Integrative Zoology[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Genome Expansion of ZPB1(a) and ZPC1(a) in Basal Species or Liver Expression of ZPB1a and ZPC1aa in Advanced Species, Two Different Strategies to Ensure Sufficient ZP Synthesis in Teleosts.
Gao T, Ma S, Zhang S … +6 more , Bai F, Gan L, Tao W, Wang F, Wang D, Sun L
Integr Zool · 2025 Oct · PMID 41063515 · Publisher ↗
The evolution of ZP (zona pellucida) genes in fish involves both gene expansion and expression organ transition. However, it is unclear when the expansion and transition occurred. Furthermore, it is also unclear whether...
The evolution of ZP (zona pellucida) genes in fish involves both gene expansion and expression organ transition. However, it is unclear when the expansion and transition occurred. Furthermore, it is also unclear whether there is a correlation between ZP gene expansion and expression organ transition. In this study, we identified all ZPs from 15 representative species in Cyclostomata and Neopterygii, and analyzed their expression in available transcriptome data in 8 species. The results showed that the expansion of ZP genes restricted to ZPB1 and ZPC1 first appeared in lamprey and was retained in bowfin and basal teleosts. The expanded ZP genes were highly expressed in teleosts, with ZPB1(a) (7-17 duplicates) and ZPC1(a) (8-32 duplicates), accounting for 82%-92% of the total ZP gene FPKM. The expression organ transition of highly expressed ZP genes occurred in the ancestor of Euteleostei, between Denticipitoidei and Clupeoidei in Clupeiformes. After the transition, only a few copies of ZPB1 and ZPC1 were retained (verified in another 20 species of the Euteleostei), and only ZPB1a and ZPC1aa were expressed in the liver (accounting for 64%-95% of the total ZP gene FPKM) in advanced teleosts. The N-terminus of expanded ZPB1(a) or ZPC1(a) and liver-expressed ZPB1a contains repeated units or low-complexity regions to form helical structures to ensure more elastic egg membranes for better protection of embryos. Taken together, our results demonstrate that teleosts evolved two different strategies to ensure sufficient ZP synthesis: genome expansion of ZPB1(a) and ZPC1(a) in basal species or liver-expression of ZPB1a and ZPC1aa in advanced species.
Resource Availability and Habitat Quality Drive Time-Lag Effects in High-Altitude Ungulate Distribution.
Wang L, Li X, Huang B … +4 more , Li X, Chen J, Liao Z, Jin K
Integr Zool · 2025 Oct · PMID 41063480 · Publisher ↗
Environmental factors, including climatic and habitat conditions, not only critically sustain ecosystem functioning and community stability but also serve as key determinants of species distributions. Research on the ins...
Environmental factors, including climatic and habitat conditions, not only critically sustain ecosystem functioning and community stability but also serve as key determinants of species distributions. Research on the instant effects of environmental factors impacts remains limited. Although traditional methods, such as species distribution model, are commonly applied to assess environmental effects, they frequently overlook interspecific interactions that may determine distribution patterns. In this study, we employed a joint species distribution model and a generalized additive model to analyze the lagged responses of 2022-2023 geographic distribution patterns to historical habitat conditions (2001-2019) in four widespread high-elevation ungulates (Equus kiang, Pantholops hodgsonii, Procapra picticaudata, and Bos mutus) on the Tibetan Plateau, defining this delayed response of animal distributions to environmental changes as the distribution lag effect (DLE). Our analysis revealed that while climate strongly influenced species distributions, habitat change drove most observed delays in distribution responses. In terms of community ecology, dispersed communities exhibited shorter time lags than concentrated groups. Analyses of lag duration revealed a 5-6-year DLE in high-altitude ungulate distributions. Our results provide valuable insights into sustainable alpine steppe management by highlighting the importance of maintaining habitat quality and mitigating resource competition over time. Furthermore, it offers guidance for the long-term conservation of high-altitude ungulate species.
Consistent Choice of Prey Source Habitat Across Diverse Landscapes by a Selective Insectivorous Bat.
