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Articles 1621 - 1650 of 2127

Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Going Beyond Just-So Stories, Brian Key Jan 2016

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 …

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How Welfare Biology And Commonsense May Help To Reduce Animal Suffering, Yew-Kwang Ng Jan 2016

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 …

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Animal Suffering Calls For More Than A Bigger Cage, Simon R. B. Leadbeater Jan 2016

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.

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Why Animal Welfarism Continues To Fail, Lori Marino Jan 2016

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.

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End-State Welfarism, Joel Marks Jan 2016

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.

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Animal Mourning: Précis Of How Animals Grieve (King 2013), Barbara J. King Jan 2016

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 …

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Death In The Family, Maria Botero Jan 2016

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.

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The Object Of Grief, Clark Glymour Jan 2016

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.

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Understanding Emotional Suffering, Barbara J. King Jan 2016

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.

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Causes And Consequences Of Variation In Female Mate Choice And Its Relation To Sexual Conflict In Drosophila Melanogaster, David Cs Filice Jan 2016

Causes And Consequences Of Variation In Female Mate Choice And Its Relation To Sexual Conflict In Drosophila Melanogaster, David Cs Filice

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Female mate choice is a significant driving force of evolutionary change and can explain the evolution of exaggerated male traits and/or displays, and dimorphism between the sexes. Females are thought to choose mates based on the greatest provision of direct or indirect benefits. Despite this, we often still see substantial individual variation in female mate choice behaviours both within and across populations. Recent studies suggest that female mate choice is a complex decision-making process that involves many context-dependent factors. However, the precise sources of this variation, such as previous mating experience, are not completely understood. In Drosophila melanogaster, mating …

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Genome Wide Epigenetic Analyses Of Araptus Attenuatus, A Bark Beetle, Chitra Seshadri Jan 2016

Genome Wide Epigenetic Analyses Of Araptus Attenuatus, A Bark Beetle, Chitra Seshadri

Theses and Dissertations

Phylogeographic studies have relied on surveying neutral genetic variation in natural populations as a way of gaining better insights into the evolutionary processes shaping present day population demography. Recent emphasis on understanding putative adaptive variation have brought to light the role of epigenetic variation in influencing phenotypes and the mechanisms underlying local adaptation. While much is known about how methylation acts at specific loci to influence known phenotypes, there is little information on the spatial genetic structure of genome-wide patterns of methylation and the extent to which it can extend our understanding of both neutral and putatively adaptive processes. This …

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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 Dec 2015

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.

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Serrula In Retrospect: A Historical Look At Scorpion Literature (Scorpiones: Orthosterni), Matthew R. Graham, Victor Fet Dec 2015

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 …

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On The Poorly Known Genus Mesotityus González-Sponga, 1981 (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Luis F. De Armas, Fernando J. M. Rojas-Runjaic Dec 2015

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.

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Taxonomic Position Of The Genus Sassanidotus Farzanpay, 1987 (Scorpiones: Buthidae), František Kovařík, Victor Fet Dec 2015

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.

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Redescription And Lectotype Designation Of Vaejovis Lapidicola Stahnke, 1940 (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Matthew R. Graham Dec 2015

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.

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Laterobasal Aculear Serrations (Las) In Scorpion Family Vaejovidae (Scorpiones: Chactoidea), Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad, Michael S. Brewer Dec 2015

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.

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The Effect Of Insularity On The Seasonal Population Structure Of Mesobuthus Gibbosus (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Dimitris Kaltsas, Iasmi Stathi, Moysis Mylonas Dec 2015

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 …

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Duplication Of Pedipalp Segments In The Scorpion Androctonus Crassicauda (Olivier, 1807), Ayşegül Karataş, Mustafa Kürtüllü Dec 2015

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.

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Constellation Array In Scorpion Genera Paruroctonus, Smeringurus, Vejovoidus, And Paravaejovis (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad, Michael Brewer, David P. A. Neff, Michael L. Norton Dec 2015

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

Euscorpius

The constellation array (a recently discovered sensory structure on the fixed finger of pedipalp; Fet et al., 2006) is analyzed for a large set of species belonging to four genera in the family Vaejovidae: Paruroctonus, Smeringurus, Vejovoidus, and Paravaejovis. It is shown that this structure is an important taxonomic character. Two distinct configurations are identified, a two-sensilla array for Paruroctonus + Smeringurus + Vejovoidus and a three-sensilla array for genus Paravejovis, both differing from other vaejovid configurations so far investigated. The topology of these two array configurations are analyzed using landmark setae identified in this study.

