Integrative Zoology[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Blubber Thickening Driven by UCP1 Inactivation: Insights from a Cetacean-Like Transgenic Mouse Model.
Zhang Q, Wang Y, Zhang H … +3 more , Xu G, Xu S, Yang G
Integr Zool · 2025 Dec · PMID 41358834 · Publisher ↗
Cetaceans possess thick blubber, a specialized adipose tissue essential for thermal insulation, a streamlined body form, energy storage, and buoyancy. However, the mechanisms that underpin this adaptation are not yet ful...
Cetaceans possess thick blubber, a specialized adipose tissue essential for thermal insulation, a streamlined body form, energy storage, and buoyancy. However, the mechanisms that underpin this adaptation are not yet fully understood. Here, we found that uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) of cetaceans has undergone significant evolutionary relaxation. A transgenic mouse model with cetacean-like UCP1 inactivation revealed a pronounced obesity phenotype, including expanded brown adipose tissue (BAT) and increased white adipose tissue (WAT) adipocyte hyperplasia. Histological, metabolic, and physiological assessments showed reduced lipolysis, impaired glucose metabolism, and upregulated lipid metabolism pathways in BAT. Additionally, gut microbiome analysis indicated an increased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, suggesting enhanced energy absorption and weight gain. Comparison with traditional UCP1-KO mice further revealed that the unique mutations in cetacean UCP1 could be the molecular basis for observed fat accumulation phenotype. Our findings provide novel insights into the evolutionary mechanisms underlying blubber thickening in the secondary aquatic adaptation of cetaceans.
Review of Genetic Information of Morphologically Described Haemoproteus Parasites Recorded in GenBank and MalAvi Databases.
Shimizu M, Chagas CRF, Dunn JC
Integr Zool · 2025 Dec · PMID 41358819 · Publisher ↗
Haemoproteus Kruse, 1890 (Haemosporida: Haemoproteiidae) parasites are known for their high genetic diversity, avian host-specificity, and wide geographical distribution. Currently, 2019 lineages are registered as Haemop...
Haemoproteus Kruse, 1890 (Haemosporida: Haemoproteiidae) parasites are known for their high genetic diversity, avian host-specificity, and wide geographical distribution. Currently, 2019 lineages are registered as Haemoproteus species, but only 160 of them have been linked to morphospecies. Two main open access and independent databases are used to compile genetic, geographical, and host information on Haemoproteus parasites: GenBank and MalAvi. However, the data registered are not integrated, representing an obstacle in investigating Haemoproteus parasites. Here, we review all reported avian Haemoproteus lineages convincingly linked to morphospecies. First, we collected all records from GenBank and MalAvi and extracted Haemoproteus parasites identified from wild birds using the cytochrome b gene, with clear evidence of gametocytes being present in blood smears. This led to 135 lineages that were phylogenetically analyzed and compared regarding their distribution across bird species, families, orders, and geographic regions. Most lineages were identified from Passeriformes (68.8%, 95 lineages) and Columbiformes (13.8%, 19 lineages). Phylogenetic analysis shows the relation between bird host families and parasite lineages, confirming that Haemoproteus parasites are highly host-specific and that morphospecies tend to cluster phylogenetically. The global patterns of host-bird specificity and distributions show that lineages linked with morphospecies were skewed toward Europe and South America. Additionally, there are discrepancies between the two databases, as well as lineages in MalAvi linked to morphospecies without clear evidence of morphological identification. In conclusion, the research on Haemoproteus parasites would benefit from establishing a clear protocol for data registration and integrating the morphological and molecular methods for parasite screening.
Extreme Silk Toughness in Caerostris Spiders Is Limited to Adult Females.
Gregorič M, Yu KP, Ravelojaona J … +2 more , Blackledge TA, Kuntner M
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41319055 · Publisher ↗
Major ampullate (MA) silk, synthesized by spiders, is tougher than most biological and synthetic materials. Orb weavers evolved some of the toughest MA silk, reaching extremes in bark spiders, genus Caerostris (Araneidae...
