BMC Zoology最新文献

{"title":"Sexual size dimorphism and morphological sex determination in the Yellow-browed Bunting (Emberiza chrysophrys).","authors":"Seyoung Park, Hyun-Young Nam, Hwayeon Kang, Seulgi Seo, Sejeong Han, Chang-Yong Choi","doi":"10.1186/s40850-025-00247-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-025-00247-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: Sex-differential migration patterns may coevolve with sexual size dimorphism, and reliable field sexing is necessary to understand this relationship. At stopover sites near the wintering grounds, Yellow-browed Buntings (Emberiza chrysophrys) exhibit relatively low levels of protandry and sexual size dimorphism among bunting species. Plumage-based criteria for this species are further complicated at autumn stopovers, where molt progression varies, and the difficulty of sexing and ageing can vary across sites and seasons. Although sexual size dimorphism (SSD) in this species has been reported, morphological sexing has not been validated with molecular methods, and large-scale ringing programs are unable to feasibly genotype all individuals. We therefore aimed to quantify SSD and develop practical morphometric discriminant functions using molecularly validated sex determinations, thereby enabling a better assessment of sex differential migration patterns and their relationship with morphology in this species. RESULTS: We measured 50 migratory first-year Yellow-browed Buntings captured during autumn stopover on Daecheong Island, South Korea, and confirmed sex through molecular assays. Among the 50 first-year birds (24 males, 26 females), sexual size dimorphism was strongest in wing length (Cohen’s d = 3.00) and tail length (d = 2.11). For discriminant function analysis, a simplified wing-only model (D0) achieved 92.0% leave-one-out cross-validation accuracy, as did the wing-and-tail model (D2) and the stepwise-selected model (D3, wing-only). All models relied principally on wing length as the primary discriminator. CONCLUSIONS: These morphometric discriminant functions enable accurate, rapid sexing of Yellow-browed Buntings in the field without genetic testing. They facilitate demographic monitoring and sex-specific ecological studies at stopover sites and can be applied to individuals with ambiguous field identification characteristics, thereby improving our understanding of sex differential migration patterns and their coevolutionary relationship with morphology in Yellow-browed Buntings. </p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"10 1","pages":"26"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12683813/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145709670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic diversity assessment of Camelus ferus based on CYTB gene and D-loop region.","authors":"Fengxin Chen, Jinming Yu, Jia Sun, Weiliang Wang, Kaiping Liu, Tianyun Hao, Cunyuan Li, Wei Ni, Shengwei Hu","doi":"10.1186/s40850-025-00249-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-025-00249-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The wild camel (Camelus ferus) is a globally endangered species, and China has the largest number of wild camels. To determine the current level of genetic diversity of wild camels in various protected areas in China, we collected 30 samples of wild camel feces or tissue (individuals that had died naturally) from the Lop Nur Wild Camel National Nature Reserve, the Annanba Reserve, and the Wuwei Endangered Animal Protection Center.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We obtained mitochondrial CYTB and D-loop sequences of the wild camels and conducted various genetic diversity analyses. The level of genetic diversity among the three groups of wild camels was in the order Lop Nur > Wuwei > Annanba. Three phylogenetic tree (NJ, BI, and ML) using the sequences of both genes indicated that the Annanba samples and some individuals from Lop Nur belonged to the same clade.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings reveal a distinct genetic structure among the reserves and underscore that, despite conservation successes in restoring population numbers, targeted genetic management is crucial to mitigate the risks of genetic erosion and preserve the long-term evolutionary potential of this critically endangered species.</p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":" ","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12763999/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145641582","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A new nuclear marker, the \"VKORC1 gene exon 3 region\", for the identification of Anatolian Rattus spp.","authors":"Derya Çetintürk, Mustafa Türker Duman, Nuri Yiğit","doi":"10.1186/s40850-025-00245-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-025-00245-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this study, exons 1, 2, and 3 of the vitamin K epoxide reductase complex subunit 1 (VKORC1) gene, which has been used to indicate anticoagulant rodenticide resistance, were analyzed to investigate whether it is an effective marker for the differentiation of black rats (Rattus rattus Linnaeus, 1758) and brown rats (Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout, 1769) distributed in Anatolia. Although cranial and karyological features distinguish these rat species, morphological discrimination is difficult due to the color variations. In this context, on the basis of the data obtained from genetic diversity values, genetic distance values, Bayesian MCMC dendrograms and Median-joining TCS networks, the Exon 3 region of the VKORC1 gene was determined to function in the discrimination of black and brown rat samples, whereas the Exons 1 and 2 regions did not separate the rat samples via phylogenetic approaches. The results proved that the sequences of the VKORC1 gene in the Exon 3 region are useful as a genetic marker alongside mitochondrial and other nuclear markers for identifying both rat species.