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Contributions To Scorpion Systematics. Ii. Stahnkeini, A New Tribe In Scorpion Family Vaejovidae (Scorpiones: Chactoidea), Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet Dec 2015

Contributions To Scorpion Systematics. Ii. Stahnkeini, A New Tribe In Scorpion Family Vaejovidae (Scorpiones: Chactoidea), Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet

Euscorpius

The diagnostic characters originally established by Herbert L. Stahnke (1940a, 1940b, 1974) in his description of genus Serradigitus are studied in detail from several new perspectives. A new genus, Stahnkeus, gen. nov., is described based on the presence of inner accessory (IAD) denticles on the chelal fingers, unprecedented in family Vaejovidae. Five species of Serradigitus are transferred to Stahnkeus: Stahnkeus harbisoni (Williams, 1970), comb. nov. (=Serradigitus harbisoni); Stahnkeus deserticola (Williams, 1970), comb. nov. (=Serradigitus deserticola); Stahnkeus subtilimanus (Soleglad, 1972), comb. nov. (=Serradigitus subtilimanus); Stahnkeus allredi (Sissom et Stockwell, 1991), …

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Eight New Species Of The Genera Scorpiops Peters, Euscorpiops Vachon, And Chaerilus Simon (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae, Chaerilidae) From Tibet And Yunnan, China, Jian-Xin Qi, Ming-Sheng Zhu, Wilson R. Lourenço Dec 2015

Eight New Species Of The Genera Scorpiops Peters, Euscorpiops Vachon, And Chaerilus Simon (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae, Chaerilidae) From Tibet And Yunnan, China, Jian-Xin Qi, Ming-Sheng Zhu, Wilson R. Lourenço

Euscorpius

Eight new species belonging to the genera Scorpiops and Euscorpiops (Euscorpiidae: Scorpiopinae) and Chaerilus (Chaerilidae) are described from China. These are: Scorpiops atomatus sp. n., Scorpiops langxian sp. n., Scorpiops luridus sp. n., Scorpiops pococki sp. n., Euscorpiops vachoni sp. n., Euscorpiops shidian sp. n., Euscorpiops karschi sp. n., and Chaerilus tessellatus sp. n. New records are also reported for these three genera, and the taxa are redescribed. Descriptions and redescriptions are based mainly on the material collected in Tibet Autonomous Region and Yunnan Province. Checklists and identification keys for Chinese species of …

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The Systematic Position Of The Scorpion Genera Heteroscorpion Birula, 1903 And Urodacus Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Scorpionoidea), Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet, František Kovařík Dec 2015

The Systematic Position Of The Scorpion Genera Heteroscorpion Birula, 1903 And Urodacus Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Scorpionoidea), Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Stockwell (1989), in an unpublished revision, suggested the elevation of subfamily Urodacinae to the family rank, and considered Heteroscorpioninae a subfamily of Ischnuridae. Heteroscorpioninae was formally elevated to the family rank by Lourenço (1996a), and Urodacinae, by Prendini (2000). As a result of a detailed cladistic analysis, Prendini (2000, 2003b) considered families Heteroscorpionidae and Urodacidae to be sister groups, although an al-ternative topology was available. Soleglad & Fet (2003b) questioned the results of Prendini (2000) but nevertheless retained the monophyly of Heteroscorpion and Urodacus pending more detailed analysis; they recognized two valid monotypic subfamilies, Heteroscorpioninae and Urodacinae, under Urodacidae. Our …

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New Data On Distribution And Ecology Of Seven Species Of Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), Marco Colombo Dec 2015

New Data On Distribution And Ecology Of Seven Species Of Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), Marco Colombo

Euscorpius

The author observed seven species of Euscorpius in 1999–2005 (E. alpha, E. sicanus, E. tergestinus, E. concinnus, E. naupliensis, E. italicus, and E. flavicaudis) in their natural environment, mainly in Italy but also in France, Switzerland, and Greece. Ecology of these species is discussed as well as predatory behavior occasionally observed in nature. This work provides new data on the distribution and ecology of European Euscorpiidae.

