments. Individuals can be selected for specific behavioral traits during transport, introduction and especially establishment phase of the invasion process. Aside from population level average of behavioral traits, both among- and within individual variability can contribute to achieving behavioral optima for efficiently acquiring resources in new habitats. Here, we study activity/exploration behavioral traits and boldness in a novel insular population of Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus) with a known colonizing history and propagule pressure. We apply Bayesian mixed-effects models and variance partitioning to compare the activity/exploration behavioral traits and boldness between ancestral population from Pod Kopište island and novel population from Pod Mrčaru island. We found no difference in average levels of activity/exploration behavioral traits (distance moved and angular velocity) or boldness between populations or sexes. Among-individual variance in both behaviors was preserved in novel population, despite small propagule size of ten individuals. Females from ancestral Pod Kopište had substantially lower within-individual variability of distance moved than males. However, females within-individual variability for this trait increased in the novel Pod Mrčaru population, while males remained the same. Females on Pod Mrčaru population also exhibited strong increase in within-individual variability in angular velocity, even surpassing the values denoted for males in that population. In contrast, within-individual variance in boldness did not differ across population by sex groups. Our results show that among-individual behavioral variation can be preserved even in populations founded by small propagule. Our study also demonstrates sexual dimorphism in the within-individual variability of activity/exploration behavioral traits, both within the populations and in the direction and intensity of change in a new environment. Collectively, this study highlights the importance of studying behavioral flexibility in addition to average population or individual behavioral traits and emphasizes the role of females’ activity/exploration in adaptation to new environments.","PeriodicalId":55142,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Zoology","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145434998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-09DOI: 10.1186/s12983-025-00580-4
Serena Price, Robert Guralnick, Coleman M. Sheehy, Jacob Idec
Facultative, physiological color change has many potential adaptive functions, and the ability of the green anole (Anolis carolinensis) to shift between brown and green coloration is no exception. Three non-mutually exclusive hypotheses for such color changes include: 1) The camouflage hypothesis, which states that individual anoles use brown and green coloration to blend into their background; 2) The social signaling hypothesis, which states that coloration shifts convey intraspecific signals such as dominance, submission, and mating status during interactions; 3) The thermoregulation hypothesis, which states that shifting to darker brown coloration during colder temperatures allows for increased absorption of solar radiation as heat. We showcase the utility of a computer vision pipeline to derive individual-level color (green versus brown) from a large dataset of citizen science observations spanning the southeastern USA. We used this color information along with climate, seasonal timing information and background in images to test associations between color morph, temperature and time of year. Results show that brown-presenting A. carolinensis were observed more frequently at lower temperatures during winter. However, the observed correlation between presenting color and temperature was absent during the summer breeding season. We did not find strong evidence for background color matching. We found support for both the thermoregulatory hypothesis and social signaling hypothesis dependent on time of year, which suggests multiple independent drivers are influencing physiological color changes in A. carolinensis. Further, this work shows the power of leveraging large-scale digital field images and machine learning to derive insights about how species can regulate phenotype to maintain their thermal and biotic niche optima.
{"title":"Using large-scale community science data and computer vision to evaluate thermoregulation as an adaptive driver of physiological color change in Anolis carolinensis","authors":"Serena Price, Robert Guralnick, Coleman M. Sheehy, Jacob Idec","doi":"10.1186/s12983-025-00580-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-025-00580-4","url":null,"abstract":"Facultative, physiological color change has many potential adaptive functions, and the ability of the green anole (Anolis carolinensis) to shift between brown and green coloration is no exception. Three non-mutually exclusive hypotheses for such color changes include: 1) The camouflage hypothesis, which states that individual anoles use brown and green coloration to blend into their background; 2) The social signaling hypothesis, which states that coloration shifts convey intraspecific signals such as dominance, submission, and mating status during interactions; 3) The thermoregulation hypothesis, which states that shifting to darker brown coloration during colder temperatures allows for increased absorption of solar radiation as heat. We showcase the utility of a computer vision pipeline to derive individual-level color (green versus brown) from a large dataset of citizen science observations spanning the southeastern USA. We used this color information along with climate, seasonal timing information and background in images to test associations between color morph, temperature and time of year. Results show that brown-presenting A. carolinensis were observed more frequently at lower temperatures during winter. However, the observed correlation between presenting