Major ampullate (MA) silk, synthesized by spiders, is tougher than most biological and synthetic materials. Orb weavers evolved some of the toughest MA silk, reaching extremes in bark spiders, genus Caerostris (Araneidae). Increased proline content is associated with tougher silk but may increase the metabolic cost. Transitions (phylogenetic/ontogenetic) to larger body sizes are expected to drive coevolution of tougher, costlier silk, because larger prey presents disproportionally higher kinetic energy. Interspecific shifts to tougher MA silk are documented, but intraspecific patterns are unknown, although spiders increase several hundred times in body mass through ontogeny. Small spiderlings prey on small insects and might not face the selection pressure on adults for capturing large prey. Additionally, extreme female-biased sexual size dimorphism in orb-weaving species like bark spiders results in sex-specific selection pressures for small versus large prey. We therefore ask whether species with exceptionally tough silk, like bark spiders, show different patterns in silk toughness between ontogenetic stages and sexes. We posed three hypotheses: H1, constrained silk production hypothesis; H2, sexually decoupled silk production hypothesis; H3, body size selection pressure hypothesis; and tested them by investigating the mechanical properties of MA silk among size classes and sexes in two Caerostris species from Madagascar, C. darwini Kuntner & Agnarsson, 2010 and C. kuntneri Gregorič & Yu, 2025. We found that only large females produce exceptionally tough silk with higher initial stiffness, while juvenile females and all males produce inferior silks. These results imply ontogenetic plasticity in Caerostris silk production and support the third hypothesis.
Integrating Passive Acoustic Monitoring, Deep Learning, and Social Network Analysis for Wildlife Ecology and Conservation.
Zhang Y, Jiang X, Zeng X … +2 more , Rao X, Wang D
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41319054 · Publisher ↗
The framework of integrating passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) and deep learning algorithms with social network analysis (SNA) presents a groundbreaking approach to understanding the complex dynamics of animal societies,...
The framework of integrating passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) and deep learning algorithms with social network analysis (SNA) presents a groundbreaking approach to understanding the complex dynamics of animal societies, especially studying the social behavior and communication of elusive species or those living in inaccessible habitats. By leveraging the non-invasive nature of PAM, we could collect long-term, high-resolution audio data of animal vocalizations, which are essential for understanding social interactions. Applying deep learning algorithms to these data has significantly enhanced our ability to identify, classify, and extract subtle patterns within vocalizations, revealing social subgroups and communication networks that were once undetectable. Furthermore, this technological advancement enables the efficient processing of vast amounts of data and the integration of multi-layered information, such as movement and environmental data, to create a comprehensive view of animal social networks. The framework proposed in this review also facilitates the comparison of social networks across different species and ecological contexts, contributing to a deeper understanding of the principles governing social behavior. As technology continues to evolve, the potential of this framework to transform our capacity to study and protect animal societies is immense, offering a promising future for behavioral ecology and conservation biology.
Two-Step Process Theory of Biodiversity Formation.
Chi Z, Wu N, Han Y … +2 more , Chen X, Chen Y
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41292133 · Publisher ↗
A cartoon for showing the two steps (regional dispersal and local dispersal) of the proposed theory for biodiversity formation.
A cartoon for showing the two steps (regional dispersal and local dispersal) of the proposed theory for biodiversity formation.
Cenozoic Tectonics Ignite Mitochondrial Codon Innovations Propelling Canid Body Size Evolution and Transcontinental Radiations.
Wu X, Wang X, Shang Y … +6 more , Chen Y, Cai H, Xia T, Wei Q, Sha W, Zhang H
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41267392 · Publisher ↗
The adaptive evolution of Canidae mitochondrial genomes and their mechanistic association with ecological strategies have long been constrained by insufficient cross-lineage integration and unresolved multidimensional in...
