INSIDE JEB
REVIEW
- Molecular interactions underpinning the phenotype of hibernation in mammals
Summary: This Review covers recent advances in the molecular biology of hibernation with a focus on molecular interactions underlying the hibernation phenotype.
SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
- Do arthropods feel anxious during molts?
Highlighted Article: Molts impose developmental stress in crayfish, under the control of ecdysteroids, and cause transient light-avoidance behavior that has features characteristic of anxiety.
- Integration between swim speed and mouth size evolves repeatedly in Trinidadian guppies and aligns with suction-feeding fishes
Summary: Integration between swim speed and mouth size is absent in ancestral but present in derived populations of guppies, suggesting mechanisms for the evolution of integrated performance in fishes.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
- Appetitive behavior of the honey bee Apis mellifera in response to phenolic compounds naturally found in nectars
Summary: The effect of nectar flavonoids on the appetitive behavior of honey bees is proposed as a possible explanation for the previously reported differences in attractiveness between onion lines.
- Orienting to polarized light at night – matching lunar skylight to performance in a nocturnal beetle
Summary: A degree of polarization threshold for orientation behaviour is reported for nocturnal dung beetle Escarabaeus satyrus in the context of measurements showing changes in the degree of polarization of skylight with lunar phase.
- Interspecific variation in brain mitochondrial complex I and II capacity and ROS emission in marine sculpins
Summary: We show relationships between hypoxia tolerance and mitochondrial complex I and II flux capacities in marine sculpins that were not directly related to variation in ROS emission.
- Epidermal epidemic: unravelling the pathogenesis of chytridiomycosis
Summary: The cutaneous pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis directly disrupts cutaneous ion regulation in amphibians by increasing skin permeability and reducing sodium transporter activity and abundance.
- Lateral line sensitivity in free-swimming toadfish Opsanus tau
Highlighted Article: Contrary to previous hypotheses, lateral line neuromasts retain the ability to detect external stimuli during self-generated movement without efferent modulation.
- Gap perception in bumblebees
Highlighted Article: Bumblebees use parallax-based optic flow cues for gap perception and passability assessment when confronted with unexpected obstacles within their flight path.
- Dolphin echolocation behaviour during active long-range target approaches
Summary: Echolocating dolphins can use three modes of range-dependent click rate adjustment during long-range target approaches, and adjust click intensity with range, but not to perceive constant echo levels.
- Hif-1α paralogs play a role in the hypoxic ventilatory response of larval and adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Summary: Hif-1α impact in regulating the hypoxic ventilatory response, possibly via nitric oxide synthase, varies over development and is dependent on the type of hypoxic stress in zebrafish.
- No experimental evidence of stress-induced hyperthermia in zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Highlighted Article: A claim that zebrafish exhibit ‘emotional fever’, using behavioural thermoregulation to increase temperature in response to stress, was tested; no evidence was found for a stress-induced preference for warmer areas.
- Social stress increases plasma cortisol and reduces forebrain cell proliferation in subordinate male zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Summary: Elevated cortisol reduces cell proliferation in the telencephalon of socially subordinate male, but not female, zebrafish.
- The respiratory mechanics of the yacare caiman (Caiman yacare)
Summary: The respiratory system of the caiman stiffens during development. Most of the work of breathing overcomes elastic forces and increases during submergence. Flow resistance plays a significant role at higher ventilation frequencies.
- AMGSEFLamide, a member of a broadly conserved peptide family, modulates multiple neural networks in Homarus americanus
Summary: A recently identified arthropod neuropeptide family is highly conserved within the crustaceans; one family member (AMGSEFLamide), which is highly conserved within the decapods, potently modulates three motor-pattern-generating circuits.
- Comparison of spatiotemporal gait characteristics between vertical climbing and horizontal walking in primates
Summary: Gait characteristics of horizontal arboreal walking and vertical climbing differ from each other in important mechanical ways. The results presented here further emphasize high levels of gait flexibility in arboreal animals.