color and temperature was absent during the summer breeding season. We did not find strong evidence for background color matching. We found support for both the thermoregulatory hypothesis and social signaling hypothesis dependent on time of year, which suggests multiple independent drivers are influencing physiological color changes in A. carolinensis. Further, this work shows the power of leveraging large-scale digital field images and machine learning to derive insights about how species can regulate phenotype to maintain their thermal and biotic niche optima.","PeriodicalId":55142,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Zoology","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145246602","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The present study investigates the potential role of ants as dispersal hosts for tardigrades and for the first time provides evidence of ant-mediated tardigrade phoresy. Tardigrades are microscopic cosmopolitan animals which have limited autonomous dispersal abilities but can withstand extreme conditions in a desiccated state. Being dominant terrestrial organisms, ants interact with many components of ecosystems, yet their role in dispersing meiofaunal organisms is unknown. In a field survey, four arboreal ant species were first analyzed to test the presence of tardigrades in their nests (i.e. tree galls), and on their bodies. In another experiment, galls were maintained isolated, then exposed to ant colonization to evaluate any transport of tardigrades by ants. Finally, the behavior of the ant Colobopsis truncata was tested by crafting an experimental apparatus to verify the actual phoresy of tardigrades. The field survey and gall colonization experiments show an association of tardigrades, especially with C. truncata. Gall colonization and laboratory experiments reveal that the ants transport tardigrades and other meiofaunal organisms, such as nematodes and rotifers. This phoresy can be direct (transporting animals) or indirect (transporting substrates with animals), over significant distances, thereby suggesting an unknown ecological interaction. Thanks to the widespread presence and abundance of ant species, this myrmecophoretic dispersion could play a crucial role in the spreading of meiofaunal organisms in terrestrial environments. These findings may represent just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ of an unexplored passive dispersal modality for terrestrial meiofauna micrometazoans, expanding our knowledge of phoretic relationships.
{"title":"Dispersion and new shelters offered by ants: myrmecophoresy of tardigrades","authors":"Daniele Giannetti, Ilaria Giovannini, Edoardo Massa, Enrico Schifani, Lorena Rebecchi, Roberto Guidetti, Donato A. Grasso","doi":"10.1186/s12983-025-00581-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-025-00581-3","url":null,"abstract":"The present study investigates the potential role of ants as dispersal hosts for tardigrades and for the first time provides evidence of ant-mediated tardigrade phoresy. Tardigrades are microscopic cosmopolitan animals which have limited autonomous dispersal abilities but can withstand extreme conditions in a desiccated state. Being dominant terrestrial organisms, ants interact with many components of ecosystems, yet their role in dispersing meiofaunal organisms is unknown. In a field survey, four arboreal ant species were first analyzed to test the presence of tardigrades in their nests (i.e. tree galls), and on their bodies. In another experiment, galls were maintained isolated, then exposed to ant colonization to evaluate any transport of tardigrades by ants. Finally, the behavior of the ant Colobopsis truncata was tested by crafting an experimental apparatus to verify the actual phoresy of tardigrades. The field survey and gall colonization experiments show an association of tardigrades, especially with C. truncata. Gall colonization and laboratory experiments reveal that the ants transport tardigrades and other meiofaunal organisms, such as nematodes and rotifers. This phoresy can be direct (transporting animals) or indirect (transporting substrates with animals), over significant distances, thereby suggesting an unknown ecological interaction. Thanks to the widespread presence and abundance of ant species, this myrmecophoretic dispersion could play a crucial role in the spreading of meiofaunal organisms in terrestrial environments. These findings may represent just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ of an unexplored passive dispersal modality for terrestrial meiofauna micrometazoans, expanding our knowledge of phoretic relationships.","PeriodicalId":55142,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Zoology","volume":"77 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145228957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Olfactory binding proteins are essential components of the highly sensitive olfactory system in insects. They play crucial roles in detecting, binding, and transporting environmental odorants and pheromones to olfactory receptors. Although a large number of olfactory binding proteins have been identified in insects to date, research in this field continues to advance rapidly. This review summarizes recent progresses in understanding their structures, functions, mechanisms of action, and potential applications. Structurally, these proteins typically form simple, stable, spherical conformations composed of α-helices and/or β-sheets, which support environmental adaptability and diverse physiological functions. Two main hypotheses have been proposed to explain their mechanisms of action: pH-dependent regulation and ligand-induced conformational changes. In terms of practical applications, olfactory binding proteins have shown great promise in biological pest control, the breeding of economically important insects, and the development of biosensors, making them attractive targets for future research and innovation.