Aldasoro M, Diaz de Cerio O, Russo D … +5 more , Vallejo N, Olasagasti L, Garin I, Goiti U, Aihartza J
Integr Zool · 2025 Oct · PMID 41063477 · Publisher ↗
The greater horseshoe bat is a widely distributed cave-dwelling Palaearctic species that forms large colonies in its core distribution areas. Thanks to its size and diverse diet, it plays a crucial role as an insectivoro...
The greater horseshoe bat is a widely distributed cave-dwelling Palaearctic species that forms large colonies in its core distribution areas. Thanks to its size and diverse diet, it plays a crucial role as an insectivorous predator, of utmost importance in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. Despite being extensively studied in the 20th century, its trophic ecology remains incomplete, as most studies have primarily focused on the species' northern distribution and have relied solely on morphological analyses of fecal remains. Thus, using metabarcoding methods, we analyzed the seasonal dietary changes of three maternity colonies in the Northern Iberian Peninsula, a core area of the bat's distribution range, across various landscapes, levels of urbanization, and climates. We identified significant spatial and temporal differences in diet, particularly noting a stronger reliance on riparian habitats in Mediterranean areas. The species exhibits great ecological adaptability with strong plasticity in prey source habitats, shifting preferences among forests, riparian habitats, shrubs, and grasslands. Our results emphasize the importance of preserving these habitats for conservation management purposes.
Unravelling Evolutionary Dynamics of Female Sexual Cannibalism and Male Reproductive Strategies in Spiders.
Kralj-Fišer S, Cargnelutti F, Li D … +1 more , Kuntner M
Integr Zool · 2025 Sep · PMID 40960378 · Publisher ↗
Sexual cannibalism, a behavioral syndrome where one mating partner consumes the other before, during, or after copulation, is particularly widespread among spiders and often exemplifies sexual conflict. Female sexual can...
Sexual cannibalism, a behavioral syndrome where one mating partner consumes the other before, during, or after copulation, is particularly widespread among spiders and often exemplifies sexual conflict. Female sexual cannibalism has driven the evolution of numerous male counter-adaptations. Here we review sexual cannibalism in spiders, evaluate five broad hypotheses explaining its evolution, and provide possible explanations for numerous male reproductive strategies associated with this behavior. These male strategies include mating with immature females, opportunistic mating with molting or feeding females, coercive mating, nuptial gifts, inducing female quiescence, thanatosis, mate binding, sperm transfer adjustments, catapulting, and remote copulation. We emphasize the importance of clearly defining these behaviors and advocate for greater experimental repeatability in future experimental and comparative research. The evolutionary dynamics of these strategies are discussed within the frameworks of sexual conflict, sexually antagonistic coevolution, sperm competition, and cryptic female choice. We call for future research to expand taxonomic sampling, standardize methodologies, integrate field-based observations/experiments, and quantify the costs and benefits for each sex. Such efforts are essential to contextualize sexual cannibalism within broader ecological and evolutionary paradigms.
Experimental Evidence That Blood Parasite Infection Affects Incubation Patterns in a Cavity-Nesting Songbird.
García-Del Río M, Merino S, Chércoles-Nieto J … +3 more , Baldan D, Fuertes-Recuero M, Cantarero A
Integr Zool · 2026 Jan · PMID 40926460 · Full text
Avian chronic hemoparasite infections occur commonly in wild birds, causing adverse effects on host fitness and breeding success. However, the potential impact of such infections on the incubation behavior has been scarc...
Avian chronic hemoparasite infections occur commonly in wild birds, causing adverse effects on host fitness and breeding success. However, the potential impact of such infections on the incubation behavior has been scarcely experimentally studied. We reduced the infection of hemoparasites in wild-breeding female pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) through medication with primaquine to test the possible effects on incubation patterns compared with non-medicated control females. As predicted, medicated females significantly reduced their parasite infection compared to control females. This had a direct significant effect on the female behavior, as medicated females were able to have longer incubation sessions, while control females reduced the time devoted to each incubation session. In addition, females from both treatment groups spent less time incubating as incubation progressed, with control females showing a greater reduction. In contrast, the average length of recess sessions did not vary across treatment groups. Moreover, incubation sessions were more frequently interrupted when clutches were smaller. However, these changes had no apparent effects on immediate fitness. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing changes in individual incubation patterns in response to parasites in a wild-bird population, adding to previous studies showing that blood parasites have detrimental effects on bird reproductive success.
