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Why Babies Do Not Feel Pain, Or: How Structure-Derived Functional Interpretations Can Go Wrong, Helmut Segner

Animal Sentience

The response to pain involves a non-conscious, reflexive action and a conscious perception. According to Key (2016), consciousness — and thus pain perception — depends on a neuronal correlate that has a “unique neural architecture” as realized in the human cortex. On the basis of the “bioengineering principle that structure determines function,” Key (2016) concludes that animal species such as fish, which lack the requisite cortex-like neuroanatomical structure, are unable to feel pain. This commentary argues that the relationship between brain structure and brain function is less straightforward than suggested in Key’s target article.

Fish Pain: Would It Change Current Best Practice In The Real World?, B. K. Diggles

Animal Sentience

Much of the “fish pain debate” relates to how high the bar for pain should be set. The close phylogenetic affinities of teleosts with cartilaginous fishes which appear to lack nociceptors suggests caution should be applied by those who seek to lower the bar, especially given the equivocal and conflicting nature of the experimental data currently available for teleosts. Nevertheless, even if we assume fish “feel pain,” it is difficult to see how current best practice in aquaculture would change. This is because of the need to avoid stress at all stages of the rearing process to optimize health, growth …

Leaving The Door Open For Fish Pain: Evolutionary Convergence And The Utility Of ‘Just-So Stories’, David B. Edelman

Animal Sentience

Key argues that fish do not experience pain because they lack the necessary (but not necessarily sufficient) brain structures and associated functional circuitry to engender such conscious percepts. I propose that fish pain may be dependent on neuroanatomical regions and pathways that are structurally and/or functionally analogous — but not strictly homologous — to well-characterized mammalian substrates of pain. An example is the convergent appearance of the complex, single-compartment eye across invertebrate and vertebrate phylogeny. Structural-functional convergence is ubiquitous in evolution. Comparative inferences and correlative lines of evidence play an important role in building evolutionary arguments. The dismissal of the …

Going Beyond Just-So Stories, Brian Key

Animal Sentience

Colloquial arguments for fish feeling pain are deeply rooted in anthropometric tendencies that confuse escape responses to noxious stimuli with evidence for consciousness. More developed arguments often rely on just-so stories of fish displaying complex behaviours as proof of consciousness. In response to commentaries on the idea that fish do not feel pain, I raise the need to go beyond just-so stories and to rigorously analyse the neural circuitry responsible for specific behaviours using new and emerging technologies in neuroscience. By deciphering the causal relationship between neural information processing and conscious behaviour, it should be possible to assess cogently the …

How Welfare Biology And Commonsense May Help To Reduce Animal Suffering, Yew-Kwang Ng

Animal Sentience

Welfare biology is the study of the welfare of living things. Welfare is net happiness (enjoyment minus suffering). Since this necessarily involves feelings, Dawkins (2014) has suggested that animal welfare science may face a paradox, because feelings are very difficult to study. The following paper provides an explanation for how welfare biology could help to reduce this paradox by answering some difficult questions regarding animal welfare. Simple means based on commonsense could reduce animal suffering enormously at low or even negative costs to humans. Ways to increase the influence of animal welfare advocates are also discussed, focusing initially on farmed …

What’S The Common Sense Of Just Some Improvement Of Some Welfare For Some Animals?, Liv Baker

Animal Sentience

The goal of Animal Welfare Science to reduce animal suffering is commendable but too modest: Suffering animals need and deserve far more.

Animal Suffering Calls For More Than A Bigger Cage, Simon R. B. Leadbeater

Animal Sentience

Ng (2016) argues for incremental welfare biology partly because it would be impossible to demonstrate conclusively that animals are sentient. He argues that low cost changes in industrial practices and working collaboratively may be more effective in advancing animal welfare than more adversarial approaches. There is merit in some of Ng’s recommendations but a number of his arguments are, in my view, misdirected. The fact that nonhuman animals feel has already been adequately demonstrated. Cruelty to animals is intrinsic to some industries, so the only way to oppose it is to oppose the industry.

Why Animal Welfarism Continues To Fail, Lori Marino

Animal Sentience

Welfarism prioritizes human interests over the needs of nonhuman animals. Despite decades of welfare efforts other animals are mostly worse off than ever before, being subjected to increasingly invasive and harmful treatments, especially in the factory farming and biomedical research areas. A legal rights-based approach is essential in order for other animals to be protected from the varying ethical whims of our species.

