Issues
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Cover image
Cover Image
Cover: Adult male Hawaii Amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens). Since the introduction of avian malaria to Hawaii, some Amakihi populations have undergone strong selection by the disease and evolved increased resilience, while other populations remain susceptible. Glucocorticoids can lead to changes that promote survival during environmental perturbations, but they can also suppress immunity. Names et al. (jeb242951) investigated how experimentally elevated corticosterone affects the ability of resilient and susceptible male Amakihi to cope with malaria. The results suggest that elevated corticosterone may reduce the ability of Amakihi to cope with malaria via its effects on hematocrit and malaria parasitemia. Photo credit: Gabrielle Names.
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INSIDE JEB
REVIEW
Physiological responses of freshwater insects to salinity: molecular-, cellular- and organ-level studies
Summary: This Review considers the effect of salt-contaminated freshwater on the osmoregulatory physiology of freshwater insects across the organizational hierarchy from the molecular to organ levels.
SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
Functional loss of ketogenesis in odontocete cetaceans
Summary: Odontocete cetaceans lack the genetic and biochemical ability to perform ketogenesis.
Single target acuity in the common sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus)
Summary: Contrast between small targets, such as prey or body markings, and the background control the ability of the common sunfish to distinguish these features or targets.
Prolactin mediates behavioural rejection responses to avian brood parasitism
Highlighted Article: Decreasing prolactin levels facilitates rejection responses towards brood parasitic eggs in Eurasian blackbirds.
Laser ablation of the apical sensory organ of Hydroides elegans (Polychaeta) does not inhibit detection of metamorphic cues
Summary: Larvae of the polychaete Hydroides elegans retain the capacity to sense biofilm cues and metamorphose despite removal of their apical sensory organs, the supposed sensors for settlement cues.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
Lens and cornea limit UV vision of birds – a phylogenetic perspective
Summary: UV sensitivity in bird eyes is determined by the transmittances of the cornea and lens. Pigmentation could explain some of the variation. Phylogenetically related birds are likely to have similar transmittance.
Acoustic deterrents influence foraging activity, flight and echolocation behaviour of free-flying bats
Highlighted Article: Using novel flight path tracking and acoustic methods, we show that bats alter their activity, foraging and echolocation behaviour in response to an acoustic deterrent.
Bone conduction pathways confer directional cues to salamanders
Summary: Bone conduction hearing enables salamanders to extract directional cues from airborne sound pressure in the absence of an impedance-matching tympanic middle ear.
Flight altitude dynamics of migrating European nightjars across regions and seasons
Highlighted Article: Migrating nightjars show vertical displacements at low rates throughout migratory flights, indicating regular adjustments of flight altitude while maintaining flapping flight.
Body temperature is a repeatable trait in a free-ranging passerine bird
Summary: Variation in body temperature of tree swallows suggests some individuals may be better at coping with climate-related heat stress.
Formic acid modulates latency and accuracy of nestmate recognition in carpenter ants
Summary: Exposure to an alarm pheromone increases both speed and accuracy of the response to recognition cues in ants.
Myogenic contraction of a somatic muscle powers rhythmic flow of hemolymph through Drosophila antennae and generates brain pulsations
Summary: The circulation of hemolymph in the antenna of Drosophila is powered by the rhythmic contraction of an auto-active somatic muscle which runs through the brain.
The role of California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) hindflippers as aquatic control surfaces for maneuverability
Summary: Analysis of the biomechanic function of sea lion hindflippers as aquatic control surfaces during underwater maneuvering: the structure of the hindflippers indicates they operate as biological delta-wings.
Is maternal thyroid hormone deposition subject to a trade-off between self and egg because of iodine? An experimental study in rock pigeon
Summary: Restricted dietary iodine in captive rock pigeons reduces egg production in some females, thus inducing a trade-off between offspring quality and offspring quantity.
Dynamic movements facilitate extreme gap crossing in flying snakes
Summary: Flying snakes use a take-off behavior associated with gliding to cross horizontal gaps, avoiding a torque limitation associated with other crossing behaviors and substantially increasing their gap-bridging performance.
Stress in paradise: effects of elevated corticosterone on immunity and avian malaria resilience in a Hawaiian passerine
Summary: Amakihi innate immunity, as measured by natural antibodies and leukocytes, is not sensitive to changes in corticosterone, but high circulating corticosterone may reduce the ability of Amakihi to cope with avian malaria infection via its effects on hematocrit and malaria parasite load.
Wetting of the tarsal adhesive fluid determines underwater adhesion in ladybird beetles
Summary: Fluid-mediated adhesion seen in animals such as ladybird beetles allows them to attach to surfaces not just in air but also in underwater conditions.
Ocellar spatial vision in Myrmecia ants
Summary: Electrophysiological techniques reveal that spatial visual properties of simple eyes improve with input from compound eyes in bull ants.
Time-varying motor control strategy for proximal-to-distal sequential energy distribution: insights from baseball pitching
Summary: The motor control strategy of the proximal-to-distal sequential motion during baseball pitching involves the muscular and interactive torque effects contributing to the energy generation and transfer mechanisms.
CORRECTION
Using the reactive scope model to redefine social stress in fishes

In their Review, Katie Gilmour and colleagues redefine the ambiguous concept of social stress by using the reactive scope model as a framework to explain the divergent physiological phenotypes of dominant and subordinate fishes.
JEB grants to support junior faculty

Learn about the grants that we launched in 2023 to support junior faculty from two of our awardees: Erin Leonard, Early-Career Researcher (ECR) Visiting Fellowship recipient, and Pauline Fleischmann, Research Partnership Kickstart Travel Grant recipient. The next deadline to apply is 6 June 2025.
Thirteen-lined ground squirrels survive extraordinarily low blood oxygen

Brynne Duffy and colleagues reveal that thirteen-lined ground squirrels are true hypoxia champions surviving extreme low blood oxygen, down to just 34% oxygen, when they emerge briefly from hibernation.
The Company of Biologists Workshops

For the last 15 years, our publisher, The Company of Biologists, has provided an apt environment to inspire biology and support biologists through our Workshops series. Read about the evolution of the Workshop series and revisit JEB's experience with hosting the first Global South Workshop.
Fast & Fair peer review

Our sister journal Biology Open has recently launched the next phase of their Fast & Fair peer review initiative: offering high-quality peer review within 7 working days. To learn more about BiO’s progress and future plans, read the Editorial by Daniel Gorelick, or visit the Fast & Fair peer review page.