Integrating Multi-Dimensional Biodiversity Patterns for Effective Conservation Strategies.
Zhang L, Hao B, Guo Z … +4 more , Xiao Q, Wu X, Liao Z, Fan H
Integr Zool · 2026 Mar · PMID 40903835 · Publisher ↗
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To Share or Not to Share: Food Sharing in Wild Azure-Winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyanus).
Du Y, Yang P, Peng J … +3 more , Wang C, Song S, Chen J
Integr Zool · 2025 Aug · PMID 40878617 · Publisher ↗
Food sharing is very common in the animal kingdom. Despite extensive research, the mechanisms underlying food sharing remain debated. Moreover, the majority of studies on food sharing in non-human animals have been condu...
Food sharing is very common in the animal kingdom. Despite extensive research, the mechanisms underlying food sharing remain debated. Moreover, the majority of studies on food sharing in non-human animals have been conducted under controlled environments. The natural behavioral characteristics and ecological factors influencing the natural selection of food sharing are still not well understood. In this study, we introduce a method to examine food-sharing behaviors in wild birds within their natural habitat. Using two types of feeders-one permitting food sharing with conspecifics and the other providing exclusive access to food-along with infrared cameras to record feeder-triggering events, we found that azure-winged magpies did not exhibit proactive food-sharing behaviors. However, they did exhibit passive food-sharing behaviors under conditions of low food availability. Consistent with the harassment-avoidance hypothesis, the birds prioritized the sharing feeders to decrease harassment from food snatching when food was limited. These findings suggest that food sharing is likely shaped into a passive behavioral pattern under limited resources conditions, which induce conflicts within social groups. This context-dependent strategy may effectively reduce harassment costs, optimize individual access to resources to maximize individual benefits, and potentially enhance the survival of other group members.
Volumetric Comparison of Overall Brain and Neuropil Size Between Social and Non-social Spiders: Exploring the Social Brain Hypothesis.
Penna-Gonçalves V, Mclean DJ, Willmott NJ … +4 more , Kelly MBJ, Black JR, Lowe EC, Herberstein ME
Integr Zool · 2025 Aug · PMID 40851202 · Publisher ↗
The social brain hypothesis predicts that the relative size of specific brain regions is driven by the cognitive capacity required to manage complex (social) situations. Spiders are intriguing models to test this hypothe...
The social brain hypothesis predicts that the relative size of specific brain regions is driven by the cognitive capacity required to manage complex (social) situations. Spiders are intriguing models to test this hypothesis, as sociality is rare in this usually solitary and aggressive group. Here, we used microCT to compare the central nervous system and brain volumes between social and solitary females of the species in two taxonomic groups, huntsman and crab spiders. Overall, we found no difference in relative CNS and brain volume between social and solitary species. However, social huntsman spiders Delena cancerides had larger arcuate and mushroom bodies than the solitary huntsman species Isopeda villosa and Heteropoda jugulans. Social crab spiders Xysticus bimaculatus had larger visual neuropils than the solitary species Thomisus spectabilis and Tharrhalea evanida. Social huntsman spiders exhibit intricate social behavior, including prey sharing and kin recognition, which could explain the higher investment in brain structures that are related to cognitive integration. They also had smaller venom glands, possibly due to their prey-sharing behavior. In social crab spiders, the low-light leafnest may have driven enlarged visual neuropils. Some variations in specific brain regions between solitary and social species were consistent with the social brain hypothesis, but the patterns differed between lineages. Thus, it is likely that other ecological drivers affect the development of specific brain regions in spiders. Our study provides the essential knowledge platform to conduct experimental manipulations of social and environmental conditions on these spiders to directly test their impact on brain structures, coupled with tests of relevant behavior.