- A gyroscopic advantage: phylogenetic patterns of compensatory movements in frogs
Summary: This article provides the first comparative study exploring the head compensatory movements of Anura in an ecomorphological context, revealing elevated compensatory abilities in the Natatanura clade that could provide a gyroscopic advantage.
- The function of the ophiuroid nerve ring: how a decentralized nervous system controls coordinated locomotion
Summary: In vivo experiments reveal the role of the nerve ring in ophiuroid locomotion and provide critical insight into how their decentralized nervous system functions.
- Caught red-handed: behaviour of brood thieves in an Indian ant
Summary: The simple rules of engagement between victims and thieves are revealed by catching ant thieves red-handed and investigating their behaviour.
- Phenotypic flexibility in respiratory traits is associated with improved aerial respiration in an amphibious fish out of water
Highlighted Article: The amphibious fish Kryptolebias marmoratus rapidly increases hematocrit and cutaneous angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels) in response to aerial acclimation, which results in improved respiratory performance out of water.
- The locomotor kinematics and ground reaction forces of walking giraffes
Highlighted Article: Giraffes have extreme limb and neck proportions. Despite this specialised anatomy, analysis of giraffes' forces and motions during walking reveals surprising similarities with other mammalian quadrupeds.
- Encoding lateralization of jump kinematics and eye use in a locust via bio-robotic artifacts
Summary: Encoding the jumping escape direction and surveillance orientation in young and adult Locusta migratoria as an adaptive consequence of prior exposure to directional-biased predator approaches generated by a biomimetic robot.
- Changes of gene expression but not cytosine methylation are associated with male parental care reflecting behavioural state, social context and individual flexibility
Summary: Behavioural state has more influence on gene expression than social context or individual flexibility during a transition to parental care, whereas cytosine methylation is not associated with differential gene expression.
- Object features and T4/T5 motion detectors modulate the dynamics of bar tracking by Drosophila
Summary: Flies orient toward the vertical edges of landscape objects. Luminance contrast and relative motion drive different components of object-tracking behavior, segregated by motion-detection circuitry.
- Effectiveness and efficiency of two distinct mechanisms for take-off in a derbid planthopper insect
Summary: A derbid planthopper uses two distinct take-off mechanisms; one fast (take-off velocity of 1.7 m s−1) propelled by the hind legs and the second six times slower, propelled by wing beating.
- The influence of added mass on muscle activation and contractile mechanics during submaximal and maximal countermovement jumping in humans
Summary: Human jumping with added mass favours ankle work output because of enhanced contractile conditions of the calf muscles, resulting from an increased inertial resistance and interaction with an elastic tendon.
This issue
Other journals from The Company of Biologists
Opportunities during challenging times
Editor-in-Chief Hans Hoppeler and Monitoring Editor Craig Franklin highlight new initiatives at JEB in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. To continue advancing knowledge in the field, we are encouraging proposals for meta-analysis papers and timely Reviews and Commentaries within the JEB remit. New grant categories analogous to the Travelling Fellowships will fund collaborative data projects and the development of online resources for early-career researchers. Read their Editorial to find out more.
Cross-referee commenting
We are pleased to announce that JEB has expanded its peer review process to include cross-referee commenting. Read our News item for further details.
The OxymiR response to oxygen limitation
In their Review, Hanane Hadj-Moussa and Ken Storey assess OxymiRs in over 20 animal species. They reveal a lack of universal microRNA strategy, showing that instead there are species-specific responses to oxygen deprivation.
IReL joins The Company of Biologists Read & Publish deals
Researchers at nine institutions in Ireland can now publish an unlimited number of Open Access articles in JEB, immediately and at no cost to them, following a three-year Read & Publish agreement between The Company of Biologists and IReL. Find out more and see the growing list of participating institutions.
The Big Biology Podcast with Doug Fudge
Tune in to the latest JEB-sponsored episode of the Big Biology podcast. Art Woods and Marty Martin talk to Doug Fudge about all things slime as they discuss the hagfish and its slimy superpower.