INSIDE JEB
SHORT COMMUNICATION
- Ammonia first? The transition from cutaneous to branchial ammonia excretion in developing rainbow trout is not altered by exposure to chronically high NaCl
Summary: Rearing larval rainbow trout in high NaCl reveals support for the ‘ammonia hypothesis’, which posits that ammonia excretion is the earliest gill function over development and may drive gill ontogeny.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
- Warm acclimation and oxygen depletion induce species-specific responses in salmonids
Summary: Overnight hypoxia combined with warm acclimation increases the hypoxia tolerance of salmonids while upper critical temperature is reduced in a species-specific manner.
- Characterization of the target of ivermectin, the glutamate-gated chloride channel, from Anopheles gambiae
Highlighted Article: The target of ivermectin, the glutamate-gated chloride channel, has four splice isoforms that are expressed in neuronal tissues in the head and thorax of A. gambiae across various physiological states.
- Mosquitocidal properties of IgG targeting the glutamate-gated chloride channel in three mosquito disease vectors (Diptera: Culicidae)
Highlighted Article: Antibodies against the glutamate-gated chloride channel of A. gambiae reduce the survivorship of three mosquito disease vectors.
- Intraspecific metabolic scaling exponent depends on red blood cell size in fishes
Summary: An integrative mechanism of metabolic scaling is proposed: species with a larger cell size have a smaller metabolic scaling exponent as they face more pronounced surface/volume limits.
- The potential effects of climate-change-associated temperature increases on the metabolic rate of a small Afrotropical bird
Summary: The physiological flexibility of Cape white-eyes will aid them in coping with the 4°C increase predicted for their range by 2080.
- Eye-independent, light-activated chromatophore expansion (LACE) and expression of phototransduction genes in the skin of Octopus bimaculoides
Highlighted Article: Octopus skin senses light independent of the eyes, causing chromatophores in the skin to expand, probably via the same r-opsin phototransduction genes used for vision.
- Transcranial light affects plasma monoamine levels and expression of brain encephalopsin in the mouse
Summary: Light exposure via ear canals has a significant effect on brain encephalopsin expression and plasma and adrenal gland monoamine production in the mouse.
- Burrowing by small polychaetes – mechanics, behavior and muscle structure of Capitella sp.
Summary: Even very small polychaetes can extend burrows through muds by fracture; helical muscles may enable worms to apply larger radial forces, facilitating burrow extension by fracture.
- Controlled feeding trials with ungulates: a new application of in vivo dental molding to assess the abrasive factors of microwear
Summary: Controlled feeding trials illustrate the effects of exogenous grit on the microscopic tooth wear of hoofed mammals, with implications for paleoecological analyses.
- Dynamic digestive physiology of a female reproductive organ in a polyandrous butterfly
Highlighted article: The bursa copulatrix, a female reproductive organ that processes the male ejaculate in butterflies and moths, exhibits extreme state-dependent proteolytic activity using a complement of nine highly expressed proteases.
- Spectral sensitivity of cone photoreceptors and opsin expression in two colour-divergent lineages of the lizard Ctenophorus decresii
Summary: Microspectrophotometry and opsin expression reveals four single cone classes without intraspecific differentiation, providing the first evidence of UV sensitivity in agamid lizards.
- Visual acuity trade-offs and microhabitat-driven adaptation of searching behaviour in psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea: Aphalaridae)
Summary: Morphological and behavioural estimations of psyllid visual acuity suggest that varying needs of species for movement in relation to microhabitat preference mediate trade-offs between light sensitivity and spatial resolution.
- Diversity and evolution of sound production in the social behavior of Chaetodon butterflyfishes
Summary: Butterflyfishes produce a diversity of high- and low-frequency sounds for social communication in their noisy coral reef environment.
- Sound pressure enhances the hearing sensitivity of Chaetodon butterflyfishes on noisy coral reefs
Summary: Butterflyfish detect sound pressure to enhance hearing and aid social communication in a noisy environment.
- Visual phototransduction components in cephalopod chromatophores suggest dermal photoreception
Highlighted Article: Squid and cuttlefish skin chromatophores contain rhodopsin, Gqα and sTRP channels, which are necessary components for photoreception.
- The lateral line is necessary for blind cavefish rheotaxis in non-uniform flow
Summary: Flow characteristics impact the degree to which fish rely on lateral line information for rheotaxis.
This issue
Other journals from The Company of Biologists
The Company of Biologists commits to the Transformative Journal approach
The Company of Biologists is the first not-for-profit publisher to commit to this approach. The Company's three hybrid journals - Development, Journal of Cell Science and Journal of Experimental Biology - have chosen the 'transformative' route towards Open Access. Find out more in this interview with Claire Moulton, Publisher at The Company of Biologists and on our dedicated Transformative Journals page.
Handing over the reins
The start of August signals a change for Journal of Experimental Biology as we say a fond farewell to Editor-in-Chief of 25 years Hans Hoppeler and extend a warm welcome to his successor, Craig Franklin.
Minute mecysmaucheniid spider triggers fastest trap-jaws
Research by Hannah Wood shows that Zearchaea spiders use a spring loaded catapult mechanism to slam closed the fastest spider jaws on the planet, at an astonishing speed of 18.2 m s−1.
In the field: an interview with Sandra Binning and Dominique Roche
Together, Sandra Binning and Dominique Roche investigate how animals respond to environmental stress. In an interview, they talk about taking their children into the field and keeping safe while working in marine locations.
Surviving anoxia: the maintenance of energy production and tissue integrity during anoxia and reoxygenation
In their Review, Georgina Cox and Todd Gillis use knowledge gained from studies of anoxia-tolerant species to identify common strategies and novel solutions for the challenges of anoxia exposure.