Assessing the Presence, Pattern, and Environmental Correlates of Seasonal Skin Thickening in Anurans.
VanBuren CS, Bentley LK, Norman DB … +1 more , Fröbisch NB
Integr Zool · 2025 Aug · PMID 40851201 · Publisher ↗
Amphibians are the vertebrates most sensitive to environmental change, in part due to their relatively thin skin. As such, research seeks to better understand variation in amphibian skin traits. One source of variation t...
Amphibians are the vertebrates most sensitive to environmental change, in part due to their relatively thin skin. As such, research seeks to better understand variation in amphibian skin traits. One source of variation that is poorly understood is seasonal variation in amphibian skin thickness that has been reported in two anurans and one caudatan. It is currently unknown how widespread this trait is among amphibians, or the pattern it follows throughout the year, because existing studies have only sampled specimens at two or three times of the year. We use museum specimens of three sympatric anurans from the northern United States to test for the presence of seasonal changes in skin thickness and which functional hypothesis best explains the pattern: either an environmental function/response or an intrinsic life history-related pattern. Seasonal changes in skin thickness were detected in all skin regions and layers measured in the American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), in some of the skin layers of the northern leopard frog (L. pipiens), but such changes were not detected in spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer). The results favored the life history functional hypothesis, where skin is thinnest after brumation, increasing in thickness throughout the year ahead of hibernation. The differences between skin thickness variables between early- and late-year specimens of L. catesbeianus were as high as 40%, indicating that this source of variation has the potential to skew the results of morphological studies of amphibian skin thickness if not controlled for.
Small Object Detection Method for Bioimages Based on Improved YOLOv8n Model.
Li X, Shang C, Hou X … +5 more , Wang Q, Wang J, Zhang T, Zhan X, Pan S
Integr Zool · 2025 Aug · PMID 40851197 · Publisher ↗
As natural science research penetrates further into the microscopic world, the biological discipline has an increasing demand for tools to observe sub-micrometer structures such as cell structure and biomolecule assembly...
As natural science research penetrates further into the microscopic world, the biological discipline has an increasing demand for tools to observe sub-micrometer structures such as cell structure and biomolecule assembly. Electron microscopy imaging has emerged as a pivotal method for such observations, yet accurate identification remains challenging due to the high density, mutual occlusion, small size, and diverse postures of the targets. To date, no research has systematically addressed these issues, limiting progress in biological microscopic research. Here, we introduce an improved YOLOv8n model for detecting the bird feather hooklet, a typical microscopic target within electron microscope images. The improved model incorporates three modules: gather-excite attention mechanism (global-local feature integration), explicit visual center (EVC) module (small-object detection enhancement through global and local feature fusion), and Shape IoU loss function (bounding-box regression optimization for posture variations). The experimental outcomes demonstrate that, compared to the baseline model, the improved YOLOv8n achieves a 3.5% increase in precision, a 9.1% boost in recall, and a 5.7% improvement in mAP50, along with 4.4% and 6.3% gains in mAP50-95 and F1 score, respectively. These advancements demonstrate the improved YOLOv8n model's effectiveness in detecting occluded, aggregated, and multi-posed hooklets at the nanometer level, offering new insights into feather structure-function relationships and advancing ornithological research. This study not only highlights the great potential of the improved YOLOv8n model in complex object detection but also emphasizes its application significance in micro-precision biological research.
Modeling Skin Mark Temporal Variations to Estimate the Sex of Delphinids with Low Sexual Dimorphism: Implications for Management and Conservation.
Turchi A, Pedrazzi G, Mattiussi A … +5 more , Labriola MS, Petrone D, Rinalduzzi S, Giacomini G, Pace DS
Integr Zool · 2025 Aug · PMID 40851192 · Publisher ↗
Sex ratio is an important population metric in animal conservation, but its study in marine species with low sexual dimorphism is often challenging. This work aimed to apply the principles of skin mark analysis to a ceta...
