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| Open AccessIron mobilization during lactation reduces oxygen stores in a diving mammal
Here, the authors show that Weddell seal mothers mobilize endogenous iron stores during lactation to provide to pups, resulting in iron concentrations in milk 100x higher than terrestrial mammals. This was associated with reduced dive durations in the mother, a cost of reproduction.
- Michelle R. Shero
- , Amy L. Kirkham
- & Jennifer M. Burns
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Article
| Open AccessSearch performance and octopamine neuronal signaling mediate parasitoid induced changes in Drosophila oviposition behavior
Animals have evolved varied strategies for predator avoidance. Here the authors find that Drosophila can recognize threats from younger parasitoid wasps via the perception of their search performance, and reduce egg laying through the reduction of octopamine neuronal signalling.
- Lan Pang
- , Zhiguo Liu
- & Jianhua Huang
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Article
| Open AccessZika vector competence data reveals risks of outbreaks: the contribution of the European ZIKAlliance project
Zika virus (ZIKV), the causative agent of virus-induced brain damage in newborns, is transmitted by mosquitoes, mainly Aedes aegypti, and secondarily, Aedes albopictus. Here, Obadia et al. characterize ZIKV vector competence of 50 mosquito populations from six species collected in 12 different countries to inform about epidemic risk. They find that African ZIKV strain shows higher transmission efficiency compared to American and Asian ZIKV strains and that Ae. aegypti mosquitoes have highest susceptibility to infections, while Culexmosquitoes are largely non-susceptible.
- Thomas Obadia
- , Gladys Gutierrez-Bugallo
- & Anna-Bella Failloux
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Article
| Open AccessBody size, shape and ecology in tetrapods
Here, the authors examine how body size, shape, and segment proportions correspond to ecology in models of 410 tetrapods. They find variable allometric relationships, differential scaling in small and large animals, and body proportions as a potential niche occupation mechanism.
- Alice E. Maher
- , Gustavo Burin
- & Karl T. Bates
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Article
| Open AccessGenomic insights into the secondary aquatic transition of penguins
This study examines the tempo and drivers of penguin diversification by combining genomes from all extant and recently extinct penguin lineages, stratigraphic data from fossil penguins and morphological and biogeographic data from all extant and extinct species. Together, these datasets provide new insights into the genetic basis and evolution of adaptations in penguins.
- Theresa L. Cole
- , Chengran Zhou
- & Guojie Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessCumulative cultural evolution and mechanisms for cultural selection in wild bird songs
Cumulative cultural evolution is ubiquitous in humans, but is rarely observed in non-human animals. Here, Williams et al. report elaboration of songs over several decades in Savannah sparrows, consistent with cumulative cultural evolution.
- Heather Williams
- , Andrew Scharf
- & Julie C. Blackwood
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Article
| Open AccessA single-cell transcriptomic atlas characterizes the silk-producing organ in the silkworm
The molecular underpinning of silk-producing organs is not well characterized. Here the authors use single-cell RNA sequencing to build an atlas of the silkworm silk gland and reveal the heterogeneity of silk gland cells.
- Yan Ma
- , Wenhui Zeng
- & Hanfu Xu
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Article
| Open AccessMyriapod genomes reveal ancestral horizontal gene transfer and hormonal gene loss in millipedes
Myriapods play an important ecological role in soil and forest ecosystems. Here the authors analyse nine myriapod genomes, showing rapid evolution of distinct genomic pathways in centipede and millipede lineages, shaped by differing ecological pressures.
- Wai Lok So
- , Wenyan Nong
- & Jerome H. L. Hui
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Article
| Open AccessTransgenic Anopheles mosquitoes expressing human PAI-1 impair malaria transmission
Plasmodium gametes and sporozoites activate surface-bound plasminogen to plasmin that degrades extracellular matrix barriers, therewith facilitating parasite motility in mosquitoes and mammalian hosts. To control malaria transmission, Pascini et al. generate Anopheles stephensi transgenic mosquitoes constitutively secreting human plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 in midgut and/or saliva which leads to inhibition of plasminogen activation and a reduction in oocyst intensity, infection prevalence, and transmission.