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Editorial: "Euscorpius" At 100, Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad Dec 2015

Editorial: "Euscorpius" At 100, Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad

Euscorpius

With the publication of Graeme Lowe on Vachoniolus from Oman, our journal Euscorpius celebrates its 100th issue. Euscorpius is the first and only research publication completely devoted to scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Since its inception in 2001, Euscorpius published 100 issues authored by 79 zoologists from 23 countries (USA, Argentina, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Guadeloupe, India, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, and Venezuela.)

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Review Of Tunisian Species Of The Genus Buthus With Descriptions Of Two New Species And A Discussion Of Ehrenberg’S Types (Scorpiones: Buthidae), František Kovařík Dec 2015

Review Of Tunisian Species Of The Genus Buthus With Descriptions Of Two New Species And A Discussion Of Ehrenberg’S Types (Scorpiones: Buthidae), František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Buthus chambiensis, sp. n. and Buthus dunlopi, sp. n. from Tunisia are described. Presented is also a key to four Tunisian species of the genus Buthus. The males of B. chambiensis, sp. n. and B. paris (C. L. Koch, 1839) have narrower chela than the females, which distinguishes them from B. tunetanus (Herbst, 1800) and B. dunlopi, sp. n. Uniformly yellowish mesosoma and very narrow chela of pedipalps distinguish B. chambiensis, sp. n. from Buthus paris (C. L. Koch, 1839). Morphologically closest to B. chambiensis sp. n. is Buthus barcaeus Birula, 1909, comb. n. …

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A New Species Of The Genus Buthus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Northern Cameroon, Wilson R. Lourenço, Elise-Anne Leguin Dec 2015

A New Species Of The Genus Buthus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Northern Cameroon, Wilson R. Lourenço, Elise-Anne Leguin

Euscorpius

A new species belonging to the genus Buthus Leach (Scorpiones: Buthidae) is described from northern Cameroon in Central Western Africa. The new species can be included in the “Buthus occitanus” complex of species, and probably can be associated with the “Buthus occitanus” from the former French West Africa (AOF) previously reported by Vachon from this large region. This is the first record of a Buthus species from Cameroon, and with the description of Buthus prudenti sp. n., the status of one more population of Buthus spp. from the sub-Saharan region of Africa is clarified.

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A Seven-Legged Scorpion: The First Teratological Leg Absence Found In Scorpio Maurus Fuscus (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae), David David Dec 2015

A Seven-Legged Scorpion: The First Teratological Leg Absence Found In Scorpio Maurus Fuscus (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae), David David

Euscorpius

A teratological leg absence anomaly is reported and discussed in a Scorpio maurus fuscus (Scorpionidae) specimen from Israel. In this scorpion, the third right leg is completely missing, and the fourth right leg has a deformed coxa, which abuts the entire lateral edge of the sternum. The area anterior to the sternum is visibly curved to the right. This is the first leg absence anomaly reported in scorpions.

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Malformed Pedipalp Finger Dentition Of The Scorpion Superstitionia Donensis (Scorpiones: Superstitioniidae), Matthew R. Graham Dec 2015

Malformed Pedipalp Finger Dentition Of The Scorpion Superstitionia Donensis (Scorpiones: Superstitioniidae), Matthew R. Graham

Euscorpius

A novel deformity of pedipalp finger dentition is presented from the scorpion Superstitionia donensis. This anomaly, present on the left pedipalp chela only, is herein described and discussed in regards to possible problems it could cause with species identification.

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Name-Bearing Types Of Scorpions Deposited At The Institute Of Ecology And Systematics, Havana, Cuba (Arachnida: Scorpiones), Luis F. De Armas Dec 2015

Name-Bearing Types Of Scorpions Deposited At The Institute Of Ecology And Systematics, Havana, Cuba (Arachnida: Scorpiones), Luis F. De Armas

Euscorpius

In the Institute of Ecology and Systematics, Havana, there are deposited 76 name-bearing types (holotypes, lectotypes, and syntypes) of scorpions belonging to 10 genera of the families Buthidae (Alayotityus, Centruroides, Microtityus, Rhopalurus, Tityopsis, Tityus) and Scorpionidae: Diplocentrinae (Cazierius, Didymocentrus, Diplocentrus, Heteronebo). Most of these materials are from the West Indies, mainly the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Hispaniola, Navassa, Jamaica, Puerto Rico), but several are from Mexico. The collection includes species described mostly by P. Franganillo Balboa (1930–1936), A. Moreno Bonilla (1938–1940), and L. F. de Armas and his collaborators …

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