{"title":"Olfactory binding proteins: a review across the Insecta","authors":"Ruisheng Yang, Jiani Zhou, Jiaxin Hao, Tiantao Zhang, Yiren Jiang, Wei Liu, Yong Wang","doi":"10.1186/s12983-025-00584-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-025-00584-0","url":null,"abstract":"Olfactory binding proteins are essential components of the highly sensitive olfactory system in insects. They play crucial roles in detecting, binding, and transporting environmental odorants and pheromones to olfactory receptors. Although a large number of olfactory binding proteins have been identified in insects to date, research in this field continues to advance rapidly. This review summarizes recent progresses in understanding their structures, functions, mechanisms of action, and potential applications. Structurally, these proteins typically form simple, stable, spherical conformations composed of α-helices and/or β-sheets, which support environmental adaptability and diverse physiological functions. Two main hypotheses have been proposed to explain their mechanisms of action: pH-dependent regulation and ligand-induced conformational changes. In terms of practical applications, olfactory binding proteins have shown great promise in biological pest control, the breeding of economically important insects, and the development of biosensors, making them attractive targets for future research and innovation.","PeriodicalId":55142,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Zoology","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145209952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-02DOI: 10.1186/s12983-025-00583-1
Artem Apostolov, Alanis Bradley, Shane Dreher, Cole Dwyer, Jessica Edwards, Marie E. Evans, Nari Gu, Jacob Hansen, Jackson D. Lewis, Aiden T. Mashburn, Kelsey Miller, Eli Richardson, Wesley Roller, Adam Stark, Jackson Swift, Oscar Zuniga, Raffaela Lesch
North American raccoons are widespread across the contiguous United States and live in close proximity to humans (i.e. urban) and in rural environments. This makes them an excellent species for comparative work on the effects of human environments on phenotypic traits. We use raccoons as a mammalian model system to test whether exposure to human environments triggers a trait of the domestication syndrome. Our data suggests that urban environments produce reductions in snout length, which are consistent with the domestication syndrome phenotype. These results are crucial for the discussion of the validity of the Neural Crest Domestication Syndrome hypothesis. They also offer new opportunities to potentially observe early-stage domestication patterns in a yet non-domesticated mammalian species, without the possibility of introgression or hybridization with other already domesticated mammals.
{"title":"Tracking domestication signals across populations of North American raccoons (Procyon lotor) via citizen science-driven image repositories","authors":"Artem Apostolov, Alanis Bradley, Shane Dreher, Cole Dwyer, Jessica Edwards, Marie E. Evans, Nari Gu, Jacob Hansen, Jackson D. Lewis, Aiden T. Mashburn, Kelsey Miller, Eli Richardson, Wesley Roller, Adam Stark, Jackson Swift, Oscar Zuniga, Raffaela Lesch","doi":"10.1186/s12983-025-00583-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-025-00583-1","url":null,"abstract":"North American raccoons are widespread across the contiguous United States and live in close proximity to humans (i.e. urban) and in rural environments. This makes them an excellent species for comparative work on the effects of human environments on phenotypic traits. We use raccoons as a mammalian model system to test whether exposure to human environments triggers a trait of the domestication syndrome. Our data suggests that urban environments produce reductions in snout length, which are consistent with the domestication syndrome phenotype. These results are crucial for the discussion of the validity of the Neural Crest Domestication Syndrome hypothesis. They also offer new opportunities to potentially observe early-stage domestication patterns in a yet non-domesticated mammalian species, without the possibility of introgression or hybridization with other already domesticated mammals.","PeriodicalId":55142,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Zoology","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145203219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1186/s12983-025-00582-2
Mengyang Li, Xiujuan Li, Yinan Zheng, Zhenlong Wang, Luye Shi
Mammals dwelling at different altitudes exhibit distinct molecular mechanisms to adapt to low-oxygen environments owing to habitat-specific oxygen levels. Notably, these adaptations include energy metabolism patterns, which fundamentally sustain vital physiological functions. Skeletal muscle, a pivotal contributor to systemic energy metabolism, facilitates vertebrate body movement through the contraction and relaxation of muscle fibers and is highly dependent on mitochondrial substrate oxidation for energy production. This study focused on three rodent species inhabiting different altitudes: the Qinghai vole (Neodon fuscus), Brandt’s vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii), and Kunming mouse (Mus musculus). Using transcriptomics and quasi-targeted metabolomics, we systematically analyzed the differences in skeletal muscle metabolic regulation among the three rodent species before and after exposure to hypoxia, thereby revealing the underlying molecular mechanisms. In summary, N. fuscus, native to high-altitude environments, tended to sustain energy supplies through regulating fatty acid oxidation under low-oxygen conditions. Conversely, L. brandtii and M. musculus, acclimatized to middle- and low-altitude habitats, relied on aerobic oxidation and anaerobic glycolysis of glucose, respectively, for energy maintenance under hypoxic conditions. In addition to their differential metabolic preferences under hypoxic conditions, these three rodent species showed species-specific responses related to oxygen utilization, antioxidant defense mechanisms, and anti-inflammatory processes. This study provides insights into the metabolic response patterns of mammalian skeletal muscle under hypoxic conditions, thereby establishing a basis for future investigations on transcriptional–metabolic associations.