</p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"10 1","pages":"24"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12613465/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145514726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring sugarcane bagasse; an economical and eco-friendly alternative feed for red palm weevil larvae rearing under laboratory conditions.","authors":"Mureed Husain, Khawaja G Rasool, Khalid Mehmood, Waleed S Alwaneen, Abdulrahman S Aldawood","doi":"10.1186/s40850-025-00244-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-025-00244-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rearing red palm weevil (RPW) larvae without palm fronds is a tough, expensive, and time-consuming task. The present study purpose was to produce a sugarcane bagasse-based semi-artificial diet for the rearing of RPW larvae in the laboratory for scientific experimental studies or pesticide bioassays. The sugarcane bagasse is very economical, simple in preparation, having longer shelf life, and fully supporting the nutritional requirements of RPW larval stages for proper growth and development. Sugarcane bagasse based semi-artificial diet was consisting of sugarcane bagasse, corn flour, wheat flour, distillate water as primary components, and potassium benzoate, sorbic acid, and ascorbic acid as preservatives while agar was added to give good texture. All the ingredients were mixed together with a specific composition. The neonates were fed with the prepared diet and placed in a controlled environmental condition at 25 °C, 70 ± 5% RH, on a 12:12 h (light: dark) photoperiod. The detailed biological parameters were observed and data was recorded. The RPW larvae reared on present diet successfully completed their larval stages and reached to the pupal stage after passing 11 larval instars. Larvae feed on present diet grow vigorously and maximum larval weight 6.25 g was attained in 9th larval instar. After 9th instar larval weight reduced until pupation. Average larval duration was recorded 53.16 days. The RPW reared on present diet laid maximum 112.2 eggs in 110.8-days of oviposition period with 90.7% hatchability. The present sugarcane bagasse based semi-artificial diet is quite capable of supporting RPW larvae for the successful completion of their growth and development.</p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"10 1","pages":"23"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12590623/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145459882","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trophic niche of invasive murid rodents in urban and peri-urban areas in South Africa: insights from stable isotope analysis.","authors":"Gordon V Ringani, Christian T Chimimba, Christian W W Pirk, Tsungai A Zengeya","doi":"10.1186/s40850-025-00243-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-025-00243-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>There are three invasive Rattus species (R. norvegicus, R. rattus, R. tanezumi) that are known to occur in South Africa. The three Rattus species are widespread in urban and peri-urban areas where they have had a significant impact on human health, infrastructure, and biodiversity. There is, however, limited information on their trophic ecology and on how factors that affect access to, and utilization of, food resources facilitate successful establishment. This study applied stable isotope analysis (SIA) to assess the trophic niches of the three Rattus species across selected urban and peri-urban landscapes in Gauteng Province. The three Rattus species occurred allopatrically: R. norvegicus in urban areas (Alexandra and Tembisa townships), R. rattus in the peri-urban University of Pretoria Experimental Farm, and R. tanezumi in peri-urban areas near Hammanskraal. Rattus tanezumi and R. rattus exploited broader food resources in peri-urban areas that are used for agricultural activities, while R. norvegicus had a more restricted niche in urban environments. Niche breadth expanded in summer, reflecting seasonal food availability, while sex- and age-related differences suggested subtle differences in feeding strategies, although the results were inconsistent across species and sites. Although some limitations, such as the fact that the three Rattus species were sampled in allopatry and missing baseline resources constrained interpretation, the study provides insights into how invasive rats adapt to different environments. Future research combining stable isotope analysis with long-term monitoring data will be essential to clarify niche partitioning and guide effective management of invasive rat populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"10 1","pages":"22"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12574308/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145410525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigation of depression-like phenotypes and their behavioral correlates in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis).","authors":"Wei Li, Li Huang, Shi-Gang Liu, Jun Tang","doi":"10.1186/s40850-025-00242-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-025-00242-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: The global burden of depression is heavy, with unclear pathogenesis, relying on animal models for researching neural mechanisms and treatments. Existing rodent models lack social attributes, while non-human primate models (such as the natural depression model in cynomolgus monkeys) are closer to human social stress scenarios. Previously, the screening of natural depression models in cynomolgus monkeys was unvalidated and their causes were unclear. This study constructs a cynomolgus monkey community by simulating wild environments, records