Sex ratio is an important population metric in animal conservation, but its study in marine species with low sexual dimorphism is often challenging. This work aimed to apply the principles of skin mark analysis to a cetacean species to test its ability to identify sex differences in markings and build a sex-discrimination model exclusively based on photographic material. The common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) was chosen as the model species, and skin marks and their progression over time were identified and measured across the whole-body surface of individuals on photographs acquired between 2016 and 2023 in the Tiber River Estuary area. Interactions with fisheries were quantified both as the proportion of encounters in presence of trawlers, and as a probability of fishing gear injuries. Non-parametric tests were used to assess sex-specific differences. A generalized linear model with binary response (sex) was built through a stepwise procedure, using mark-based indices as predictors. Relevant differences between sexes emerged in markings, with males presenting more social, aggression-related, and fishing-related marks overall, and a stronger tendency of mark accumulation over time. The estimated model reflected the differences highlighted by the statistical tests and had a high accuracy and sensitivity toward both sexes. These results highlight the feasibility and efficacy of this methodological approach to sex-ratio investigations and identify differences in anthropic pressures insisting on males and females, with important conservation implications. The exclusive use of photographic material makes this methodology potentially applicable and adaptable to multiple species and environments, aiding the efforts of conservationists worldwide.
Blood Parasites and Wildlife: The Development of a Discipline.
Merino S
Integr Zool · 2026 Jan · PMID 40851191 · Full text
In the last 30 years, the area of the study of parasitism caused by blood parasite infections on wildlife has suffered an extraordinary transformation. We will review here some of the advances produced in three specific...
In the last 30 years, the area of the study of parasitism caused by blood parasite infections on wildlife has suffered an extraordinary transformation. We will review here some of the advances produced in three specific aspects: (1) Taxonomy; this field has been profoundly transformed, moving from microscopy to molecular analyses and phylogeny. (2) Impact of infections on wildlife fitness; from an initial position in which it was understood that infections by blood parasites had little or no effect on their hosts, we have moved on to the experimental demonstration of important effects on the fitness of individuals. (3) Distribution of blood parasite infections; the distribution across latitudinal and altitudinal gradients as well as the different effects of anthropic activities on the incidence of blood parasite infections have been developed importantly during the last few years. Finally, we will look at the promising future of this discipline by pointing out some developing fields of research.
The Evolution of Male Weapons Is Associated with the Type of Breeding Site in a Clade of Neotropical Frogs.
Santana EM, Caetano DS, Palaoro AV … +1 more , Machado G
Integr Zool · 2025 Aug · PMID 40851189 · Publisher ↗
Male weaponry evolution is often linked to male-male competition for resources or access to females, a pattern observed in well-studied taxa, such as beetles and mammals. Whether factors such as breeding site type influe...
Male weaponry evolution is often linked to male-male competition for resources or access to females, a pattern observed in well-studied taxa, such as beetles and mammals. Whether factors such as breeding site type influence weaponry evolution remains an open question. We explored this question using frogs of the subfamily Leptodactylinae, where males of species that spawn in exposed sites (water bodies) fight to hold oviposition sites or dislodge rivals during amplexus. Conversely, males of species that spawn in concealed sites (ground nests and crevices) rarely engage in physical contests. We hypothesized that male weaponry evolution would be associated with reproduction in exposed sites. Using two complementary phylogenetic comparative methods, we first found that both gains and losses of weapons occurred more frequently in species spawning in exposed sites. This unexpected finding suggests that the dynamics of weaponry evolution are more intricate than anticipated. Second, we found a macroevolutionary correlation between male weapons and breeding site type: the presence of weapons is associated with exposed sites, while their absence is associated with concealed sites. We explore how additional factors, such as population density, the energetic costs of producing and maintaining weapons, and female choice, may also influence this macroevolutionary pattern. Finally, we hope our findings stimulate further investigations into weaponry evolution in other clades of external fertilizers.
Identification and Expression Profiling of Scorpion Ionotropic Receptors and Gustatory Receptors Based on the Transcriptomic Analysis.
