INSIDE JEB
EDITORIAL
REVIEW
- Feedback to the future: motor neuron contributions to central pattern generator function
Summary: Motor neurons relay signals from the brain and spinal cord to muscles that perform behaviors. However, studies across phyla indicate that motor neurons also contribute to the function of pattern-generating circuits.
METHODS & TECHNIQUES
- Augmenting biologging with supervised machine learning to study in situ behavior of the medusa Chrysaora fuscescens
Summary: High-resolution motion sensors paired with supervised machine learning can be used to infer fine-scale in situ behavior of zooplankton over long durations.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
- CB1 and CB2 receptors play differential roles in early zebrafish locomotor development
Summary: The endocannabinoid system in zebrafish is pivotal to the development of the locomotor system, and perturbations of the system early in life alter morphology, locomotion and development of motor neurons.
- Streak formation in flow over biomimetic fish scale arrays
Summary: Fish scale arrays produce steady laminar streaks inside the boundary layer of the fish, which reduces the skin friction drag and could delay transition.
- Developmental effects of heatwave conditions on the early life stages of a coral reef fish
Summary: Juvenile damselfish exposed in early life to a sufficient duration of heatwave conditions are smaller in size but have better predator-escape performance.
- Ground reaction forces of overground galloping in ridden Thoroughbred racehorses
Summary: Forces experienced by the limbs of racehorses during galloping increase with speed, concomitant with predictions from duty factor, though show an approximate 50:50 front:back impulse distribution, suggesting symmetry may be beneficial for injury avoidance.
- Aimed limb movements in a hemimetabolous insect are intrinsically compensated for allometric wing growth by developmental mechanisms
Highlighted Article: A developmentally programmed change in the scratching movements of locusts permits adult animals to aim their movements at new wing tip targets, without learning.
- Effects of natural wing damage on flight performance in Morpho butterflies: what can it tell us about wing shape evolution?
Summary: Investigation of natural wing damage in Morpho butterflies shows that flight performance depends on damage location, indicating that different wing parts play different roles during flight.
- The distinct phenotypic signatures of dispersal and stress in an arthropod model: from physiology to life history
Summary: Physiological and life-history differences between dispersers and residents in a model mite are independent from stress responses, but may explain their success in different contexts.
- Thermal acclimation and seasonal acclimatization: a comparative study of cardiac response to prolonged temperature change in shorthorn sculpin
Highlighted Article: The effects of seasonal acclimatization on cardiac responses to low temperatures are stronger than those of acclimation to similar temperatures in laboratory conditions, highlighting the importance of seasonal cues for cardiac remodelling in a eurythermal fish.
- Context-dependent biosonar adjustments during active target approaches in echolocating harbour porpoises
Highlighted Article: Porpoises performing target approaches adjust biosonar outputs and clicking rates differently depending on the environment, thus highlighting context as an important factor to consider in addition to range-dependent biosonar adjustments.
- Soft-surface grasping: radular opening in Aplysia californica
Summary: Newly described muscle fibers control a soft, flexible surface that the marine slug Aplysia californica uses to feed on seaweed, suggesting a novel mechanism for constructing a soft grasping device.
- Behavioural responses to video and live presentations of females reveal a dissociation between performance and motivational aspects of birdsong
Summary: Zebra finches are less motivated to court videos of females than live females, but courtship songs to these stimuli are similar in performance, suggesting a dissociation between motivation and performance.
- Regulation of blood flow in the pulmonary and systemic circuits during submerged swimming in common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina)
Summary: In common snapping turtles, beta-adrenergic stimulation increases heart rate during swimming and surfacing, whereas vagal withdrawal facilitates a systemic to pulmonary shunt during swimming.
- The effects of target contrast on Drosophila courtship
Summary: Typically, contrast is thought to mediate visual saliency, but surprisingly, when presented with fly-sized, painted objects, male Drosophila melanogaster strongly preferred courting low-contrast, gray targets.
- Ontogenetic change in predicted acoustic pressure sensitivity in larval red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus)
Summary: Computed tomography imagery in a finite-element model predicts that larval fishes detect acoustic pressure but that this pressure sensitivity declines ontogenetically, likely altering the detection and use of acoustic cues.
- Ontogeny of effective mechanical advantage in eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus)
Editors' Choice: Hindlimb muscle leverage declines during growth in cottontail rabbits, likely promoting increased locomotor performance during the precarious juvenile period of life history.
This issue
Other journals from The Company of Biologists
Editorial - The changing of the guard
In his Editorial, Hans Hoppeler announces that he will be stepping down as Editor-in-Chief of JEB in July 2020. He reflects on the history of JEB, why he has enjoyed his tenure as JEB’s Editor-in-Chief and the recent developments in the publishing world.
Editors’ choice – Ontogeny of effective mechanical advantage in eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus)
Jesse Young and his team show that young eastern cottontail rabbits have shorter limbs relative to their size than older rabbits. These shorter limbs amplify forces more, allowing the youngsters to accelerate faster during getaways, and thus promote survival.
Motor neurons relay signals from the brain and spinal cord to muscles that perform behaviours. In their Review, Charlotte Barkan and Erik Zornik discuss an additional function of motor neurons: their contribution to the function of pattern-generating circuits.
Gall midge larvae don't have legs, but that doesn't stop them leaping when they need a quick getaway. Sheila Patek and her team show that larvae latch their front ends to their rears and press down on the back half to push off for a spectacular leap. Read their full research article here.
The Peter Baker Fellowship is for post-doctoral scientists interested in marine biology research, especially physiological research. It will provide living and travel expenses (up to £3,000) to spend approximately two months working at the Laboratory of the Marine Biological Association, Plymouth, at any time of the year. Bench fees will be waived and a small sum may be available to assist with research expenses. This fund is held in trust by the Physiological Society, The Company of Biologists and the Marine Biological Association. Application deadline: 31 January 2020.
Journal of Experimental Biology is pleased to announce a new partnership with Publons! This allows reviewers to easily track and verify every review by choosing to add the review to their Publons profile when completing the review submission form. Publons also makes it simple for reviewers to showcase their peer review contributions in a format that can be included in job and funding applications (without breaking reviewer anonymity). Read the official announcement here!
The Company of Biologists provides grants to fund scientific meetings, workshops and conferences in the fields covered by our journals. Typically, meetings with fewer than 100 people may be granted up to £2,000, increasing up to £6,000 for about 400 people. The next deadline to apply is 28 November 2019.
preLights - Vascular Expression of Hemoglobin Alpha in Antarctic Icefish Supports Iron Limitation as Novel Evolutionary Driver
Charlotte Nelson highlights a preprint from Brant Isakson’s lab, who tested whether low iron availability may have influenced speciation in Antarctic icefish of the family Channichthyidae.