- Tales V. Pascini
- , Yeong Je Jeong
- & Joel Vega-Rodríguez
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Article
| Open AccessLimiting motorboat noise on coral reefs boosts fish reproductive success
Using a season-long field manipulation with an established model fish system on the Great Barrier Reef, this study demonstrates that limiting motorboat activity on reefs leads to faster growth and survival of more fish offspring compared to reefs experiencing busy motorboat traffic. Noise mitigation and abatement could therefore present a valuable opportunity for enhancing ecosystem resilience.
- Sophie L. Nedelec
- , Andrew N. Radford
- & Stephen D. Simpson
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Article
| Open AccessThe rapid evolution of lungfish durophagy
It is unclear how Lungfishes evolved durophagy, the consumption of hard prey, despite being the longest lineage of vertebrates with this feeding mechanism. Here, the authors describe exceptionally preserved fossils of Youngolepis from the Early Devonian, showing early adaptations to durophagy.
- Xindong Cui
- , Matt Friedman
- & Min Zhu
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Article
| Open AccessBird populations most exposed to climate change are less sensitive to climatic variation
Intra-specific variations may contribute to heterogeneous responses to climate change across a species’ range. Here, the authors investigate the phenology of two bird species across their breeding ranges, and find that their sensitivity to temperature is uncoupled from exposure to climate change.
- Liam D. Bailey
- , Martijn van de Pol
- & Marcel E. Visser
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Article
| Open AccessHoneybee gut Lactobacillus modulates host learning and memory behaviors via regulating tryptophan metabolism
Eusocial honeybee is a versatile model for neurobiological research. Here, the authors established a link between honeybee gut Lactobacillus in bee learning and memory ability via indole derivatives that activate host’s aryl hydrocarbon receptor.
- Zijing Zhang
- , Xiaohuan Mu
- & Hao Zheng
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Article
| Open AccessIndividual experience as a key to success for the cuckoo catfish brood parasitism
The importance of learning for brood parasites is explored using cuckoo catfish. The catfish increase their parasitism success as they gain experience, mainly by improving their social coordination and timing of intrusions to cichlid host spawnings.
- Holger Zimmermann
- , Radim Blažek
- & Martin Reichard
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Article
| Open AccessThe architecture of assisted colonisation in sea turtles: building new populations in a biodiversity crisis
Empirical evidence on the process of founding new populations for assisted colonisations is limited. This work examined two wild populations of green turtles in the Cayman Islands following a reintroduction program started 50 years ago. They show both populations are highly related to the captive population and that philopatry may reinforce the success of new populations.
- Anna Barbanti
- , Janice M. Blumenthal
- & Carlos Carreras
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Article
| Open AccessRapid age-grading and species identification of natural mosquitoes for malaria surveillance
Knowing the age of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes is important to understand transmission risk as only old mosquitoes can transmit the disease. Here, the authors develop a method based on mid-infrared spectra of mosquito cuticle that can rapidly identify the species and age class of main malaria vectors.
- Doreen J. Siria
- , Roger Sanou
- & Francesco Baldini
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Article
| Open AccessRecurring adaptive introgression of a supergene variant that determines social organization
Solenopsis fire ants have a polymorphic social system in which some colonies have multiple queens. Here, Stolle, Pracana et al. show that the supergene that produces the multiple-queen phenotype has spread repeatedly between Solenopsis species by introgression.
- Eckart Stolle
- , Rodrigo Pracana
- & Yannick Wurm
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Article
| Open AccessGeneral statistical model shows that macroevolutionary patterns and processes are consistent with Darwinian gradualism
‘Macroevolution posed difficulties for Darwin and later theorists because species frequently change abruptly, or experience long periods of stasis, both counter to the theory of incremental change or gradualism. Here, the authors propose a macroevolutionary statistical model that accommodates this uneven evolutionary landscape, and shows how even abrupt macroevolutionary changes are compatible with gradualist microevolutionary processes.’
- Mark Pagel
- , Ciara O’Donovan
- & Andrew Meade
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Article
| Open AccessNuclear genome of Bulinus truncatus, an intermediate host of the carcinogenic human blood fluke Schistosoma haematobium
The snail Bulinus truncatus is an intermediate host of the carcinogenic human blood fluke Schistosoma haematobium. Here the authors report the genome of Bu. truncatus, explore protein groups inferred to play a role in its interaction with the schistosome parasite, and identify expansions in gene families linked to immune response regulation.
