The Science of Nature最新文献_第6页

Ant-following behavior is correlated with plumage traits in African understory birds 非洲林下鸟类的追蚁行为与羽色特征相关。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-07-30 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01927-3

Matthias Waltert, Janina Klug, Francis Njie Motombi, Benjamin Cejp, Kadiri Serge Bobo, Mahmood Soofi, Marcell K. Peters

{"title":"Ant-following behavior is correlated with plumage traits in African understory birds","authors":"Matthias Waltert, Janina Klug, Francis Njie Motombi, Benjamin Cejp, Kadiri Serge Bobo, Mahmood Soofi, Marcell K. Peters","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01927-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-024-01927-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div>Ant-following behavior is a common phenomenon in birds of Neotropical and Afrotropical rainforests but yet little is known from Central Africa. We here report on the phenomenon in lowland rainforest in Cameroon, quantifying the strength of the interaction of different ant-following bird species with driver ants and test the hypothesis that higher levels of specialization in ant-following behavior are associated with dominance or aggression-dependent plumage and other morphological traits. Flock size varied between 1 and 11 individuals with a mean size of 5.34 ± 2.68 (mean ± SD) individuals occurring at the same time. The maximum number of species present during one raid observed was ten, whereas the minimum number was four with an overall species richness of 6.89 ± 2.1 species. The 21 attending bird species strongly varied in the degree of ant-following behavior. In an interspecific comparison, plumage traits such as the presence of a colored crown, eyespots, and bare skin around the eye, in combination with metatarsus length and weight, were significantly correlated with ant-following behavior. These results suggest that—in size and identity of species—ant-following bird assemblages in Central Africa are similar to those reported from East Africa. They also suggest that ant following favors the selection of traits that signal dominance in interactions between individuals struggling for valuable food resources in the forest understory.</div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"111 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11289350/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141854493","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}

引用次数: 0

A seabird’s eye view: visual fields of some seabirds (Laridae and Procellariidae) from tropical latitudes 海鸟的视角：热带地区一些海鸟（鸻科和疣鼻鱼科）的视野。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-07-17 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01926-4

Eleanor A. Lucas, Graham R. Martin, Gérard Rocamora, Steven J. Portugal

{"title":"A seabird’s eye view: visual fields of some seabirds (Laridae and Procellariidae) from tropical latitudes","authors":"Eleanor A. Lucas, Graham R. Martin, Gérard Rocamora, Steven J. Portugal","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01926-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-024-01926-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div>The visual field of a bird defines the amount of information that can be extracted from the environment around it, using the eyes. Previous visual field research has left large phylogenetic gaps, where tropical bird species have been comparatively understudied. Using the ophthalmoscopic technique, we measured the visual fields of seven tropical seabird species, to understand what are the primary determinants of their visual fields. The visual field topographies of the seven seabird species were relatively similar, despite the two groups of Terns (Laridae) and Shearwaters (Procellariidae) being phylogenetically distant. We propose this similarity is due to their largely similar foraging ecology. These findings support previous research that foraging ecology rather than relatedness is the key determining factor behind a bird’s visual field topography. Some bird species were identified to have more limited binocular fields, such as Brown Noddies (Anous stolidus) where binocularity onsets lower down within the visual field, resulting in a larger blind area about the head.</div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"111 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11254976/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141625592","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}

引用次数: 0

Coastal dunes as drivers of genetic differentiation in the honeypot ant Myrmecocystus baja (Formicidae: Formicinae) 沿海沙丘是蜜罐蚁 Myrmecocystus baja（蚁科：蚁属）遗传分化的驱动因素。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-07-15 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01925-5