The adaptive evolution of Canidae mitochondrial genomes and their mechanistic association with ecological strategies have long been constrained by insufficient cross-lineage integration and unresolved multidimensional interaction networks. Here, complete mitochondrial genomes from all extant canid species (including 11 newly assembled genomes) were analyzed, revealing highly conserved gene arrangements and lineage-specific codon usage patterns. High-altitude species exhibited atypical initiation codons for ND4L, while boreal species exhibited significant termination codon shifts, and polar specialists had distinct codon optimization profiles. Positive selection analyses identified strong selective pressures on arginine- and leucine-encoding sites, with core oxidative phosphorylation genes demonstrating accelerated adaptive evolution in large-bodied canids and specialized predatory lineages. Phylogenomic reconstructions revealed consistency in South American Lycalopex radiation timing with regional orogenic events, while also linking Canis diversification to grassland biome expansion. Further, statistical models confirmed robust correlations between mitochondrial evolutionary rates and both body mass and predatory ecology, wherein body size increases drive metabolic optimization through lineage-specific selection on energy-related genes. Based on these observations, a "functional constraint-geological driver-body size adaptation" tripartite framework is proposed that highlights how mitochondrial genomes maintain metabolic plasticity through mutation-selection equilibrium, how geological events trigger lineage divergence, and how body size-predation strategies shape modular gene evolution. Consequently, this study establishes a novel paradigm for understanding genome-environment interactions in terrestrial carnivore adaptations.
Small-Sample-Size Trait Imputation Using Deep-Learning Techniques.
Bai Y, Wang Y, Hu X … +7 more , Xiao Q, Zhou H, Zhan X, Zeng R, Ergu D, Liu F, Chen Y
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41267368 · Publisher ↗
In this study, we introduce Dual-Branch BioTraitNet, a deep-learning model tailored for trait imputation in small-sample ecological and biological datasets. By combining unsupervised and supervised learning strategies, t...
In this study, we introduce Dual-Branch BioTraitNet, a deep-learning model tailored for trait imputation in small-sample ecological and biological datasets. By combining unsupervised and supervised learning strategies, the model jointly leverages quantitative and qualitative trait information. Its dual-branch architecture enables efficient learning under data-sparse conditions and generalizes well across diverse taxa. On the lizard dataset, the model achieved R values of 0.862 for mean body length and 0.67 for average body weight; on the fish dataset, R values for maximum body length, minimum spawning temperature, and egg diameter were 0.876, 0.402, and 0.496, respectively. Unlike conventional approaches such as K-nearest neighbors (KNN) and genetic algorithms (and their variants), which are often prone to overfitting or underfitting, BioTraitNet demonstrates strong predictive stability and robustness. This is evident in its consistent avoidance of negative R values. Notably, it maintains high accuracy even without incorporating phylogenetic information, making it particularly suitable for scenarios where evolutionary data are missing or uncertain. The proposed framework offers a flexible and reliable solution for addressing missing trait data in ecological and evolutionary research. The computational Python code was available from https://github.com/BB-yu/Dual-Branch-BioTraitNet.
High-Altitude Adaptation of Frogs (Case Study: Nanorana parkeri): From Physiological Phenotypes to AltitudeOmics.
Zhang X, Niu Y, Men S … +4 more , Zhang Y, Tang X, Storey KB, Chen Q
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41267365 · Publisher ↗
High altitudes are challenging for the animals that inhabit these environments. The Xizang plateau frog (Nanorana parkeri), endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and distributed between 2800 and 5100 m, represents an idea...
High altitudes are challenging for the animals that inhabit these environments. The Xizang plateau frog (Nanorana parkeri), endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and distributed between 2800 and 5100 m, represents an ideal model for studying high-altitude adaptations. Here, we compared environmental differences between high- (4600 m) and low-altitude (3400 m) habitats, characterized the physiological traits of high-altitude frogs, and integrated metabolomic and proteomic data to elucidate adaptive mechanisms to extreme environments. High-altitude habitats exhibited significantly lower water temperatures and dissolved oxygen levels. High-altitude frogs showed a 31%-37% reduction in resting metabolic rate, decreased concentrations of metabolites (glucose and β-hydroxybutyric acid), and 18%-56% lower activities of critical metabolic enzymes. This coordinated metabolic depression is indicative of an energy conservation strategy for surviving at high altitudes. Interestingly, hepatic glycogen (3.1-fold increase) and pyruvate accumulated in high-altitude frogs, suggesting enhanced energy storage and potential antioxidant utilization. Metabolomic profiling further revealed a remodeling of glycerophospholipid, indicating adaptive membrane stabilization. Proteomics analysis identified altered expression of proteins involved in stress response, energy metabolism, and translation, including chaperones (DNAJB6 and DNAJC22) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX4), which may be potential biomarkers for evaluating high-altitude adaptation in ectothermic vertebrates. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that N. parkeri survives in high-altitude environments through a synergistic strategy of metabolic remodeling and protein expression adjustment to optimize energy efficiency and enhance cellular protection. This study provides new insights into the mechanisms by which ectothermic vertebrates adapt to extreme environments.
