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Asian elephants distinguish sexual status and identity of unfamiliar elephants using urinary odours
Biol Lett. 2023 Dec;19(12):20230491. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0491. Epub 2023 Dec 20.ABSTRACTDespite the ubiquity of odours in mammals, few studies have documented the natural olfactory abilities of many 'non-model' species such as the Asian elephant. As Asian elephants are endangered, we may apply odours to more effectively manage threatened populations. We implemented a habituation-discrimination paradigm for the first time in Asian elephants to test the ability of elephants to discriminate between unfamiliar male elephant urine, hypothesizing that elephants would successfully distinguish non-musth from musth urine and als...
Source: Biology Letters - December 20, 2023 Category: Biology Authors: Chase A LaDue Rebecca J Snyder Source Type: research

The rediscovery of the putative ant social parasite Manica parasitica syn. nov. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) reveals an unexpected endoparasite syndrome
Biol Lett. 2023 Dec;19(12):20230399. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0399. Epub 2023 Dec 20.ABSTRACTParasitism is ubiquitous across the tree of life, and parasites comprise approximately half of all animal species. Social insect colonies attract many pathogens, endo- and ectoparasites, and are exploited by social parasites, which usurp the social environment of their hosts for survival and reproduction. Exploitation by parasites and pathogens versus social parasites may cause similar behavioural and morphological modifications of the host. Ants possess two overlapping syndromes: the endo- and social parasite syndromes. We rediscove...
Source: Biology Letters - December 20, 2023 Category: Biology Authors: Matthew Prebus Boyko B Georgiev Thomas van de Kamp Elias Hamann Iyla Baker Christian Rabeling Source Type: research

Correction: 'A unified theory for the energy cost of legged locomotion' (2016), by Pontzer
Biol Lett. 2023 Dec;19(12):20230492. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0492. Epub 2023 Dec 13.NO ABSTRACTPMID:38098434 | PMC:PMC10722208 | DOI:10.1098/rsbl.2023.0492 (Source: Biology Letters)
Source: Biology Letters - December 15, 2023 Category: Biology Authors: Herman Pontzer Source Type: research

Correction: 'A unified theory for the energy cost of legged locomotion' (2016), by Pontzer
Biol Lett. 2023 Dec;19(12):20230492. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0492. Epub 2023 Dec 13.NO ABSTRACTPMID:38098434 | DOI:10.1098/rsbl.2023.0492 (Source: Biology Letters)
Source: Biology Letters - December 15, 2023 Category: Biology Authors: Herman Pontzer Source Type: research

Single-cell genomics reveals new rozellid lineages and supports their sister relationship to Microsporidia
Biol Lett. 2023 Dec;19(12):20230398. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0398. Epub 2023 Dec 13.ABSTRACTThe phylum Rozellomycota has been proposed for a group of early-branching holomycotan lineages representing obligate parasites and hyperparasites of zoosporic fungi, oomycotes or phytoplankton. Given their predominantly intracellular lifestyle, rozellids are typically known from environmental ribosomal DNA data, except for the well-studied Rozella species. To date, the phylogenetic relationship between rozellids and microsporidians (Microsporidia) is not fully understood and most reliable hypotheses are based on phylogenomic analyses...
Source: Biology Letters - December 13, 2023 Category: Biology Authors: Pauline C Thom é Iker Irisarri Justyna Wolinska Michael T Monaghan J ürgen F H Strassert Source Type: research

Quantifying visual acuity in Heliconius butterflies
Biol Lett. 2023 Dec;19(12):20230476. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0476. Epub 2023 Dec 13.ABSTRACTHeliconius butterflies are well-known for their colourful wing patterns, which advertise distastefulness to potential predators and are used during mate choice. However, the relative importance of different aspects of these signals will depend on the visual abilities of Heliconius and their predators. Previous studies have investigated colour sensitivity and neural anatomy, but visual acuity (the ability to perceive detail) has not been studied in these butterflies. Here, we provide the first estimate of visual acuity in Heliconius: ...
Source: Biology Letters - December 13, 2023 Category: Biology Authors: Daniel Shane Wright Anupama Nayak Manel Michelle Guachamin-Rosero Pamela Chamba-Vaca Caroline Nicole Bacquet Richard M Merrill Source Type: research

Dunking rusk: innovative food soaking behaviour in Goffin's cockatoos ( Cacatua goffiniana )
Biol Lett. 2023 Dec;19(12):20230411. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0411. Epub 2023 Dec 13.ABSTRACTForaging innovations in animals involving the processing of resources that are already edible in an unprocessed state, yet of improved quality in a processed state, are rare but important to study the evolution of food preparation. Here, we present the first scientific report of food dunking behaviours in parrots by Goffin's cockatoos, a model species for innovative problem solving. Observations during lunch showed seven out of 18 cockatoos placing their food into water and soaking it prior to consumption. This was largely done with ...
Source: Biology Letters - December 13, 2023 Category: Biology Authors: J S Zewald A M I Auersperg Source Type: research

Back in black: melanin-rich skin colour associated with increased net diversification rates in birds
Biol Lett. 2023 Dec;19(12):20230304. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0304. Epub 2023 Dec 13.ABSTRACTEvolutionary biologists have long been interested in understanding the factors that promote diversification in organisms, often focussing on distinct and/or conspicuous phenotypes with direct effects on natural or sexual selection such as body size and plumage coloration. However, multiple traits that potentially influence net diversification are not conspicuous and/or might be concealed. One such trait, the dark, melanin-rich skin concealed beneath the feathers, evolved more than 100 times during avian evolution, frequently in assoc...
Source: Biology Letters - December 13, 2023 Category: Biology Authors: Micha ël P J Nicolaï Raf Vanisterbecq Matthew D Shawkey Liliana D'Alba Source Type: research