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AbstractThis review evaluates the current knowledge of essential biological traits (diet, fecundity, maturity, length-weight relationships, spawning, growth, lifespan, and natural mortality) of marine fishes across European and adjacent waters. These traits are crucial for ecosystem modeling and stock assessments. Using data from FishBase, the largest and most comprehensive database on fishes, a gap analysis was performed to identify areas of research focus and the corresponding gaps that require further study. Biological data coverage is strong in the Baltic and North Seas but moderate in the Adriatic, Aegean, Biscay, Celtic, Levantine, and western Mediterranean Seas. Well-documented species include the European conger (Conger conger), thornback ray (Raja clavata), and transparent goby (Aphia minuta) which are reported from all areas. The narrowest knowledge gaps concern length-weight relationships, followed by spawning and growth, while natural mortality and fecundity are the least studied biological characteristics. Regional variations exist, particularly for protected species. Future research should focus on filling gaps by addressing overlooked species (bycatch and discarded species) and traits such as natural mortality and fecundity, with special attention to vulnerable groups like sharks and rays. Expanding biological data coverage will reduce uncertainties in stock assessments and improve ecosystem models, two widely used tools for sustainable fisheries management and marine conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 40 years ago, studies of the Drosophila engrailed and Hox genes led to major discoveries that shaped the history of developmental biology. We learned that these genes define the state of determination of cells that populate particular spatially defined regions: the identity of segmental domains by Hox genes, and the identity of posterior developmental compartments by engrailed. Hence, the boundaries that delimit spatial domains depend on engrailed. Here, we review the engrailed field, which now includes orthologs in Drosophila and mouse, as well as many other animals. We focus on fly and mouse and highlight additional functions that span early stages of embryogenesis and neural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kentwood D. Wells, a renowned scientist, herpetologist, and educator, passed away in 2024 at the age of 76. His work on frog reproductive behavior significantly impacted the fields of behavioral ecology and sociobiology. Throughout his career at the University of Connecticut, Kent mentored numerous students and made significant contributions to the study of amphibian social behavior and communication. His dedication to teaching, research, and fieldwork left a lasting legacy in the field of herpetology. [Extracted from the article]

The fishes are an extremely diverse and interesting group of vertebrates, and provide protein and joy to humans throughout the globe. When I was asked if I could write an essay about my career as a fish ecologist my first thought was: what is there to write about? After some thought I decided to give it a try. I describe how I ended up studying fish and the diversity of fish and topics that I have worked on during my career. My path has included a lot of stochastic events, and I did not have a long-term goal or plan. My road has been a long and winding one, requiring collaboration with people with diverse backgrounds and competences. Teaching and supervision have also been a large part of my career. Many students later became colleagues, and some have become friends. Society and the university have changed over time; I include some comments on university education at the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a teaching and learning sequence (TLS) that aims to engage students in learning core biological knowledge and well-informed conceptions about the nature of science through a historical case study: Alfred Russel Wallace's (1823–1913) research on palm trees in the Amazon. He observed, illustrated, described, and collected several specimens to understand the region's biological diversity. We took it as a starting point for students to use a dichotomous identification key and develop a phylogenetic tree. We also mention an evaluation of the TLS applied in second-year high school classes involving sixty students from a public school in the city of São Paulo in 2013. The activity produced several positive effects, especially regarding motivation for learning phylogenetic classification from exemplary historical contexts. The experience illustrates in a more general way how the use of nature investigations carried out in the past can contribute to a more complete scientific education, as described in the new curricular standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