Wang X, Lu S, Li Y … +3 more , Zhang H, Jiao H, Wu Y
Integr Zool · 2025 Aug · PMID 40851108 · Publisher ↗
Chemical signal perception plays a crucial role in arthropod reproduction and survival. The scorpion is one of the oldest terrestrial arthropods; however, its knowledge of the chemosensory genes remains unclear. Based on...
Chemical signal perception plays a crucial role in arthropod reproduction and survival. The scorpion is one of the oldest terrestrial arthropods; however, its knowledge of the chemosensory genes remains unclear. Based on the transcriptomic analysis of widely distributed Mesobuthus martensii in China, 46 candidate gustatory receptors (GRs) and 80 candidate ionotropic receptors (IRs)/ionotropic Glutamate receptors (iGluRs) overall showed similar expression trends in different tissues between the third-instar and adult scorpions, which suggested that young scorpions possessed a relatively complete chemical perception capability. Most GRs showed higher transcript accumulation in the pectines, rather than other tissues, aligning with their known chemosensory function and highlighting the remarkable significance of pectines as crucial sensory organs. Conversely, IRs/iGluRs overall exhibited a more widespread distribution throughout the different tissues of the scorpion body. The phylogenetic tree further elucidated the evolutionary relationships among these chemosensory genes in arthropods. These findings contributed to a better understanding of the functionality and evolution of the chemosensory systems in scorpions, which would accelerate the functional investigations of scorpion chemosensory genes in the future.
Comparative Molecular Insights into Developmental and Behavioral Toxicity Induced by Octocrylene and Ethylhexyl Salicylate Exposure on Zebrafish.
Lu X, Sun L, Chen J … +3 more , Wang J, Guan M, Xu S
Integr Zool · 2025 Aug · PMID 40838856 · Publisher ↗
Octocrylene (OC) and ethylhexyl salicylate (EHS), widely used organic ultraviolet (UV) filters, are persistently detected in natural environments, raising concerns about their ecological toxicity. However, their toxicity...
Octocrylene (OC) and ethylhexyl salicylate (EHS), widely used organic ultraviolet (UV) filters, are persistently detected in natural environments, raising concerns about their ecological toxicity. However, their toxicity at environmentally relevant concentrations remains poorly understood, and a comparative assessment of their aquatic effects is lacking. This study exposed zebrafish embryos (≤4 h post-fertilization, hpf) to OC and EHS (0.05, 0.5, 5, and 50 mg/L) until 120 hpf. Both chemicals induced developmental abnormalities, including deformities and reduced heart rates. Exposure to 50 mg/L EHS resulted in 54.72% mortality, while the same concentration of OC caused 13.33% mortality at 96 hpf, indicating higher acute toxicity of EHS. Behavioral assays revealed that 50 mg/L OC and 5 mg/L EHS induced hyperactivity, whereas 50 mg/L EHS caused locomotor suppression, suggesting neurodevelopmental toxicity. Transcriptomic analysis showed OC regulated hypoxia response, cytochrome P450, and extracellular matrix, while EHS affected immunity, nucleotide/amino-sugar metabolism, and lipid homeostasis. Oxidative stress biomarkers (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione) and triglyceride (TG) levels were monitored. Both chemicals induced oxidative stress, but only EHS significantly upregulated TG, disrupting lipid metabolism. These findings highlight that EHS exhibits broader and more severe toxicity than OC, emphasizing the need for further research and regulatory measures to mitigate the ecological risks of these UV filters.
Linking Ecological and Biogeographical Traits to Body Length and Dietary Breadth in Snakes.
Wan X, She W, Liu C … +5 more , Huang G, Li G, Zhang H, Liu J, Wei F
Integr Zool · 2026 Mar · PMID 40838851 · Publisher ↗
Body size and dietary breadth are important for understanding animal evolution and adaptation. Snakes, as ecologically diverse predators with wide variation in morphology, reproduction, and diet, provide an excellent spe...