F. Sara Ceccarelli, Le Roy A. Sankey Alamilla

{"title":"Coastal dunes as drivers of genetic differentiation in the honeypot ant Myrmecocystus baja (Formicidae: Formicinae)","authors":"F. Sara Ceccarelli, Le Roy A. Sankey Alamilla","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01925-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-024-01925-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div>Coastal dunes are unique habitats, threatened by human activities. In biogeographical terms, coastal dunes are habitat islands, being discrete and distinct patches of similar habitat among themselves, separated from each other by a different type of habitat. Furthermore, coastal dunes harbor endemic species, adapted to living solely in the habitats found on specific dune systems. For example, the honeypot ant Myrmecocystus baja is endemic and restricted to coastal dunes of Mexico’s Baja California Pacific coast. This ecological and biogeographical scenario led to the questions whether their geographical isolation is reflected in their genetic diversity and structuring, and how their demographic history is related with the formation of the dune system habitats. To answer these questions, population genetic, isolation-with-migration, and phylogeographical analyses were carried out, based on mitochondrial and five nuclear intronic markers. Minimal gene flow was detected only between two of the dune systems sampled; otherwise, the M. baja populations were found to be isolated and genetically structured, and their divergence generally pre-dated the modern-day dune systems. It is therefore highly likely that these ants were already present in paleodunes and that each of the populations was established from founder populations as the dunes formed. These findings highlight the importance of coastal dunes for species such as the honeypot ant from Baja California, in promoting genetic differentiation.</div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"111 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141615606","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Diverse growth rates in Triassic archosaurs—insights from a small terrestrial Middle Triassic pseudosuchian 三叠纪古龙的不同生长速度--来自三叠纪中期小型陆生伪蜥的启示。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-07-11 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01918-4

Nicole Klein

{"title":"Diverse growth rates in Triassic archosaurs—insights from a small terrestrial Middle Triassic pseudosuchian","authors":"Nicole Klein","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01918-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-024-01918-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div>The small pseudosuchian Benggwigwishingasuchus eremacarminis was found in Anisian (Middle Triassic) marine sediments. Neither the skeleton nor osteohistology or microanatomy shows any secondary aquatic adaptations, and a dominantly terrestrial lifestyle of this new taxon is evident. Bone tissue consists of a scaffold of parallel-fibered matrix, which is moderately vascularized by small, mainly longitudinal primary osteons. The innermost cortex is less densely vascularized and more highly organized. No parts of the cortex contain any woven bone. The cortex is regularly stratified by annual growth marks. Bone tissue and growth pattern indicate an adult individual that has had slow growth rates throughout its ontogeny. Tissue type, slow growth rate, and inferred low resting metabolic rate of Benggwigwishingasuchus are similar to that of crocodylomorphs but differ from that of Sillosuchus and Effigia, poposaurids to which Benggwigwishingasuchus is related based on phylogenetic analyses. However, according to current knowledge, growth rates in early archosaurs are more likely influenced by body size and environment than by phylogeny. Benggwigwishingasuchus is thus another example of unpredictable variability in growth rates within Triassic archosaurs.</div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"111 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11239758/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141578662","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}

引用次数: 0

Antifungal capabilities of gut microbial communities of three dung beetle species (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) 三种蜣螂（Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae）肠道微生物群落的抗真菌能力。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-07-01 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01923-7

Alberto Jácome-Hernández, Damaris Desgarennes, Roger Guevara, José Luis Olivares-Romero, Mario E. Favila