- Neil D. Young
- , Andreas J. Stroehlein
- & Robin B. Gasser
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| Open AccessA hemimetabolous wing development suggests the wing origin from lateral tergum of a wingless ancestor
Here, the authors investigate wing development in cricket and find support for evolution of the novel insect wing from the pre-existing dorsal body wall of a wingless ancestor by activation of an evolutionarily conserved growth mechanism.
- Takahiro Ohde
- , Taro Mito
- & Teruyuki Niimi
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Article
| Open AccessThe insect somatostatin pathway gates vitellogenesis progression during reproductive maturation and the post-mating response
In mammals, somatostatin plays a role in preventing the release of sex hormones before puberty begins. A Drosophila study uncovered the process by which insect somatostatin controls ovarian development in response to developmental and mating signals.
- Chen Zhang
- , Anmo J. Kim
- & Young-Joon Kim
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Article
| Open AccessPEBP balances apoptosis and autophagy in whitefly upon arbovirus infection
Arbovirus has co-evolved with its insect vector, enabling efficient and persistent transmission by vectors. Here, the authors reveal an immune homeostatic mechanism shaped by apoptosis and autophagy that facilitates arbovirus preservation within its whitefly vector.
- Shifan Wang
- , Huijuan Guo
- & Yucheng Sun
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Article
| Open AccessThe olfactory gating of visual preferences to human skin and visible spectra in mosquitoes
Vision in mosquitoes plays a critical but understudied role in their attraction to hosts. Here, the authors show that encounter with an attractive odor gates the mosquito attraction to specific colors, especially the long wavelengths reflected from human skin. Filtering the long wavelengths reflected from the human skin or knocking-out the ability for the mosquito to detect the wavelengths, suppressed their attraction. This work transforms our understanding of mosquito vision from the conventional view that vision does little in mediating mosquito-host interactions, to the recognition that vision plays a critical role.
- Diego Alonso San Alberto
- , Claire Rusch
- & Jeffrey A. Riffell
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| Open AccessAn intronic transposon insertion associates with a trans-species color polymorphism in Midas cichlid fishes
Roughly one in ten Midas cichlid fishes loses their characteristic dark coloration and transforms into a gold morph. Here, the authors describe a transposon insertion in the gene goldentouch likely constitute the genetic basis of this polymorphism.
- Claudius F. Kratochwil
- , Andreas F. Kautt
- & Axel Meyer
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Article
| Open AccessOntogenetic shifts from social to experiential learning drive avian migration timing
Learning from one’s own experience, and/or social learning from older individuals, could influence decision-making in migrating birds. Here the authors analyse 16 years of tracking data on whooping cranes to show that whether social or experiential learning is the dominant process in migration timing depends on life stage.
- Briana Abrahms
- , Claire S. Teitelbaum
- & Sarah J. Converse
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Article
| Open AccessLearning efficient navigation in vortical flow fields
Navigation and trajectory planning in environments with background flow, relevant for robotics, are challenging provided information only on local surrounding. The authors propose a reinforcement learning approach for time-efficient navigation of a swimmer through unsteady two-dimensional flows.
- Peter Gunnarson
- , Ioannis Mandralis
- & John O. Dabiri
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Article
| Open AccessSingle cell atlas for 11 non-model mammals, reptiles and birds
Here the authors report single-nucleus RNA sequencing for several anatomical locations in 11 species, including cat, dog, hamster, lizard, goat, rabbit, duck, pigeon, pangolin, tiger, and deer, highlighting coexpression of SARS-CoV-2 entry factors ACE2 and TMPRSS2.
- Dongsheng Chen
- , Jian Sun
- & Xun Xu
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Article
| Open AccessNaked mole-rat brown fat thermogenesis is diminished during hypoxia through a rapid decrease in UCP1
Naked mole-rats are hypoxia-tolerant mammals, and during hypoxia their body temperature decreases via unknown mechanisms. Here the authors report that the hypoxia-induced body temperature decrease in naked mole rats occurs through decreased brown adipose tissue thermogenesis via decreases in a key thermogenic mitochondrial protein: UCP1.
- Hang Cheng
- , Rajaa Sebaa
- & Matthew E. Pamenter
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Article
| Open AccessCooperative herbivory between two important pests of rice
Herbivore cooperation between insect pests can result in substantially greater damage to crops but also constitutes a good target for improved pest control. Liu et al. reveal how the brown plant-hopper and the rice striped stem-borer obtain mutual benefits when feeding on the same rice plant.