End-State Welfarism, Joel Marks

Animal Sentience

Yew-Kwang Ng’s research is the work of an obviously sincere, intelligent, and conscientious animal advocate. But I am unable to accept his starting assumption that animal welfare is an appropriate basis for animal ethics. More specifically I argue that animal welfare as a means to animal liberation is an issue that can be debated, but animal welfare as the ultimate end or goal of animal advocacy is misguided.

Animal Mourning: Précis Of How Animals Grieve (King 2013), Barbara J. King

Animal Sentience

Abstract: When an animal dies, that individual’s mate, relatives, or friends may express grief. Changes in the survivor’s patterns of social behavior, eating, sleeping, and/or of expression of affect are the key criteria for defining grief. Based on this understanding of grief, it is not only big-brained mammals like elephants, apes, and cetaceans who can be said to mourn, but also a wide variety of other animals, including domestic companions like cats, dogs, and rabbits; horses and farm animals; and some birds. With keen attention placed on seeking where grief is found to occur and where it is absent …

Death In The Family, Maria Botero

Animal Sentience

Barbara King presents grief as the result of the capacity of human and non-human animals for social and affectionate bonds. This is a novel approach that provides a context for interpreting behavioral evidence of grief. The book also offers thought-provoking insights into the relationship between emotion and the expression of emotion. The most surprising element of King’s approach is that, throughout the book, her account of non-human animal grief forces us to reassess the way we treat them.

The Object Of Grief, Clark Glymour

Animal Sentience

King’s new book is a wonderful collection of diverse anecdotes illustrating the variety of animal practices that are convincing illustrations of grief. Those who want scientific arguments for that conclusion should, however, read elsewhere.

Understanding Emotional Suffering, Barbara J. King

Animal Sentience

In responding to insightful commentaries from 7 scholars, for which I am grateful, I offer new thoughts on whether animals can conceptualize and express signs of grief. I also discuss why I included both weak and strong examples of animal mourning, and how this work may help us think about enhanced welfare for animals, including freedom from emotional suffering.

Changes In Brain Water Content In The Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) And In The Goldfish (Carassius Auratus) Due To High External Ammonia Exposure, Phillip Q.H. Pham-Ho

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In fishes, hyperammonemia may occur following feeding or exposure to abnormally high concentrations of environmental ammonia due to sewage effluents, agricultural run-off and in crowded aquaculture pens. Increased internal ammonia can result in hyperactivity, convulsions, coma and death. In mammals, it is also associated with potentially fatal brain edema, in which the accumulation of intracellular water results in swelling, increased intracranical pressure and herniation leading to death. Recently it was shown that rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and goldfish (Carassius auratus) experience brain swelling following exposure to high external ammonia (HEA). However, the mechanism of ammonia-induced brain …

A Missing Link In The Ionoregulatory Strategy Of Larval Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon Marinus) And African Lungfish (Protopterus Annectens): A Closer Look Into The Role Of The Non-Gastric H+/K+-Atpase, Justine E. Doherty

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Fishes living in freshwater need to actively compensate for the diffusive loss of ions and osmotic gain of water. The gill is the primary organ of ion regulation and contains an array of ion transport proteins to help maintain homeostasis. Two of the more well studied ion pumps are the Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase (NKA) and vacuolar type proton ATPase (V-ATPase). This thesis focuses on another ion pump known as the non-gastric H⁺/K⁺-ATPase (ngHKA). The ngHKA (gene: atp12a) has not been found in any of the teleost fishes, indicating loss from that lineage. In …

The Small Mammals Of Southeastern Virginia As Revealed By Pitfall Trapping, Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Pitfall trapping is a poor method to catch small mammals but the only way to catch and study the Southeastern Shrew (Sorex longirostris), the primary mammal of interest in the field studies reported here. While learning much about its distribution and abundance, still more was learned about the other small mammals present in forests and fields of eastern Virginia. A total of 15 species was captured at 19 locations during the 1990-2013 period, including five shrews, two moles, and eight rodents, representing all but one of the common small mammals in eastern Virginia.

Draft Genome Sequences For Seven Streptococcus Parauberis Isolates From Wild Fish In The Chesapeake Bay, Ashley Haines, Emily Nebergall, Elvira Besong, Kimaya Council, Onaysha Lambert, David Gauthier

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Streptococcus parauberis is a pathogen of cattle and fish, closely related Streptococcus uberis and Streptococcus iniae. We report the genomes of seven S. parauberis strains recovered from striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in the Chesapeake Bay. The availability of these genomes will allow comparative genomic analysis of Chesapeake Bay S. parauberis strains versus S. parauberis cultured from other animal hosts and geographic regions.