Beyond Sexual Selection: Natural Selection Related Camouflage and Thermoregulation Shape Sexual Color Dimorphism in Diploderma Lizards.
Cao Y, Shi L, Qi Y
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41267362 · Publisher ↗
Sexual dimorphism is classically attributed to sexual selection, yet natural selection via sex-specific ecological pressures is equally important. We investigated this interplay by testing how camouflage and thermoregula...
Sexual dimorphism is classically attributed to sexual selection, yet natural selection via sex-specific ecological pressures is equally important. We investigated this interplay by testing how camouflage and thermoregulation shape sexual color dimorphism across four Diploderma lizards with a comparative framework capturing diverse ecologies. Using spectrometry and image analysis, we documented pronounced sexual color dimorphism in dorsal patterns. Females prioritized background matching, while males favored high-contrast surface disruption, except in Diploderma slowinskii where monomorphic strategies suggested habitat-specific adaptations. Male stripes critical for disruption significantly reduced solar heat gain, imposing a physiological cost absent in females. This sex-specific optimization, males sacrificing thermoregulation for camouflage efficacy and females favoring crypsis, demonstrates how divergent natural selection pressures drive sexual color dimorphism evolution. Our findings enhance the understanding of animal coloration beyond the sexual selection paradigm, positioning ecological trade-off as a fundamental mechanism shaping sexual color dimorphism.
Refining the Vertebrate Mitochondrial 12S rRNA Secondary Structure by Comparative Analysis.
Li F, Niu G, Du R … +4 more , Wan K, Smith DR, Wei M, Shi H
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41267354 · Publisher ↗
This flowchart outlines the comprehensive workflow of the study, integrating diverse bioinformatics tools (e.g., NCBI2GO, SSU-align, bpRNA) and their sequential interactions. Key steps, such as data preprocessing, struct...
This flowchart outlines the comprehensive workflow of the study, integrating diverse bioinformatics tools (e.g., NCBI2GO, SSU-align, bpRNA) and their sequential interactions. Key steps, such as data preprocessing, structural prediction, and evolutionary analysis, are depicted with their respective outputs (e.g., standardized records, consensus templates, domain annotations) listed on the right, connected via directional arrows to illustrate data flow.
Host Traits and Avian Malaria Parasites: Understanding the Intrinsic Connections.
Pinzón-Cárdenas PA, González-Quevedo C, Rúa-Uribe GL … +2 more , Pérez-Tris J, Rivera-Gutiérrez HF
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41267350 · Publisher ↗
Parasitism can play a key role in shaping species' adaptability to environmental changes. Understanding how intrinsic traits of bird species influence susceptibility to haemosporidian infection is critical for understand...
Parasitism can play a key role in shaping species' adaptability to environmental changes. Understanding how intrinsic traits of bird species influence susceptibility to haemosporidian infection is critical for understanding host-parasite dynamics, especially in biodiverse tropical regions. This study aimed to determine the host traits that influence the probability of haemosporidian infection in birds in a tropical country. We compiled published haemosporidian diagnoses of birds from Colombia and data on ecological, morphological, coloration, and sexual selection (dimorphism and dichromatism) traits. We also calculated an index for habitat specialization. Using phylogenetic generalized linear models (phylo-GLMs), we performed a phylogenetically informed comparative analysis of 115 bird species from different families with diverse characteristics. Our analysis revealed that migratory species, birds with larger body sizes, and those with more colorful plumage had a higher probability of infection. Conversely, habitat specialization was negatively associated with infection risk. Our results are explained in the framework of increased exposure to haemosporidian vectors. However, further studies are needed to better understand the relationship between the traits related to sexual selection and infection. These findings provide valuable insights into host-parasite dynamics in tropical bird communities and help to understand susceptibility factors, considering the potential negative consequences for avian communities.
Efficient Masked Autoencoder for Birdsong Representation with Applications on Wild Bird Species Classification.
