Ethological research in Hungary is most often associated with studies on dogs, largely due to the extensive work conducted by researchers at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University. However, recent methodological advancements are shifting the focus towards a less conventional model: the paradise fish. These small, vibrant fish offer unique advantages, such as ease of handling and … Read more
Zoology is the branch of biology that focuses on the study of animals, their behavior, physiology, classification, evolution, and distribution. It encompasses a vast array of organisms, from microscopic protozoa to large mammals, and explores the diversity of life on Earth. Zoologists investigate the structure, function, ecology, and behavior of animals in order to understand … Read more
A study published in Science reports a comprehensive database of single-neuron projectomes consisting of over 10,000 mouse hippocampal neurons, thus revealing the spatial connectivity patterns of mouse hippocampal neurons at the mesoscopic level. The study was conducted by teams from the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (CEBSIT), the Institute of Neuroscience … Read more
A team of scientists has discovered the earliest gibbon fossil, a find that helps fill a long-elusive evolutionary gap in the history of apes. The work, reported in the Journal of Human Evolution, centers on hylobatids, a family of apes that includes 20 species of living gibbons, which are found throughout tropical Asia from northeastern … Read more
They’d been in the collections of the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) since the 1870s when they were first discovered. Nestled in among the largest collection of trilobites, the unique fossils rested in drawers until 145 years later when Sarah Losso, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (OEB) at Harvard, … Read more
In a groundbreaking collaboration, a team of oceanographers from various U.S. institutions joined forces with a zoologist affiliated with the SNSB-Bavarian State Collection of Zoology in Germany. Their remarkable discovery, detailed in the journal Historical Biology, marks the first-ever in situ identification of a fossilized megalodon tooth in the deep sea, providing unique insights into … Read more
A study led by the UAB on the remains of animals found at the site of the Chaves cave obtains new data on the control of breeding and feeding of the first domesticated sheep herds found in the western Mediterranean region during the Neolithic period. The results, exceptional first time evidence of how early flocks … Read more
Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It explores a vast range of topics, including the structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution of living organisms. This discipline delves into various levels of biological organization, from molecules and cells to organisms and ecosystems. Through methods like observation, experimentation, and analysis, biologists seek … Read more
The Cambrian Explosion, occurring approximately 540-500 million years ago, has long been considered a pivotal event in the history of life on Earth, marking the appearance of major animal groups. However, recent research conducted by the University of Oxford in collaboration with the University of Lausanne challenges the notion of a sudden burst of diversity, … Read more
The skull shape of vultures, it turns out, holds a key to understanding their distinct feeding behaviors. A recent study, detailed in the Journal of Zoology, explored variations in the skull shapes of 22 living vulture species, revealing a correlation between these shapes and the preferred method each species uses to feed on carrion. Vultures … Read more
The mushroom body, located in arthropods’ brains, serves as the hub for learning, memory, and abstract decision-making in insects. This discovery emerged from a study led by Professor Dr. Martin Paul Nawrot and Dr. Cansu Arican from the University of Cologne’s Institute of Zoology. The research, titled “The mushroom body output encodes behavioral decision during … Read more
Over a span of 50 years, researchers from the University of Connecticut (UConn) led by Emeritus Professor Robert Colwell achieved the culmination of a long-standing project. The outcome was a solution to a perplexing puzzle that had intrigued Colwell since the 1970s. The journey began when Colwell was teaching a graduate course in Costa Rica … Read more
Leaf-tailed geckos are true masters of disguise. Some of these gecko species sport skin flaps that encircle their entire bodies and heads, along with flattened tails. By day, they perch head-down on tree trunks, unfurling these skin flaps, and effortlessly blending into their environment, rendering them nearly invisible. When night falls, they come to life, … Read more
Researchers from the University of Otago Department of Zoology have made an intriguing discovery about a New Zealand insect’s unique ‘cheating’ strategy to evade predators. The cyanide-producing stonefly, Austroperla cyrene, employs bold “warning” colors of black, white, and yellow to signal its toxicity to potential threats, similar to poisonous species like wasps and bees. However, … Read more
Five years ago, a marine biologist from Clemson University made an interesting discovery involving a species of nemertean worm that affects Caribbean spiny lobsters. Antonio Baeza, an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, stumbled upon this new worm while studying the parental behaviors of the spiny lobster Panulirus argus in the Florida Keys. … Read more