social behaviors, and explores the causes of their natural depression-like behaviors, analyzes their correlations with exploratory/social behaviors, providing behavioral evidence for phenotype-behavior links in this model. RESULTS: The conflict behaviors in the community were recorded to develop a conflict behaviors matrix, and the behaviors of all individuals were monitored by using the focus observation method. The analysis entailed two complementary approaches: (1) recording and analyzing ten behaviors across ten observation time slots for depressive individuals (defined by persistent core depression-like behaviors: crouching, head-bowing, and slumped posture with open eyes); and (2) comparing high- and low-ranking groups to identify social stressors driving these behaviors. The David Scoring (DS) scores of the animals were determined based on the record of conflict behaviors in the community. The individuals were divided into high- and low-ranking groups, and the daily behaviors of the two groups were analyzed. The results showed statistically significant differences in depression behaviors, anxious behaviors, and motor behaviors among the monkeys. Further, individuals with depression behaviors exhibited drastically lower capability in exploration and social interaction. Additionally, social frustration stress responses induced by inter- and intra-community conflict behaviors may account for this behavior in the cynomolgus monkey model of natural depression. CONCLUSIONS: The natural depression model of caged Macaca fascicularis is a social defeat model induced by yield-attack behavior. </p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"10 1","pages":"21"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12529834/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145309523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The physiological response of the Arctic key species Polar cod, Boreogadus saida, to hypoxia in a warming ocean: critical oxygen levels and swimming performance.","authors":"Sarah Kempf, Carolin Julie Neven, Alexander Timpe, Félix P Leiva, Brad Seibel, Felix Christopher Mark","doi":"10.1186/s40850-025-00241-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-025-00241-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Global warming has already caused a loss of nearly 50% Arctic sea-ice coverage since the 1980s. This sea-ice loss strengthens summer stratification of the ocean’s water column and, consequently, hypoxic zones may form in the deep-water layers. Our study investigated the response of an Arctic keystone species, the Polar cod, Boreogadus saida, to hypoxia and warming. We measured the metabolic capacity (standard, routine and maximum metabolic rates, aerobic scope, and critical oxygen saturations (Pcrit and Pcmax)) and swimming performance of Polar cod under progressive hypoxia at 2 °C and after warm acclimation at 10 °C using intermittent-flow and swim tunnel respirometry. We observed stable patterns that were similar in both temperatures: Polar cod displayed oxygen-regulating behaviour under progressive hypoxia, with standard metabolic rates never below aerobic baseline metabolism at 2 °C and a very stable aerobic scope for both temperatures. Our study revealed that Polar cod can handle oxygen saturations down to a Pcrit of 12.56 ± 1.59% air saturation at typical habitat temperatures. At 10 °C, Pcrit rose to 24.37 ± 1.65% air saturation. We suggest that low-oxygen areas could potentially serve as protective zones for Polar cod for the next decades as long as bottom water temperatures still remain cold in summer. However, since hypoxia tolerance will decrease with warmer temperatures, this physiological advantage over invading species and predators will be progressively lost.</p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"10 1","pages":"20"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12514829/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145276464","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The population ecology and habitat relationships of Grant's gazelle (Nanger granti Brooke, 1872) in the Lamo Forest and the adjacent fragmented forests in South Central Ethiopia.","authors":"Taye Dobamo, Zewde Achiso","doi":"10.1186/s40850-025-00240-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-025-00240-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: A population ecology study of Grant’s gazelle (Nanger granti) was conducted in Lamo Forest and adjacent fragmented forests in South Central Ethiopia between September 2023 and August 2024. Despite limited research on Grant’s gazelle in Ethiopia, our study aimed to investigate their population ecology and habitat associations during both dry and wet seasons. Population size was estimated using line-transect distance sampling method, while habitat association was assessed by analysing herd and individual abundance across different habitats. RESULT: Estimated Grant’s gazelle herds in the study area comprised 185 with a mean density of 12.7 ± 3.2 individual’s/km2. The gazelle population was estimated to be 1,140 individuals in 2023 (with a range of 780 to 1,667) and 920 individuals in 2024 (with a range of 812 to 1,722). Population density, abundance, and structure exhibited variability across habitats and seasons. More gazelles were observed during the wet season compared to the dry season. The study revealed a female-biased sex ratio, suggesting favourable prospects for future population growth. Grasslands were the preferred habitat for Grant’s gazelles, indicating a strong association with this habitat in the area. Gazelles primarily consumed Chrysopogon aucheri, Brachiaria lachnantha, and Ischaemum afrum. CONCLUSION: Understanding the species autecology is vital for developing an effective, integrated conservation strategy and underscore the need for continued monitoring and habitat