Body size and dietary breadth are important for understanding animal evolution and adaptation. Snakes, as ecologically diverse predators with wide variation in morphology, reproduction, and diet, provide an excellent species group to explore how venom, reproductive mode, and biogeographical traits shape the evolution of ecological traits and dietary breadth. In this study, we compiled a global dataset of 4190 snake species and applied phylogenetically informed models to examine how traits such as venom, litter size, reproductive mode, and biogeographical characteristics across their geographic ranges (temperature, precipitation, and NDVI) influence body size and dietary breadth. We found that larger body size was consistently associated with greater dietary breadth, larger litter sizes, warmer climate, and higher vegetation. Dietary breadth, as an ecological outcome shaped by intrinsic functional traits, increased with venom, higher litter size, colder climate, and broader range size, though these effects varied across genera. Trait-function relationships were also influenced by ecological conditions: Body size increased more pronouncedly with both higher dietary breadth and vegetation in invertebrate-aquatic predators; the reduction in dietary breadth associated with warmer climates was more pronounced in open-canopy than forest-dwelling species. These findings show that ecological factors drive trait evolution in snakes by influencing body size and shaping dietary breadth. Our results could provide implications for snake conservation under global change by identifying trait combinations (e.g., small body size, narrow dietary breadth, limited range) that may increase vulnerability to climate-driven range shifts and help prioritize vulnerable lineages for conservation.
Global Diversity Patterns in Anurans Are Determined by Terrestrial and Arboreal Species.
Wei P, Luo X, Pie MR … +3 more , Sucharitakul P, Zhou W, Yuan Z
Integr Zool · 2025 Aug · PMID 40838831 · Publisher ↗
Understanding the mechanisms shaping biodiversity distribution patterns is essential in ecology, and species distributions are closely influenced by environmental factors. Previous studies have often focused on taxonomic...
Understanding the mechanisms shaping biodiversity distribution patterns is essential in ecology, and species distributions are closely influenced by environmental factors. Previous studies have often focused on taxonomic levels, potentially overlooking important within-group ecological variations. Anurans, with six distinct ecotypes, each occupying unique habitats, serve as an ideal model to examine how environmental factors shape these ecotype-specific distributions. Here, we investigated the global distribution and environmental determinants of anuran ecotypes to reveal diversity patterns, assess their contributions to overall anuran richness, and identify key environmental drivers. Using microhabitat and geographic data from 6088 anuran species, we mapped the richness and relative richness of each ecotype and evaluated the correlation between ecotype distributions and overall anuran diversity. We further used a random forest model to analyze the impact of environmental factors on the distribution patterns of each ecotype. The results showed significant diversity and distributional differences across ecotypes. Terrestrial and arboreal species, comprising 38.44% and 41.19% of total richness, respectively, contributed strongly to anuran diversity patterns (correlation up to 0.96), while other ecotypes showed weaker correlations. The impacts of environmental factors varied across ecotypes and even had contrasting effects among them. Our findings underscore the importance of accounting for ecotype differences within taxa to accurately understand biodiversity distribution patterns, as environmental influences on anuran diversity are strongly ecotype-dependent.
Quantitative PCR Analysis of Haemosporidian Infection Intensity in a Temperate Bird Community.
Šujanová A, Špitalská E, Václav R
Integr Zool · 2026 Jan · PMID 40825580 · Publisher ↗
Avian haemosporidians are vector-borne parasites with complex transmission dynamics influenced by host ecology and environmental factors. Both prevalence and parasitemia are key measures in host-parasite studies. While p...
Avian haemosporidians are vector-borne parasites with complex transmission dynamics influenced by host ecology and environmental factors. Both prevalence and parasitemia are key measures in host-parasite studies. While prevalence reflects the proportion of infected individuals in a population, parasitemia provides insights into the intensity of infection within hosts, offering a different but complementary perspective. In this study, we used quantitative PCR (qPCR) to investigate seasonal and interannual variation in haemosporidian infection intensity among 266 individuals from six bird species in a temperate woodland in Slovakia over 3 years (2017-2019). We focused on the four most abundant taxonomic groups: Erithacus rubecula, Sylvia atricapilla, two parid species (Parus major, Cyanistes caeruleus), and two turdid species (Turdus merula, T. philomelos). Our results revealed distinct, taxon-specific seasonal trajectories. Turdid species showed similar unimodal summer peaks, whereas parids lacked early spring infections and exhibited a steady decline from summer to autumn. E. rubecula demonstrated a gradual increase across the season, while S. atricapilla showed a bimodal pattern with peaks in late spring and early autumn. Spring intensities were highest in 2017-2018, likely due to relapse or new infections, and lowest in 2019, coinciding with warmer and wetter conditions. These findings highlight how seasonal variation in environmental conditions, such as temperature and precipitation, interacts with host life history to shape infection intensity patterns. Our study emphasizes the importance of integrating ecological context with molecular tools to better understand haemosporidian dynamics in wild bird populations.