Examining Sociological Differences And The Influence Of Prey Distribution And Environmental Variability In The Distribution Of A Top Marine Predator, The Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus), Stefanie K. Gazda

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the influence of environmental variability on the distribution of prey, and the influence of prey spatial structure and habitat variability may have on the distributions of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Additionally I examined how sociological differences (behavior type and the changes in a foraging behavior specific to Cedar Key Florida) influences the relative roles of bottlenose dolphins within the population.

The Gowans et al. scheme assumes that small groups form small communities and that foraging groups are small and rare as there are few foraging benefits to promote grouping. Using network analysis, …

Using Detection Dogs And Rspf Models To Assess Habitat Suitability For Bears In Greater Yellowstone, Jon P. Beckmann, Lisette P. Waits, Aimee Hurt, Alice Whitelaw, Scott Bergen

Western North American Naturalist

In the northern U.S. Rockies, including the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), connectivity is a concern because large carnivores have difficulties dispersing successfully between protected areas. One area of high conservation value because of its importance for connecting the GYE to wilderness areas of central Idaho is the Centennial Mountains and surrounding valleys (2500 km2) along the Idaho–Montana border just west of Yellowstone National Park. The current expansion of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) and other large carnivore populations outside protected areas of Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park has placed a greater emphasis on potential linkage zones …

Manipulation Of Ovarian Function Significantly Influenced Trabecular And Cortical Bone Volume, Architecture And Density In Mice At Death, Jeffrey B. Mason, Boston C. Terry, Samer S. Merchant, Holly M. Mason, Mahdi Nazokkarmaher

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Previously, transplantation of ovaries from young, cycling mice into old, postreproductive-age mice increased life span and decreased cardiomyopathy at death. We anticipated that the same factors that increased life span and decreased cardiomyopathy could also influence the progression of orthopedic disease. At 11 months of age, prepubertally ovariectomized and ovary-intact mice (including reproductively cycling and acyclic mice) received new 60-day-old ovaries. At death, epiphyseal bone in the proximal tibia and the distal femur and mid-shaft tibial and femoral diaphyseal bone was analyzed with micro-computed tomography. For qualitative analysis of osteophytosis, we also included mineralized connective tissue within the stifle joint. …

Quantifying The Adaptive Cycle, David G. Angeler, Craig R. Allen, Ahjond S. Garmestani, Lance H. Gunderson, Olle Hjerne, Monika Winder

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

The adaptive cycle was proposed as a conceptual model to portray patterns of change in complex systems. Despite the model having potential for elucidating change across systems, it has been used mainly as a metaphor, describing system dynamics qualitatively. We use a quantitative approach for testing premises (reorganisation, conservatism, adaptation) in the adaptive cycle, using Baltic Sea phytoplankton communities as an example of such complex system dynamics. Phytoplankton organizes in recurring spring and summer blooms, a well-established paradigm in planktology and succession theory, with characteristic temporal trajectories during blooms that may be consistent with adaptive cycle phases. We used long-term …

Phylogenetic Investigation Of Enteric Bovine Coronavirus In Ireland Reveals Partitioning Between European And Global Strains, Lynda Gunn, P. J. Collins, M. J. O'Connell, Helen O'Shea

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Background

Bovine coronavirus is a primary cause of neonatal calf diarrhea worldwide, and is also associated with acute diarrhea in adult cattle during the winter season. There are no reports on molecular characterization of bovine coronavirus in Ireland, and little data exists apart from serological studies.

Findings

In this study, 11 neonatal (mean age 9 days) calf BCoV strains from the south of Ireland were collected over a one year period and characterized using molecular methods. The spike gene which encodes a protein involved in viral entry, infectivity and immune response shows the most variability amongst the isolates and was …

Vestigial Serrula In Scorpion Genera Paravaejovis, , Smeringurus And Vejovoidus (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad, Michael S. Brewer, David P. A. Neff, Michael L. Norton

Euscorpius

The presence of vestigial serrula on the ventral edge of the cheliceral movable finger is established for vaejovid genera Paravaejovis, Paruroctonus, Smeringurus, and Vejovoidus. Detailed descriptions and SEM images illustrating the various manifestations of this interesting cheliceral structure are provided for many species of these four genera. A brief systematic overview of this structure as it exists in Recent scorpions is also presented.