management to ensure the long-term viability of Grant’s gazelle populations. It is recommended to implement regular monitoring, protect key habitats, assess other ecological aspects (activity pattern, behaviors), manage fragmentation, and engage stakeholders to ensure the long-term conservation and viability of Grant’s gazelle populations. </p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"10 1","pages":"19"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12482819/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145193502","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The first complete mitochondrial genome of Zu cristatus (Bonelli, 1819) sheds new light on its phylogenetic position and molecular evolution.","authors":"Marco Albano, Domenico Giosa, Jorge Manuel de Oliveira Fernandes, Serena Savoca, Andrea Bonomo, Letterio Giuffrè, Partha Sarathi Tripathy, Orazio Romeo, Nunziacarla Spanò, Gioele Capillo","doi":"10.1186/s40850-025-00238-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-025-00238-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Fishes are key components of the megafauna of the deep sea, and evolutionary adaptations to deep-sea life appear to have occurred independently in at least 22 fish orders. In this context, the analysis of even more fish genomes and mitogenomes has fundamental importance, providing a valuable resource for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying evolutionary adaptation, especially to extreme environments such as the deep sea. Here, we report the first complete mitochondrial genome of Zu cristatus (Bonelli, 1819), providing essential information on its structure and phylogeny.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After sequencing on the Illumina HiSeq 4000 platform, processing, and assembly via MitoFinder software v.1.4.1, a single circular mtDNA molecule of 17,450 bp in length was annotated. A total of 37 genes were identified, including the first D-loop region for this species. The asymmetry for both AT skews and GC skews is negative, and the AT content is 56.4%. We also detected the presence of 15 small, noncoding, intergenic nucleotide (IGN) regions and some rare stop codons in bony fishes. Pairwise distance and phylogenetic analyses against a list of other mitochondrial sequences from 42 bony fishes confirmed the current phylogeny with previously related orders. EasycodeML analysis revealed that only 4 PCGs underwent positive selection. New questions about the phylogeny of Lampriformes emerged from our phylogenetic analyses of Lampriformes COI.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Overall, the findings of this study highlight the need to elucidate the genetic features of bony fishes in relation to their deep-sea adaptation, with a focus on rare and interesting species.</p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"10 1","pages":"18"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12395869/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144974875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"New Miocene litoptern remains from Colombia and ecological structure of American Neogene herbivore guilds.","authors":"Andrew J McGrath, Darin A Croft, Juan D Carrillo, M Gabriela Suárez, Andres Vanegas, Siobhan B Cooke, Andres Link","doi":"10.1186/s40850-025-00232-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-025-00232-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: The Middle Miocene fauna of La Venta, Colombia, offers a grand opportunity to understand low-latitude South American ecosystems prior to the late Cenozoic Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI). We present new material of two proterotheriid litopterns, Villarroelia totoyoi and Mesolicaphrium sanalfonense, and a macraucheniid litoptern, Theosodon, from La Venta. During the GABI, North and South American faunas intermixed, after which some lineages proliferated and others died out. We conducted an ecomorphological analysis of 11 North and South American faunas pre-dating and post-dating the GABI by scoring all mid- to large-sized mammalian herbivores on their body size, tooth morphology, and feeding height. RESULTS: The fossils studied here offer new information on the deciduous dentition of M. sanalfonense and mandible of the La Venta Theosodon. Pre-GABI South American faunas were more ecomorphologically diverse than their North American counterparts. The post-GABI Pleistocene fauna exhibited similar ecomorphological diversity to pre-GABI South American faunas, but modern faunas show this diversity was mostly lost in the end-Pleistocene extinctions. CONCLUSIONS: The new litoptern fossils provide previously unknown information on these species’ morphology, but they do not resolve outstanding systematic and phylogenetic questions. Discrepancies in ecomorphological diversity between pre-GABI North and South American faunas is attributable to the presence of small, high-feeding (arboreal) taxa and hypselodont (ever-growing cheek teeth) taxa in South America, which North America lacked. Arboreal herbivores (porcupines and primates) experienced some success in North America after dispersing during the GABI. Although hypselodont xenarthrans were successful in post-GABI North America, the fact that most other hypselodont lineages went extinct during and after the GABI suggests that dental morphology may not fully capture the ecomorphological diversity in diet of North American herbivores. Future studies could examine faunas immediately before and after the GABI to uncover the precise dynamics of the interchange and why certain lineages succeeded while others failed. </p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"10 1","pages":"17"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12366096/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144974854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}