Animal Behavior and Reproduction

Divergent selection on dispersal targets chemosensory and neuronal genes in Tribolium castaneum

This study identifies genomic regions and candidate genes associated with dispersal behavior in Tribolium castaneum using artificial selection and genome-wide association analysis.

Beyond abstract selection coefficients: Protandry impacts the buildup of heterozygote advantage over the lifespan in a color polymorphic moth

The paper models how protandry affects polymorphism maintenance in a moth by considering the timing of mortality and reproduction, showing its impact on heterozygote advantage.

How to Forage for a Mate?

This paper frames mate choice as a foraging problem and presents a mechanistic theory of decision-making in mate selection, showing how decision thresholds influence mating strategies based on signal availability.

Constraints on paternal care capacity favor a monogamous mating system in the group-living gobiid fish Trimma marinae

The paper investigates why the gobiid fish Trimma marinae is monogamous despite potential for polygyny, finding that males can only care for up to three clutches, leading females to guard mates to monopolize care.

Sight-line hypothesis explains facial color patterns in terns and allies

This study supports the sight-line hypothesis by showing that eyeline direction in terns correlates with foraging behaviors requiring accurate aiming.

No evidence of sentinel behaviour in a highly social bird based on an artificial set-up

The study investigates sentinel behavior in sociable weavers using an artificial setup and finds no evidence of this behavior occurring.

White eye-rings coevolved with diurnal behaviors as a trait enhancing visual appeal in rodents

The paper investigates the evolutionary relationship between white eye-rings and diurnal behavior in rodents, finding that WER enhances visual appeal in diurnal species.

Infanticide in a colonial cooperative bird is not associated with direct reproductive benefits

This study examines infanticide in sociable weavers and finds no direct reproductive benefits, suggesting indirect fitness benefits may drive the behavior.

Loser effects orchestrate dominance hierarchies in socially-controlled sex change

The paper shows that loser effects, not winner effects, determine social dominance in female-to-male sex-changing fish, influencing sexual transformation through social hierarchy dynamics.

From microbiome to sperm motility traits: An inside out perspective

The paper investigates the relationship between microbiome composition in guppies and sperm motility traits, finding that skin microbiome diversity correlates with sperm velocity.

Negative allometry of egg size among 29 species of drosophilid flies

The paper examines egg size and shape evolution in 29 drosophilid species, finding negative allometry between egg size and adult body size and moderate phylogenetic signal.

Phenotypic plasticity meets and moulds carry-over effects in sea rock-pool mosquitoes

The paper examines how environmental conditions affect trait interactions in sea rock-pool mosquitoes, showing that salinity modulates direct carry-over effects through larval size-dependent behavioural plasticity.

Sex and breeding stage differences in neurogenomic profiles reflect hormone signaling in a socially polyandrous shorebird

The paper examines sex differences in gene expression in northern jacanas to understand how sex roles influence neurogenomic profiles, finding complex genetic and hormonal interactions rather than simple reversal of sex-biased gene expression.

The Stochastic Pacemaker: Cumulative Behavioral Noise Drives Morphological Plasticity in Pea Aphids

The paper shows that maternal behavioral noise drives phenotypic variation in pea aphids by accumulating environmental cues, linking stochastic behavior to morphological plasticity.

Purging of inbreeding depression does not eliminate environmental variation in reproductive onset

The study shows that enforced selfing in flatworms purges inbreeding depression but does not eliminate environmental effects on reproductive onset.

Phenome-wide genetic framework to identify mechanisms of social effects

The paper introduces a phenome-wide genetic framework to identify mechanisms of social effects by analyzing genetic correlations between indirect genetic effects (IGE) and direct genetic effects (DGE) in mice.

Predicting life-history traits in a stored bean petst beetle Callosobruchus chinensis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) using machine learning

This study uses machine learning to predict life-history traits of Callosobruchus chinensis, finding that elytral length and lifespan are more predictable than development time.

Senescent widow spiders are poor mates but remain attractive to mate-seeking males through deceptive signalling

The paper shows that senescent female spiders use deceptive pheromone signaling to remain attractive to males despite reduced fertility.

Male-benefit adaptation under sex-limited selection shaped by compensatory evolution in Drosophila melanogaster.

This study investigates male-benefit adaptation under sex-limited selection in Drosophila melanogaster, finding compensatory evolution that improves male fitness through genetic and environmental interactions.

Variation in seed abundance predicts yolk fatty acid composition in a wild population of birds

The paper examines how variation in beech seed abundance affects yolk fatty acid composition in great tits, finding significant differences in PUFA profiles between years of high and low seed availability.

Fine-scale spatio-temporal variation in natural selection on reproductive traits across two wild bird species

Seminal fluid proteins can mitigate sexual conflict: the case of remating in insects

The paper uses a mathematical model to show that seminal fluid proteins in Drosophila melanogaster reduce sexual conflict by allowing females more flexibility in remating rates.

Sexual dimorphism in the dorsal spot number and yellow surface in fire salamanders Salamandra salamandra ssp terrestris Linnaeus, 1758 (Caudata: Salamandridae)

The paper examines sexual dimorphism in dorsal spot number and yellow surface area in Salamandra salamandra terrestris, finding females have more spots and are blacker than males.

Chronic predation risk induces sex-specific effects in behavior but does not induce long-term oxidative damage

This study examines sex-specific behavioral and physiological responses to chronic predation risk in threespine stickleback, finding no long-term oxidative damage but sex differences in behavior and swim endurance.

Activity during the first days of life predicts lifespan in a naturally clonal vertebrate

The paper tracks early-life activity in genetically identical fish to show it predicts lifespan variation, finding a U-shaped relationship between activity levels and longevity.

Rapid and repeated evolution of the pigmentation patterns in reef fishes

This study examines the relationship between pigmentation pattern diversity, species richness, and geography in coral reef fishes, finding a positive correlation and evidence of rapid phenotypic diversification.

Evolution and Diversification of the Aposematic Poison Frog, Oophaga pumilio, in Bocas del Toro

This study identifies genetic factors underlying color and pattern variation in Oophaga pumilio frogs from Bocas del Toro, finding key genes involved in different polymorphisms and evidence of selective sweeps.

Comparative analysis of plasma steroid hormone levels reveals lower concentrations in Afrotropical than Palearctic temperate zone passerines

The paper compares plasma steroid hormone levels between Afrotropical and Palearctic passerines, finding lower baseline corticosterone and testosterone in tropical species.

Long-term stability of dominance hierarchies in a wild parrot with fission-fusion dynamics

This study shows that sulphur-crested cockatoos form stable dominance hierarchies despite dynamic social interactions and open group membership.

Morph-specific plasticity drives divergent host-shift and acclimation strategies in aphids

The paper investigates how different aphid morphs use anticipatory or responsive plasticity strategies during host shifts, showing migratory morphs rely on pre-configured programs while summer morphs adapt through transcriptional changes.