Issues

Summary: Anatomical and physiological responses to diving in seals are described. It is argued that the responses seen in forced dives and those seen during free dives are basically the same.

Summary: This paper presents a review of the ecology, biomechanics and evolution of bipedal hopping in mammals, with a focus on why bipedal hopping has arisen in multiple clades of mammals.

Summary: Light preference and the position of the lateral folds (parapodia) of the solar-powered sea slug Elysia viridis are modulated by the light history of chloroplasts acquired from macroalgae.

Highlighted Article: Serotonin in crayfish is able to alter the perception of a rival, leading to paradoxical consequences for aggressiveness.

Summary: A new statistical model quantifies how methodology, heat stress and acclimation influence estimates of critical temperatures.

Summary: Brain size and cognitive ability play a key role in mating decisions.

Summary: Structural mechanics of hemolymph flow through the aorta and conical chamber of the African malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae.

Summary: LMCs in the visual system of Papilio xuthus use two information-coding strategies: a graded coding and a mixed coding involving action-potential like spikes. Use of spikes depends on light level.

Summary: The fin whale locomotor muscle shows an adaptive functional specialization which explains its unique feeding behaviour and swimming performance.

Summary: Tracheal ventilation in blowflies is driven by the flight muscles, deforming the mesonotal air sacs, which results in a unidirectional airflow channelled by two antagonistically working passive valves.

Summary: Laboratory mice show great variability in the expression of daily torpor, even among littermates; this variation may reflect the long-term influence of growth hysteresis prior to birth.

Summary: In vivo and ex vivo empirical data of Japanese macaque phonation suggest universal physical and physiological principles of voice production in humans and non-human primates.

Summary: Small desert owls demonstrate heat tolerance intermediate between that of very heat-tolerant nightjars and less heat-tolerant passerines. The gular flutter mechanism contributes significantly to cooling efficiency.

Editor's Choice: Polar bears and grizzly bears exhibit a greater economy while moving at slow speeds as a consequence of their plantigrade posture.

Summary: Differential expression of c-Fos in the hippocampus and amygdala through odour-mediated regulation of PP-1 may contribute to olfactory learning and memory in Cynopterus sphinx.

Highlighted Article: Cold exposure causes Drosophila to enter a comatose state as a result of the loss of central nervous system function. This is associated with a spreading depolarization and the ability to prevent this underlies acute cold tolerance.

Summary: Adult Drosophila melanogaster survive anoxic exposure by maintaining ATP at 3% of normal and tolerating a drastic disruption of ion balance.

Summary: Southern catfish downregulate digestive function and metabolic rate during food deprivation, but regain digestive capacity during refeeding, potentially at the cost of decreased swimming performance.