Treasure Chest in the Taxonomic Collection: Molecular Characterization and Redescription of Haemoproteus handai, with Insights into the Phylogenetic Relationship of Haemosporidian Parasites of Parrots (Psittaciformes).
Duc M, Iezhova T, Valkiūnas G … +2 more , Landau I, Duval L
Integr Zool · 2026 Jan · PMID 40825576 · Publisher ↗
Many species of avian haemosporidian parasites have been described before molecular assessment of the infections became available. This created a discrepancy between the number of parasite species described (∼300) and th...
Many species of avian haemosporidian parasites have been described before molecular assessment of the infections became available. This created a discrepancy between the number of parasite species described (∼300) and the available molecular information (∼5100 lineages), with numerous morphospecies having no molecular characterization and vice versa. Lethal disease was previously reported in parrots due to the abortive development of Haemoproteus species in muscular tissues. However, the disease etiology on the parasite species levels remains insufficiently understood. This study developed molecular characterization and redescription of Haemoproteus handai Maqsood, 1943 from a blossom-headed parakeet (Psittacula roseata Biwas, 1951) sampled in Thailand (1979) and deposited at the Museum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris, France. Blood smears and histological preparations were screened, and the cryopreserved blood was used for DNA extraction and PCR tests. The host species was confirmed, and a new cytochrome b lineage hPSIROS01 was found and attributed to H. handai. Tissue stages were present in the muscular tissues of the pectoral muscles, heart, and tongue. Parrot parasite lineages appeared in different clusters. Haemoproteus species present in the cluster with hPSIROS01 also developed tissue stages mostly in muscular tissues, suggesting that phylogenies based on the partial cytochrome b gene could be used to predict pathologies. More studies are necessary to further understand the patterns of Haemoproteus species development in parrots, particularly if the parrot haemoproteids would always develop in muscular tissues, and whether they are specific or not to parrots. We encourage researchers to deposit animal samples and their parasite samples in museum collections for future research.
Colour Morphs as Alternative Solutions to the Trade-Off Predicted by the Immuno-Competence Handicap Hypothesis.
Sacchi R, Coladonato AJ, Scali S … +3 more , Zuffi MAL, Palme R, Mangiacotti M
Integr Zool · 2026 May · PMID 40785443 · Full text
Colour morphs in polymorphic species are associated with a suite of heritable traits governed by distinct genetic loci, each corresponding to alternative fitness peaks. Hormonal pleiotropy has been proposed as a mechanis...
Colour morphs in polymorphic species are associated with a suite of heritable traits governed by distinct genetic loci, each corresponding to alternative fitness peaks. Hormonal pleiotropy has been proposed as a mechanism maintaining these morphs, though experimental evidence is lacking. In this study, we tested whether white and yellow morphs of the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) adopt alternative strategies shaped by the immuno-competence handicap hypotheses (ICHH). Specifically, we experimentally elevated plasma testosterone levels via transdermal administration and measured changes in (i) immune response using phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) swelling and (ii) the aggressive behaviour in response to a mirror test simulating territorial intrusion. We found that testosterone-induced immune suppression was stronger in white males, while aggression decreased in both morphs. Elevated testosterone eliminated the baseline differences between morphs in both immunity and aggression. These findings provide the first experimental support for morph-specific life-history strategies in common wall lizards, consistent with the ICHH: Yellow males prioritize aggression over immunity, while white males invest more in survival at the cost of competitiveness.
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