Zhang Q, Hu S, Wang H … +6 more , Yi J, Zhou G, Shen X, Peng W, Xiao Z, Chen A
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41252390 · Publisher ↗
Birds play a critical role in maintaining ecological balance and serve as key indicators of biodiversity. Observing bird behavior in natural environments poses significant challenges. However, identifying bird songs thro...
Birds play a critical role in maintaining ecological balance and serve as key indicators of biodiversity. Observing bird behavior in natural environments poses significant challenges. However, identifying bird songs through sensor technology provides a non-invasive and environmentally friendly method for monitoring avian diversity. Nevertheless, bird songs in natural environments are often obscured by substantial noise, and supervised learning-based recognition methods depend on extensive manual data annotation. To address these challenges, we propose Contrastive Residual Masked AutoEncoder-BirdNET (CResMAE-BirdNET), a specialized network for bird song recognition capable of autonomously extracting features from vast amounts of unlabeled acoustic data, thereby significantly enhancing recognition performance. First, to mitigate environmental noise and enhance model robustness, we apply four audio enhancement techniques and introduce a time-frequency self-calibration fusion module (TFSC) that integrates spectral ripple features. Next, CResMAE-BirdNET combines contrastive learning with a masked autoencoder framework, integrating residual attention in the encoder and a residual multi-layer perceptron in the decoder, enhancing the ability to capture the relationship between local and global features for superior feature representation. Finally, extensive experiments on our self-built 40-class dataset (Bird40Song) and the public dataset (Birdsdata) validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, achieving recognition accuracies of 99.35% and 98.43%, along with F1-scores of 99.34% and 98.28%, respectively. The results highlight significant advancements in bird song recognition, demonstrating the potential of CResMAE-BirdNET to support large-scale ecological monitoring and biodiversity research. Code available at: https://github.com/xzq-okkkkkkk/CResMAE-BirdNET.
Updated Chorotypes of Terrestrial Vertebrates Shed New Light on Zoogeographical Regions in China.
Zhang B, Zhou M, Xie Z … +4 more , Zhang L, Duan H, Yu J, He J
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41243279 · Publisher ↗
The chorotype, a group of species with similar distributions, provides critical insights into biogeographical patterns. Despite recent advances in taxonomic discovery and revision, one-third of terrestrial vertebrates in...
The chorotype, a group of species with similar distributions, provides critical insights into biogeographical patterns. Despite recent advances in taxonomic discovery and revision, one-third of terrestrial vertebrates in China remain unclassified into established chorotypes, hindering understanding of the zoogeographical patterns in China. Here, we updated chorotype classifications and renewed the zoogeographical regions for terrestrial vertebrates in China based on distribution data for 3059 species (638 mammals, 1298 birds, 563 reptiles, and 560 amphibians). We constructed a presence‒absence matrix using 1° × 1° grid cells and assigned species chorotypes to a predefined chorotype framework. Based on the proportions of species chorotypes within each grid cell, we constructed a dissimilarity matrix and used hierarchical clustering to delineate zoogeographical regions of terrestrial vertebrates in China. Discriminant analysis achieved high cross-validation accuracy for chorotype assignment across taxa. Among the 1040 newly updated species, Southern China and Himalaya‒Hengduan Mountains chorotypes played dominant roles, and most of them were reptiles and amphibians. Cluster analysis identified eight zoogeographical regions: North China, Northeast China, the Qiangtang Plateau, Northwest China, South China, Chinese Taiwan Island, the Yungui Plateau, and the Himalaya‒Hengduan Mountains. Despite the broad transition zones in eastern China with mixed chorotypes, the Qinling‒Huaihe Line emerged as the Palearctic‒Oriental boundary. Our study provides the first quantitative update of chorotypes for terrestrial vertebrate species in China, validated through the Grade of Membership model, and renews the zoogeographical regions. Mapping geographical patterns of chorotype proportion is promising for exploring biotic transition zones and offers a reliable framework for delineating biogeographical regions.
Effects of Vector Density on Blood Parasite Spread and Health Consequences for Avian Hosts: An Experimental Epidemiology Blueprint.
Chakarov N, Brandler T, Fischer K … +1 more , Schwietz C
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41243272 · Publisher ↗
Vector density plays a critical role in the transmission dynamics of vector-borne diseases and thus in their health and evolutionary effects. Despite extensive research on pathogens, controlled experimental studies on ve...