Serrula In Retrospect: A Historical Look At Scorpion Literature (Scorpiones: Orthosterni), Matthew R. Graham, Victor Fet

Euscorpius

Serrula, a small comb-like structure on the ventral aspect of cheliceral movable finger in scorpions, has often been overlooked or ignored. Scorpion genera that are currently known to possess serrula belong to six families: Chactidae, Euscorpiidae, Iuridae, Pseudochactidae, Superstitioniidae, and Vaejovidae. All relevant literature on scorpion serrula is reviewed, and serrula of representative scorpion taxa is illustrated by SEM images. We suggest that the inconsistency in reporting serrula is based on several factors (or combination thereof): (a) serrula tines can quite often be broken off partially or completely, especially in adults; (b) serrula can be vestigial and hardly visible under …

On The Poorly Known Genus Mesotityus González-Sponga, 1981 (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Luis F. De Armas, Fernando J. M. Rojas-Runjaic

Euscorpius

Examination of new available material (18 females and six males) of the rare Venezuelan scorpion Mesotityus vondangeli González-Sponga, 1981 (Buthidae) demonstrated that there are consistent taxonomic characters to consider it as a genus different from Tityus C. L. Koch, 1836 sensu stricto. Nevertheless, it shares important characters with species of the Tityus clathratus group (=subgenus Archaeotityus Lourenço, 2006). An emended diagnosis of Mesotityus is given, as well as data on natural history, meristic and morphometric variation.

Taxonomic Position Of The Genus Sassanidotus Farzanpay, 1987 (Scorpiones: Buthidae), František Kovařík, Victor Fet

Euscorpius

Sassanidotus Farzanpay, 1987 is a valid genus closely related to Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949, with which it shares most characters including the shape of carinae on the carapace and mesosoma. The main difference is that Sassanidotus has only three granules located proximally to the terminal granule on the movable finger of pedipalp, whereas Compsobuthus and also Mesobuthus Vachon, 1950 have four such granules. Sassanidotus Farzanpay, 1987 includes two species, Sassanidotus zarudnyi (Birula, 1900) (type species) from Iran and Sassanidotus gracilis thus zarudnyi sarghadensis Birula, 1903, syn. n.) from Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. The neotype is designated for S. zarudnyi.

Redescription And Lectotype Designation Of Vaejovis Lapidicola Stahnke, 1940 (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Matthew R. Graham

Euscorpius

The original description of the Arizona scorpion species Vaejovis lapidicola Stahnke, 1940 consists of a single paragraph. Furthermore, a holotype for this species was never designated. To remedy this, two syntypes of V. lapidicola were obtained for study. A male syntype is redescribed and designated the lectotype, and a female is assigned as a paralectotype. The taxonomic status of V. lapidicola is also confirmed.

Laterobasal Aculear Serrations (Las) In Scorpion Family Vaejovidae (Scorpiones: Chactoidea), Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad, Michael S. Brewer

Euscorpius

The discovery of a new structure on the laterobasal aspect of the telson aculeus is described here for the first time. This structure, termed the laterobasal aculear serrations (LAS), is a row of minute denticles located on each side of the aculeus base, found exclusively in scorpion family Vaejovidae, thus potentially providing a new synapomorphy for this New World family. The LAS structure of major representative vaejovid genera and Vaejovis groups is illustrated with SEM micrographs. Also provided is a comprehensive list of non-vaejovid Recent scorpion genera examined where the LAS structure was found to be absent.

The Effect Of Insularity On The Seasonal Population Structure Of Mesobuthus Gibbosus (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Dimitris Kaltsas, Iasmi Stathi, Moysis Mylonas

Euscorpius

We compared the population structure of Mesobuthus gibbosus from autumn to mid-summer at two similar phryganic ecosystems, one in continental Greece (Thessalia, near Volos city) and one in insular Greece (eastern Crete). Data were collected monthly using the capture-recapture method. At both sites, density was low during the cold period and increased towards summer. During the samplings, only a small percentage of each population was present. Population density and co-occurrence of scorpions with scorpions or other animals was higher in Crete than in Volos, probably due to the higher inter- and intraspecific competition in Volos. The population structure of the …

Duplication Of Pedipalp Segments In The Scorpion Androctonus Crassicauda (Olivier, 1807), Ayşegül Karataş, Mustafa Kürtüllü

Euscorpius

An unusual duplication of pedipalp segments is reported from the buthid scorpion Androctonus crassicauda. While the right pedipalp is normal, the anomaly described here occurred on the left pedipalp. This abnormally developed pedipalp included nine segments instead of normal six. It has two trochanters, two femurs and two patellae; the segments are arranged in the following order: coxa, trochanter I, femur I, patella I, trochanter II, femur II, patella II, chela hand, and movable finger. Morphometric measurements, photographs, and general features of the specimen are given.