American Biology Teacher has published over seven dozen articles relevant to the history of biology in biology teaching. They are cataloged here and indexed by topic. As reflected in this archive, teachers adopt a historical approach for many pragmatic motivations: (1) to engage students, by contextualizing science culturally; (2) to foster student interest through storytelling; (3) to promote the human dimension of science and offer role models; (4) to exemplify and nurture scientific reasoning; and (5) to convey the ever elusive "nature of science." Here, I summarize and comment on those aims and their relation to the Next Generation Science Standards, and consider briefly some of the practical dimensions for teachers who have not yet engaged with historical approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"The Strategy of Model Building in Population Biology" published by Richard Levins in 1966 has been cited over 2500 times. For a paper concerned with modeling approaches in population biology a surprisingly large part of the attention. The Strategy received comes from history and philosophy of biology, and specifically from accounts on model and model formulation. The Strategy is an unusual paper; it presents neither new data nor a new formal model; at times it reads like a manifesto for some modeling approach, without specifying which broader program that approach intends to support. When these peculiarities of The Strategy are even mentioned, the philosophical literature tends to explain them away by invoking Levins' Marxist commitments. In contrast, I argue that those peculiarities can be explained by examining the programmatic purpose of the paper; starting from his doctoral work, Levins was trying to establish a research program meant to account for the relations between fitness and environment in different terms than the prevalent lock-and-key view. My paper brings that program back to the discussion, explains its relation to competing approaches and examines Levins' approach to modeling in light of that context [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I will conduct three interrelated analyses. First, I will develop an analysis of various concepts in the history of biology that used to refer to individual-level phenomena but were then reinterpreted by the Modern Synthesis in terms of populations. Second, a similar situation can be found in contemporary evolutionary theory. While different approaches reflect on the causal role of developing organisms in evolution, proponents of the Modern Synthesis refrain from any substantial change by reinterpreting and explaining individual-level phenomena from a population perspective. Finally, I will approach these historical and contemporary debates by arguing for the statistical reading of natural selection, which holds that explanations by natural selection are statistical. My main conclusion is that the historical conceptual reinterpretations belong to a new explanatory strategy developed by the Modern Synthesis based on population thinking. Adopting the statistical point of view has three advantages for the issues discussed in this paper. First, understanding historical conceptual change as part of an explanatory shift fits with the emergence of population biology as a discipline that employs statistical methods. Second, concerning current debates in evolutionary biology, the statisticalist reading can validate the goal of both sides of the dispute. It ascribes an invaluable role to the population statistical explanation of the MS and also commends the study of developmental and organismal causes of adaptive evolution. Finally, the division of explanatory roles in evolutionary biology, embarrassed by statisticalism, can be related to the different interpretations that important biological concepts have undergone throughout history and contemporary biology, i.e., that the division of explanatory roles allows for a division of conceptual interpretations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Lepidopteran pest control in agriculture has become heavily dependent on cultivars that express Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins as 'plant‐incorporated protectants'. However, populations of Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) in Brazil appear resistant to the Bt traits currently available in commercial soybean cultivars. RESULTS: This study evaluated S. frugiperda life history when feeding on three different Bt soybean cultivars. Cultivars expressing Cry1Ac + Cry1F and Cry1A.105 + Cry2Ab2 + Cry1Ac Bt toxins caused 100% larval mortality in S. frugiperda. Both non‐Bt and Cry1Ac‐expressing soybean induced transgenerational effects that increased the survival of subsequent generations. A Cry1Ac soybean diet reduced the generation time (T) of S. frugiperda relative to non‐Bt soybean, resulting in shorter generation time and more rapid population growth. CONCLUSION: The implications of these results revealed how diet can alter aspects of insect life history and biology, and have important implications for sustainable management of S. frugiperda on soybean. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the importance of integrating physiological approaches into evolutionary studies to understand functional evolution and biodiversity. It emphasizes the need for real-time physiological studies in natural habitats to explore the evolution of behaviors, learning, and memory at the cellular-molecular level. The authors argue that the physiology of evolution should be a fundamental part of biomedical education and interdisciplinary research to advance scientific understanding and address societal challenges. The article highlights the historical context of evolutionary physiology and calls for a renewed focus on integrative approaches to study evolutionary processes. [Extracted from the article]

Biological invasions pose significant threats to ecological and economic stability, with invasive pests like the Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky, ALB) causing substantial damage to forest ecosystems. Effective pest management relies on comprehensive knowledge of the insect's biology and invasion history. This study uses genomics to address these knowledge gaps and inform existing biosurveillance frameworks. We used 2768 genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphisms to compare invasive A. glabripennis populations in North America, using genomic variation to trace their sources of invasion and spread patterns, thereby refining our understanding of this species' invasion history. We found that most North American A. glabripennis infestations were distinct, resulting from multiple independent introductions from the native range. Following their introduction, all invasive populations experienced a genetic bottleneck which was followed by a population expansion, with a few also showing secondary spread to satellite infestations. Our study provides a foundation for a genome‐based biosurveillance tool that can be used to clarify the origin of intercepted individuals, allowing regulatory agencies to strengthen biosecurity measures against this invasive beetle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Niches for neglected ideas?" published in the journal Evolution discusses the argument made by a group of biologists over the past 25 years that evolutionary biology is overly focused on genetic inheritance, neglecting other important aspects of evolution. The authors emphasize five neglected aspects of evolution: the role of development in shaping phenotypes, niche construction, non-genetic inheritance, phenotypic plasticity, and evolvability. While the book presents thought-provoking empirical case studies, it also critiques the historical interpretation of evolutionary biology and proposes a reevaluation of neglected aspects of evolution. The article encourages further study of these neglected aspects to enrich evolutionary analysis. [Extracted from the article]