Vector density plays a critical role in the transmission dynamics of vector-borne diseases and thus in their health and evolutionary effects. Despite extensive research on pathogens, controlled experimental studies on vector density effects remain limited. This study investigates the relationship between vector density and transmission using the model system of feral pigeon Columba livia, hippoboscid fly Pseudolynchia canariensis, and the haemosporidian blood parasite Haemoproteus columbae. Five experimental groups of pigeons were exposed to increasing numbers of infected louse flies (0-4 per bird) to quantify the resulting infection prevalence, transmission speed, and effects on host health and behavior. Over 50 days, infection prevalence correlated positively with vector density. Higher vector exposure linearly accelerated infection onset and increased prevalence. By day 80, all groups had reached 100% infection. With increasing vector densities, breathing rate decreased. Body temperature slightly increased in infected birds over time. These findings demonstrate the importance of vector density in shaping disease transmission and show how low vector densities limit parasite spread. The transmission power laws in similar systems may strongly depend on the morphology and life-history peculiarities of vector taxa. The pigeon-louse fly system offers a comfortable model system for experimental research on vector-borne disease ecology. The current study presents an experimental epidemiology template for quantifying the role of vector numbers and behavior in shaping transmission dynamics, parasite population structure, host-parasite co-evolution, and its health consequences.
Haemosporidian Parasite Infections and Host-Feeding Preferences of Hematophagous Insects Collected at the Birds of Prey Nests with Confirmation of Vectors for Haemoproteus spp. and Leucocytozoon sp.
Bukauskaitė D, Romeiro Fernandes Chagas C, Duc M … +3 more , Kazak M, Bernotienė R, Treinys R
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41243253 · Publisher ↗
Avian haemosporidian parasites, such as Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, and Plasmodium are transmitted by blood-sucking insects and can negatively affect their host. These parasites have specific life cycles that allow them...
Avian haemosporidian parasites, such as Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, and Plasmodium are transmitted by blood-sucking insects and can negatively affect their host. These parasites have specific life cycles that allow them to survive and spread efficiently through their vectors. However, the research on vectors and their feeding preferences are scarce. Therefore, in this study, we investigated haemosporidian parasite vectors and their feeding preferences in insects collected at birds of prey nests. To catch the vectors, UV-light traps were hung at the nests of birds of prey between June and July 2020 and 2021. Parous and nulliparous biting midge females were separated. Parous females were dissected for salivary gland preparations, and their remnants were stored in 96% EtOH for PCR-based analysis. We screened parous females for the presence of parasites amplifying a fragment of the cytochrome b gene of haemosporidian parasites using specific primers (Plas1F/HaemNR3 and 3760F/HaemJR4). To identify the feeding preference, we analyzed 73 engorged biting midge females using vertebrate specific primers L14841/H15149. In total, we dissected and analyzed 1262 parous biting midges (Culicoides spp.) and three blackfly (Simulium spp.) females. We found that Simulium vernum is a natural vector of Leucocytozoon sp. and identified Haemoproteus spp. sporozoites in Culicoides kibunensis, Culicoides pictipennis, and Culicoides segnis. DNA of three birds and two mammals was detected in engorged biting midges. In conclusion, our study provides valuable insights into the identification of natural vectors of avian haemosporidian parasites and their feeding preferences, contributing to a better understanding of the ecological dynamics that influence parasite transmission.
From Field to Lab: Giant Toad (Rhinella horribilis) as an Emerging Model for the Study of Amphibian Blood Parasites.
Matta NE, Gamboa-Suárez BA, Ospina-Rios AT … +2 more , Fuentes-Rodriguez GA, Jimenez MN
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41243248 · Publisher ↗
Amphibians are experiencing significant declines due to habitat destruction, climate change, and the emergence of infectious diseases, such as chytridiomycosis. Despite their historical use as research models, standardiz...