{"title":"Variation in metabolic pattern regulation under hypoxic conditions: a comparative study of rodents distributed at different altitudes","authors":"Mengyang Li, Xiujuan Li, Yinan Zheng, Zhenlong Wang, Luye Shi","doi":"10.1186/s12983-025-00582-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-025-00582-2","url":null,"abstract":"Mammals dwelling at different altitudes exhibit distinct molecular mechanisms to adapt to low-oxygen environments owing to habitat-specific oxygen levels. Notably, these adaptations include energy metabolism patterns, which fundamentally sustain vital physiological functions. Skeletal muscle, a pivotal contributor to systemic energy metabolism, facilitates vertebrate body movement through the contraction and relaxation of muscle fibers and is highly dependent on mitochondrial substrate oxidation for energy production. This study focused on three rodent species inhabiting different altitudes: the Qinghai vole (Neodon fuscus), Brandt’s vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii), and Kunming mouse (Mus musculus). Using transcriptomics and quasi-targeted metabolomics, we systematically analyzed the differences in skeletal muscle metabolic regulation among the three rodent species before and after exposure to hypoxia, thereby revealing the underlying molecular mechanisms. In summary, N. fuscus, native to high-altitude environments, tended to sustain energy supplies through regulating fatty acid oxidation under low-oxygen conditions. Conversely, L. brandtii and M. musculus, acclimatized to middle- and low-altitude habitats, relied on aerobic oxidation and anaerobic glycolysis of glucose, respectively, for energy maintenance under hypoxic conditions. In addition to their differential metabolic preferences under hypoxic conditions, these three rodent species showed species-specific responses related to oxygen utilization, antioxidant defense mechanisms, and anti-inflammatory processes. This study provides insights into the metabolic response patterns of mammalian skeletal muscle under hypoxic conditions, thereby establishing a basis for future investigations on transcriptional–metabolic associations. ","PeriodicalId":55142,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Zoology","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145195185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-30DOI: 10.1186/s12983-025-00578-y
Joanna Górska, Petr Kotlík, Heikki Henttonen, Anna Bajer, Jerzy M. Behnke, Jacek Radwan, Paweł Koteja, Tapio Mappes, Maciej Grzybek
Rodents constitute a significant proportion of mammalian diversity, with their adaptability and wide distribution making them indispensable study organisms across various biological disciplines. While the laboratory mouse remains a predominant model rodent, the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) offers a unique perspective as a wild rodent within the large subfamily Arvicolinae. Recognized for its relevance to studynatural ecology, the bank vole provides insights into complex ecological interactions, evolutionary adaptations, and disease dynamics. Despite recent recognition of its importance in specific research areas, there is a lack of a comprehensive and up-to-date exploration of its role as a model organism. This review addresses this gap by offering a holistic examination of the bank vole’s applications in ecology, evolution, biogeography, disease dynamics, and host–pathogen interactions. We emphasize novel insights into genetic variation, adaptation to climate change, population dynamics, experimental evolution, host-parasite co-evolution, and disease dynamics studies. By consolidating diverse research findings, this review provides a unique and comprehensive perspective on the bank vole’s contributions to understanding ecology and evolution, underscoring its importance as a model organism in shaping future biological research.
{"title":"Beyond the laboratory: the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) as a novel model organism in biological research","authors":"Joanna Górska, Petr Kotlík, Heikki Henttonen, Anna Bajer, Jerzy M. Behnke, Jacek Radwan, Paweł Koteja, Tapio Mappes, Maciej Grzybek","doi":"10.1186/s12983-025-00578-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-025-00578-y","url":null,"abstract":"Rodents constitute a significant proportion of mammalian diversity, with their adaptability and wide distribution making them indispensable study organisms across various biological disciplines. While the laboratory mouse remains a predominant model rodent, the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) offers a unique perspective as a wild rodent within the large subfamily Arvicolinae. Recognized for its relevance to studynatural ecology, the bank vole provides insights into complex ecological interactions, evolutionary adaptations, and disease dynamics. Despite recent recognition of its importance in specific research areas, there is a lack of a comprehensive and up-to-date exploration of its role as a model organism. This review addresses this gap by offering a holistic examination of the bank vole’s applications in ecology, evolution, biogeography, disease dynamics, and host–pathogen interactions. We emphasize novel insights into genetic variation, adaptation to climate change, population dynamics, experimental evolution, host-parasite co-evolution, and disease dynamics studies. By consolidating diverse research findings, this review provides a unique and comprehensive perspective on the bank vole’s contributions to understanding ecology and evolution, underscoring its importance as a model organism in shaping future biological research.","PeriodicalId":55142,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Zoology","volume":"72 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145188842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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