- Qingsong Liu
- , Xiaoyun Hu
- & Yunhe Li
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Article
| Open AccessMesmerize is a dynamically adaptable user-friendly analysis platform for 2D and 3D calcium imaging data
Calcium imaging is valuable for understanding neuro and cell biology, but is challenging to analyze, organize, and access. Here, the authors present an efficient, expandable and user-friendly platform, which encapsulates the entire analysis process all to way to interactive visualizations.
- Kushal Kolar
- , Daniel Dondorp
- & Marios Chatzigeorgiou
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Article
| Open AccessInsecticide resistance by a host-symbiont reciprocal detoxification
Insect acquisition of insecticide resistance represents a serious problem for agriculture. Here, authors reveal an insect symbiotic bacteria that degrades insecticide fenitrothion into a non-insecticidal but bactericidal compound, which is subsequently excreted by the insect host.
- Yuya Sato
- , Seonghan Jang
- & Yoshitomo Kikuchi
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Article
| Open AccessSelection on adaptive and maladaptive gene expression plasticity during thermal adaptation to urban heat islands
Anthropogenic change, such as urban heat islands, present challenges to biodiversity that can be overcome through phenotypic plasticity. Unlike their ancestral counterparts, urban lizards have fewer maladaptive gene expression responses to higher temperatures in a common garden experiment, suggesting the evolution of adaptive plasticity.
- Shane C. Campbell-Staton
- , Jonathan P. Velotta
- & Kristin M. Winchell
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Article
| Open AccessNeofunctionalization of an ancient domain allows parasites to avoid intraspecific competition by manipulating host behaviour
Evolutionary arms races can drive adaptations in hosts and parasites as well as among competing parasites. A combination of multi-omics and functional tests identifies a set of genes that allow a parasitic wasp to minimize intraspecific competition by inducing hosts to escape before more wasps can parasitize them.
- Jiani Chen
- , Gangqi Fang
- & Jianhua Huang
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Article
| Open AccessThe sugar-responsive enteroendocrine neuropeptide F regulates lipid metabolism through glucagon-like and insulin-like hormones in Drosophila melanogaster
Incretin hormones regulate insulin and glucagon secretion in mammals, but similar peptides have not been characterized in invertebrates. Here the authors show that neuropeptide F functions similar to mammalian incretin in fruit flies, responding to sugar and enhancing insulin-like peptide secretion.
- Yuto Yoshinari
- , Hina Kosakamoto
- & Ryusuke Niwa
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| Open AccessEarly-life social experience affects offspring DNA methylation and later life stress phenotype
Early social experience can alter epigenetic patterns and stress responses later in life. A study on wild spotted hyenas finds that maternal care and social connections after leaving the den influence DNA methylation and contribute to a developmentally plastic stress response.
- Zachary M. Laubach
- , Julia R. Greenberg
- & Wei Perng
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Article
| Open AccessSignatures of mitonuclear coevolution in a warbler species complex
Little is known on how mitonuclear interactions influence genomic divergence among hybrid and parental lineages. A study of hybridizing wood warbler species complex finds a nuclear gene block with mitochondrial functions coevolves with mitochondrial genome, driven by climate-associated divergent selection underlying hybrid-parental population divergence.
- Silu Wang
- , Madelyn J. Ore
- & Darren Irwin
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Article
| Open AccessToxoplasma gondii infections are associated with costly boldness toward felids in a wild host
The parasite causing toxoplasmosis can manipulate prey to behave in ways that promote transmission to the parasite’s definitive feline hosts. The first study consistent with this extended phenotype in the wild finds that infected hyena cubs approach lions more closely than uninfected peers and have higher rates of lion mortality.
- Eben Gering
- , Zachary M. Laubach
- & Thomas Getty
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Article
| Open AccessTick extracellular vesicles enable arthropod feeding and promote distinct outcomes of bacterial infection
Extracellular vesicles have been implicated in the transmission of pathogens from the arthropod to the human host. Here the authors show that tick-derived extracellular vesicles play a role in feeding and modulate the outcome of bacterial infection.