Amphibians are experiencing significant declines due to habitat destruction, climate change, and the emergence of infectious diseases, such as chytridiomycosis. Despite their historical use as research models, standardized amphibian models are currently scarce. The Neotropics, particularly Colombia, host a remarkable diversity of amphibians, with approximately 876 species recorded. While hemoparasites are frequently reported in these species, their life cycles remain poorly characterized due to chronic infections and reliance on invertebrate vectors. This study identifies Rhinella horribilis (Wiegmann, 1833) as a promising animal model for pathogen research. These toads are widespread in the Neotropics; in fact, other members of this genus, such as Rhinella marina (Linnaeus, 1758), are invasive in some regions. They host a diverse range of blood and ectoparasites yet face minimal conservation concerns. We aimed to standardize the ex situ husbandry of R. horribilis under conditions that differed from its native habitat, successfully maintaining them for a period of 2 years. We describe optimal care protocols and present a case study monitoring trypanosome presence. Our findings support R. horribilis as a valuable model for studying amphibian pathogens. Their manageable size, non-lethal blood collection, broad distribution, and natural susceptibility to infections make them ideal for long-term research in physiology, ethology, microbiology, and parasitology. This model could facilitate studies on Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and blood parasites, advancing conservation efforts for endangered species.
Optimizing Lankesterella Detection in Avian Hosts: A Comparative Analysis of Microscopic and Molecular Techniques.
Gutiérrez-Liberato GA, Dunn JC, Chagas CRF
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41243233 · Publisher ↗
Lankesterella Labbe, 1899 is a genus of blood parasites found in reptiles, amphibians, and birds that has been poorly understood. In birds, it was originally classified as Hepatozoon Miller, 1908 or Atoxoplasma Garnham,...
Lankesterella Labbe, 1899 is a genus of blood parasites found in reptiles, amphibians, and birds that has been poorly understood. In birds, it was originally classified as Hepatozoon Miller, 1908 or Atoxoplasma Garnham, 1905, but recent studies have revealed the diversity, prevalence, and host specificity of Lankesterella using integrative approaches, particularly the 18S rDNA gene. The introduction of new diagnostic protocols focusing on mitochondrial genes requires assessing the comparability of different diagnostic methods. This study aims to compare microscopy and molecular detection methods for Lankesterella spp. infections in wild birds, while also exploring the phylogenetic relationships inferred from different genetic markers. A total of 99 samples from nine passerine species were analyzed in a double-blind study using microscopy and PCR protocols targeting 18S rDNA, CytB, and COI. The overall Lankesterella sp. prevalence was 33%, with 17% detected by microscopy and 23% by molecular methods. In our study, the highest prevalences were found in European robins Erithacus rubecula (8.08%) and wrens Troglodytes troglodytes (9.09%). CytB detected the highest number of infections among the three used protocols, followed by COI, whereas 18S rDNA yielded the lowest detection rate. Only four samples were positive for all three genes and by microscopy. CytB and microscopy combined detected the highest number of infections, despite the low correspondence. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed high host specificity, with the best phylogenetic tree resolutions seen in COI and CytB. The study emphasizes the importance of using multiple methods, especially CytB and microscopy, to determine infection prevalence.
First Evidence of Diverse Inhibitory Control Abilities in Pre- and Post-Metamorphic Salamanders.
Ghosh D, Prasad VK, Kohler DB … +1 more , Borzée A
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41243231 · Publisher ↗
Animals need inhibitory control to achieve goals when taking a detour, requiring self-regulation, decision-making, and spatial awareness to suppress direct approaches and find alternative routes. In amphibians, particula...
Animals need inhibitory control to achieve goals when taking a detour, requiring self-regulation, decision-making, and spatial awareness to suppress direct approaches and find alternative routes. In amphibians, particularly salamanders, there is a considerable lack of information regarding inhibitory control. We examined this cognitive trait in two species of salamanders, Hynobius yiwuensis and Salamandrella tridactyla, across larval and post-metamorphic stages using a detour task where they had to navigate around a transparent barrier to reach food. Results indicate significant differences in detour behavior and inhibitory control across life-history stages and between species. While larvae of H. yiwuensis performed significantly better than the metamorphs in solving the task, metamorphs of S. tridactyla outperformed their larvae, with 100% of individuals successfully reaching the food. Task success, that is, reaching the food around the barrier, increased over trials, and individuals demonstrating greater persistence and lower latency were significantly more likely to succeed. Metamorphs exhibited significantly lower latency than larvae, indicating faster decision-making overall. However, this effect varied across species as H. yiwuensis metamorphs did not show reduced latency. Pecking and reverse (retreating from the barrier, reorienting, and approaching from a different direction), used as indicators of errors, decreased over successive trials, which could be interpreted as evidence of learning. Individuals of H. yiwuensis displayed significantly higher instances of committing errors compared to S. tridactyla. As individuals were lab-reared from eggs, the difference in cognitive abilities across species and developmental stages may reflect underlying genetic differences shaped by their distinct ecological adaptations and evolutionary trajectories.