{"title":"Antifungal capabilities of gut microbial communities of three dung beetle species (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)","authors":"Alberto Jácome-Hernández, Damaris Desgarennes, Roger Guevara, José Luis Olivares-Romero, Mario E. Favila","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01923-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-024-01923-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div>Gut microbial communities are part of the regulatory array of various processes within their hosts, ranging from nutrition to pathogen control. Recent evidence shows that dung beetle’s gut microbial communities release substances with antifungal activity. Because of the enormous diversity of gut microorganisms in dung beetles, there is a possibility of discovering novel compounds with antifungal properties. We tested the antifungal activity mediated by gut microbial communities of female dung beetles against nine phytopathogenic fungi strains (Colletotrichum asianum-339, C. asianum-340, C. asianum-1, C. kahawae-390, C. karstii-358, C. siamense-220, Fusarium oxysporum-ATCC338, Nectria pseudotrichia-232, Verticillium zaelandica-22). Our tests included the gut microbial communities of three species of dung beetles: Canthon cyanellus (roller beetle), Digitonthophagus gazella (burrower beetle), and Onthophagus batesi (burrower beetle), and we followed the dual confrontation protocol, i.e., we challenged each fungal strain with the microbial communities of each species of beetles in Petri dishes containing culture medium. Our results showed that gut microbial communities of the three dung beetle species exhibit antifungal activity against at least seven of the nine phytopathogenic fungal strains. The gut microbial communities of Onthophagus batesi significantly decreased the mycelial growth of the nine phytopathogenic fungi strains; the gut microbial communities of Canthon cyanellus and Digitonthophagus gazella significantly reduced the mycelial growth of seven strains. These results provide a basis for investigating novel antifungal substances within gut microbial communities of dung beetles.</div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"111 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141475656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Investigating the reproductive strategies of Deuterocohnia meziana (Bromeliaceae), an endangered and restricted species from South American rocky outcrops 调查南美洲岩石露头的濒危限制物种 Deuterocohnia meziana（Bromeliaceae）的繁殖策略。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-07-01 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01924-6

Kelly C. R. Arruda, Maurício Lenzi, Adriana Takahasi, Gecele M. Paggi

{"title":"Investigating the reproductive strategies of Deuterocohnia meziana (Bromeliaceae), an endangered and restricted species from South American rocky outcrops","authors":"Kelly C. R. Arruda, Maurício Lenzi, Adriana Takahasi, Gecele M. Paggi","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01924-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-024-01924-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div>Studies of reproductive biology and resources availability to floral visitors by plant species are important to understand the plant-pollinator interactions that drive species adaptation. We aim to understand the relationship between reproduction mechanisms of Deuterocohnia meziana (Bromeliaceae) and pollinators. The species occurs in Bolivia and Paraguay, and it is the only species of the genus found in Brazil, where it is restricted to ironstone outcrops. These areas are currently threatened by the iron mining industry. Additionally, they face risks from fire occurrence and grazing by cattle. We analyzed the floral biology, reproductive system, phenology, and pollination ecology of a natural population of Deuterocohnia meziana, from ironstone outcrops in Brazil. The species exhibits diurnal anthesis, with stigma receptive throughout anthesis, and 77% of pollen viability. Deuterocohnia meziana produces relatively large amounts of nectar, especially early in the morning (32.8 ± 9.4 μl), with a mean sugar concentration of 23.5 (± 3.2) ºBrix. It is self-incompatible with a peak flowering occurring in August (dry season), although flowers are observed continuously throughout the year. The species exhibits two types of inflorescences, young and mature, among which an average of 13.1 and 3.6 flowers open per day, respectively. Hummingbirds and bees are the effective pollinators, although butterflies and ants also visit D. meziana flowers. The species is reliant on exogenous pollen and pollinators for fruit set. The continuous conservation of D. meziana populations and their communities is essential for preserving plant-pollinator mutualism and the floral community adapted to ironstone outcrops.</div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"111 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141475657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The long proboscis of the aphid Stomaphis yanonis (Aphididae Lachninae) is advantageous for avoiding predation by tending ants 蚜虫 Stomaphis yanonis（蚜科 Lachninae）的长触角有利于躲避蚂蚁的捕食。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-06-25 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01922-8

Takumi Matsuura, Shunsuke Nakamura, Tetsuya Yamamoto, Tsubasa Toji, Takao Itino

引用次数: 0

Wetland butterfly thriving in abandoned jungle: Neptis rivularis in the Czech Republic 湿地蝴蝶在废弃丛林中茁壮成长：捷克共和国的 Neptis rivularis。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-06-24 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01921-9

Moritz Maletzki, Gaurab Nandi Das, Klara Hajkova, Pavlina Kovarova, Michal Perlik, Claudio Sbaraglia, Lukas Spitzer, Alena Suchackova Bartonova, Pavel Vrba, Zdenek Faltynek Fric, Martin Konvicka