- Adela S. Oliva Chávez
- , Xiaowei Wang
- & Joao H. F. Pedra
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Article
| Open AccessEvidence from oyster suggests an ancient role for Pdx in regulating insulin gene expression in animals
In vertebrates insulin is a direct transcriptional target of Pdx: the same is true in Pacific oysters and the authors show insulin-related gene, cgILP, is co-expressed with cgPdx in oyster digestive tissue, showing this gene interaction dates back to the origin of Bilateria.
- Fei Xu
- , Ferdinand Marlétaz
- & Peter W. H. Holland
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Article
| Open AccessPhantom rivers filter birds and bats by acoustic niche
An experimental study finds that birds and bats avoid whitewater river noise, and that intense noise reduces bird foraging activity and causes bats to switch hunting strategies. Overlap between noise and song frequency predicts bird declines until high levels where other mechanisms appear important.
- D. G. E. Gomes
- , C. A. Toth
- & J. R. Barber
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Article
| Open AccessA hierarchical 3D-motion learning framework for animal spontaneous behavior mapping
Animal behavior usually has a hierarchical structure and dynamics. Here, the authors propose a parallel and multi-layered framework to learn the hierarchical dynamics and generate an objective metric to map the behaviour into the feature space.
- Kang Huang
- , Yaning Han
- & Liping Wang
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Article
| Open AccessExtensive introgression and mosaic genomes of Mediterranean endemic lizards
Islands can provide insights into the evolution of diverse adaptations. The genomes of 34 major lineages of Mediterranean wall lizards reveal a highly reticulated pattern of evolution across the group, characterised by mosaic genomes and showing that hybrid lineages gave rise to several extant endemics.
- Weizhao Yang
- , Nathalie Feiner
- & Tobias Uller
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Article
| Open AccessSugar transporters enable a leaf beetle to accumulate plant defense compounds
The herbivorous horseradish flea beetle sequesters plant toxins to defend against predators. Here the authors identify glucosinolate transporters expressed in the beetle Malpighian tubules and provide evidence that these reabsorb glucosinolates from the tubule lumen to prevent their loss by excretion.
- Zhi-Ling Yang
- , Hussam Hassan Nour-Eldin
- & Franziska Beran
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Article
| Open AccessBalanced imitation sustains song culture in zebra finches
Studying how songbirds learn songs can shed light on the development of human speech. An analysis of 160 tutor-pupil zebra finch pairs suggests that frequency dependent balanced imitation prevents the extinction of rare song elements and the overabundance of common ones, promoting song diversity within groups and species recognition across groups.
- Ofer Tchernichovski
- , Sophie Eisenberg-Edidin
- & Erich D. Jarvis
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Article
| Open AccessSize, microhabitat, and loss of larval feeding drive cranial diversification in frogs
The evolution of metamorphic species may be constrained by different ecologies of the larval and adult stages. Here, Bardua et al. show that in frogs, adult ecology is more important than larval ecology for skull evolution, but species that don’t feed as tadpoles evolve faster than those that do.
- Carla Bardua
- , Anne-Claire Fabre
- & Anjali Goswami
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Article
| Open AccessCooperation-based concept formation in male bottlenose dolphins
Social animals have sophisticated ways of classifying relationships with conspecifics. Data from 30 years of observations and playback experiments on dolphins with a multi-level alliance system show that individuals form social concepts that categorize conspecifics according to their shared cooperative history.
- Stephanie L. King
- , Richard C. Connor
- & Simon J. Allen
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Article
| Open AccessSteller’s sea cow genome suggests this species began going extinct before the arrival of Paleolithic humans
A newly assembled Steller’s sea cow genome suggests that this marine mammal had low levels of genetic diversity and began to go extinct along the North Pacific coastline much earlier than when the first Paleolithic humans arrived in the Bering sea region.
- Fedor S. Sharko
- , Eugenia S. Boulygina
- & Artem V. Nedoluzhko
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Article
| Open AccessProsocial and antisocial choices in a monogamous cichlid with biparental care
Cooperative species, like humans, can display spontaneously prosocial behaviour. Experiments on a monogamous fish with biparental care shows that pair bonded males are prosocial to both their long-term mates and to strange females, but make antisocial choices if their mate is watching, or if another male is the potential recipient.
- Shun Satoh
- , Redouan Bshary
- & Masanori Kohda
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Matters Arising
| Open AccessInsects with 100 million-year-old dinosaur feathers are not ectoparasites
- David A. Grimaldi
- & Isabelle M. Vea