Deep Audio Detection Networks from Passive Acoustic Monitoring of a Critically Endangered Primate.
Hong Z, Xie Y, He K … +5 more , Zhou Q, Miu Y, Peng H, Cao Z, Fan P
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41236151 · Publisher ↗
Biodiversity monitoring is a crucial component of conservation, providing essential information on species occurrence, population dynamics, community composition, and ecosystem structure. Recently, to enhance wildlife pr...
Biodiversity monitoring is a crucial component of conservation, providing essential information on species occurrence, population dynamics, community composition, and ecosystem structure. Recently, to enhance wildlife protection, passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) technology has been developed based on animal sound characteristics and has become an important tool for wildlife monitoring. The vast amount of data generated by PAM has been transformed by the "big data" revolution, and research methods that integrate artificial intelligence (AI) with efficient and powerful machine learning models are rapidly advancing. The primary challenge is to isolate the vocalization data of target species from this massive dataset and to determine whether the developed methods can be applied to other species. In this study, we focused on the acoustic signals of a critically endangered white-headed langur, a primate species endemic to China. Unlike traditional methods that transform sound frequencies into spectrogram images, our approach uses a Deep Audio Detection Network (DeepADN) that directly converts audio into acoustic features, which are then fed into a convolutional neural network for accurate detection of white-headed langur calls, even in noisy environments. Our method optimized detection performance, achieving a recall rate of 98.22% and reducing manual review workload by 87.07%. Furthermore, DeepADN demonstrated cross-species applicability by successfully detecting François' langur calls, highlighting its potential for broader conservation monitoring efforts.
Climatic-Anthropogenic Synergy Drives Escalating Minimum Area Requirements and Connectivity-Protection Mismatch in a Karst-Endemic Primate.
Yang G, Cao H, Shen T … +3 more , Tian J, Diao Y, Su H
Integr Zool · 2025 Nov · PMID 41219175 · Publisher ↗
Understanding the synergistic mechanisms through which climate change and anthropogenic activities affect landscape connectivity is crucial for species persistence. While extensive research has documented their effects o...
Understanding the synergistic mechanisms through which climate change and anthropogenic activities affect landscape connectivity is crucial for species persistence. While extensive research has documented their effects on habitat loss and fragmentation, how they drive spatio-temporal connectivity dynamics remains poorly understood. This study integrated field surveys and the meta-analytical data to model habitat suitability and quantify spatio-temporal connectivity of minimum area requirement (MAR) habitats for the karst-endemic primate François' langur (Trachypithecus francoisi) from 1987 to 2024. It concurrently evaluated the effectiveness of existing protected areas (PAs) in maintaining connectivity. Results revealed a 48.8% reduction in suitable habitat area, with the distribution pattern shifting from continuous to north-south isolation. Habitat centroids migrated northeastward at 1.2 km/year, exceeding the species' dispersal capacity. The MAR habitats threshold increased from 10.59 to 22.56 km, indicating intensifying ecological pressures. Average connectivity probability (PCst) decreased by 18.32%, and equivalent connected area (ECAst) declined by 38,130 km. Crucially, connectivity mechanisms shifted from within-patch persistence toward greater reliance on direct dispersal and stepping-stone pathways. Climate change and anthropogenic activities exhibited significant antagonistic effects on connectivity degradation, independent of species-specific MAR. Existing PAs significantly sustained connectivity, yet static management inadequately protected dynamic priority habitats and dispersal corridors. Through spatially explicit scenario modeling, this study deciphers species connectivity decline mechanisms under multiple stressors. We emphasize optimizing PA networks by reinforcing MAR core patches as ecological stepping stones and constructing climate-adaptive corridors to enhance functional connectivity, thereby improving conservation resilience for endangered karst-endemic species.
About
- Frequency
- Sun
- Papers found
- 200
- RSS feed
- Subscribe