{"title":"Wetland butterfly thriving in abandoned jungle: Neptis rivularis in the Czech Republic","authors":"Moritz Maletzki, Gaurab Nandi Das, Klara Hajkova, Pavlina Kovarova, Michal Perlik, Claudio Sbaraglia, Lukas Spitzer, Alena Suchackova Bartonova, Pavel Vrba, Zdenek Faltynek Fric, Martin Konvicka","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01921-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-024-01921-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div>With ongoing insect declines, species expanding in distribution and abundance deserve attention, as understanding their success may help design conservation strategies for less successful species. Common causes of these successes include warmer climates, novel resources, and exploiting land use change, including land abandonment. These factors affect the nymphalid butterfly Neptis rivularis, developing on Spiraea spp. shrubs and reaching the north-western limits of its trans-Palearctic distribution in Central Europe. We combined mark-recapture, behaviour analysis, and distribution modelling to study N. rivularis in wetlands of the Třeboňsko Protected Landscape (IUCN category V). The long-living adults (up to 4 weeks) spent a considerable amount of time searching for partners, ovipositing and nectaring at Spiraea shrubs, alternating this with stays in tree crowns, where they located cool shelters, spent nights, and presumably fed on honeydew. They formed high-density populations (310 adults/ha), exploiting high host plant abundance. They adhered to floodplains and to conditions of relatively mild winters. The ongoing Spiraea encroachment of abandoned alluvial grasslands is, thus, a transient situation, ultimately followed by forest encroachment. Rewilding the habitats by introducing native ungulates presents an opportunity to restore the disturbance regime of the sites. The increased resource supply combined with a warming climate has opened up temperate Europe to colonization by N. rivularis.</div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"111 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141441946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

With the dead under the mat: the zombie ant extended phenotype under a new perspective 垫子下的死者：新视角下的僵尸蚂蚁扩展表型。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-06-21 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01920-w

Fernando Sarti Andriolli, José Aragão Cardoso Neto, José Wellington de Morais, Fabricio Beggiato Baccaro

{"title":"With the dead under the mat: the zombie ant extended phenotype under a new perspective","authors":"Fernando Sarti Andriolli, José Aragão Cardoso Neto, José Wellington de Morais, Fabricio Beggiato Baccaro","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01920-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-024-01920-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div>Some parasitic fungi can increase fitness by modifying the behavior of their hosts. These behaviors are known as extended phenotypes because they favor parasitic gene propagation. Here, we studied three lineages of Ophiocordyceps, a fungus that infects ants, altering their conduct before death. According to fungal strategy, ants may die in leaf litter, with entwined legs in branches, under the moss mat, or biting plant tissue. It is critical for parasites that the corpses stay at these places because Ophiocordyceps exhibit iteroparity, possibly releasing spores in multiple life cycles. Thus, we assumed substrate cadaver permanence as a fungi reproductive proxy and corpse height as a proxy of cadaver removal. We hypothesize that biting vegetation and dying in higher places may increase the permanence of ant corpses while avoiding possible corpse predation on the forest floor. We monitored over a year more than 4000 zombie ants in approximately 15 km2 of undisturbed tropical forest in central Amazonia. Our results show a longer permanence of corpses with increasing ground height, suggesting that the parasites may have better chances of releasing spores and infecting new hosts at these places. We found that the zombie ants that last longer on the substrate die under the moss mat in tree trunks, not necessarily biting vegetation. The biting behavior appears to be the most derived and complex mechanism among Ophiocordyceps syndromes. Our results put these findings under a new perspective, proposing that seemingly less complex behavioral changes are ecologically equivalent and adaptative for other parasite lineages.</div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"111 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141431075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

How to train your dragon: absolute conditioning in larval dragonflies 如何训练你的龙：蜻蜓幼虫的绝对调节。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-06-10 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01919-3

Tatiene M. Zenni, Amanda Z. Crivelaro, Gabrielle C. Pestana, Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira

引用次数: 0