The management of advanced endometrial cancer (EC) has changed in the last few years due to the introduction of a new molecular classification and the approval of immunotherapy. For a long time, carboplatin plus paclitaxel was considered the standard treatment for first-line advanced EC, since the approval of the combination of chemotherapy plus immunotherapy. For patients with recurrent EC, with previous platinum-based chemotherapy, single-agent immunotherapy or in combination with tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI) has been approved according to mismatch repair status. Ongoing trials are exploring the possibility of a chemo-free future for mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) EC and new molecular targets are under investigation. The treatment paradigm for advanced EC has shifted from standard chemotherapy for all to a more personalized approach. The aim of this review is to provide an updated therapeutic landscape for the management of patients with advanced/metastatic EC according to their disease history and molecular biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a teaching and learning sequence (TLS) that aims to engage students in learning core biological knowledge and well-informed conceptions about the nature of science through a historical case study: Alfred Russel Wallace's (1823–1913) research on palm trees in the Amazon. He observed, illustrated, described, and collected several specimens to understand the region's biological diversity. We took it as a starting point for students to use a dichotomous identification key and develop a phylogenetic tree. We also mention an evaluation of the TLS applied in second-year high school classes involving sixty students from a public school in the city of São Paulo in 2013. The activity produced several positive effects, especially regarding motivation for learning phylogenetic classification from exemplary historical contexts. The experience illustrates in a more general way how the use of nature investigations carried out in the past can contribute to a more complete scientific education, as described in the new curricular standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author has investigated the history of scientific relations and cooperation between Russian and Soviet scientists in the field of plant physiology with their French colleagues in the period from the end of the XIX century to the 1970s. The authors consider the changes that took place in the relations between scientific communities after the Great Russian Revolution of 1917, between the two world wars, and the beginning of the Cold War. The specific areas of cooperation between the scientists, the problems that aroused the greatest interest of plant physiologists of the two countries are reflected upon in the article. Through the article there is an analysis of the development of scientific ties with the help of scientific trips of plant physiologists to France and the USSR, which became, on the one hand, an important part of scientific diplomacy, and on the other hand, a factor that allowed a new impetus to the development of science in the two states.

The obituary in "Ichthyology & Herpetology" pays tribute to the late ichthyologist John Andrew (Jack) Musick, who passed away in 2021. Musick was a highly regarded professor known for his expertise in sharks, bony fishes, sea turtles, and marine ecology, and he made significant contributions to marine science. His legacy lives on through the numerous graduate students he mentored and his impactful work in marine biology, conservation, and management. Musick's wide-ranging research interests, involvement in professional organizations, and advisory roles underscore his lasting influence on marine vertebrate biology and conservation. [Extracted from the article]

This paper outlines the history of scientific research developed in the Portofino Promontory, located in the centre of the Ligurian Sea. The chronicles span over two centuries, from the late 18th century to the present day. Portofino is now recognised as one of the best-known areas in the world regarding marine biological communities and their temporal dynamics, particularly in relation to current climate changes. In addition, since 1999, with the establishment of the Marine Protected Area, significant research related to marine environment conservation has developed in Portofino. The role of the University of Genoa, the Natural History Museum, other important institutions, and the researchers involved in the Portofino area has been outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

David Altshuler, a physician-scientist specializing in human genome analysis and diabetes, joined Vertex Pharmaceuticals in 2015 as Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer. Altshuler, along with then-CEO Jeff Leiden, reworked the company's R&D strategy to focus on serious genetic diseases, leading to successful therapeutic programs in cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, and transfusion-dependent thalassemia. Altshuler's interview with Kevin Davies at The State of Biotech summit highlighted Vertex's innovative approach to drug discovery and development, including the groundbreaking CRISPR-based cell therapy for sickle cell and thalassemia. The company's commitment to developing transformative medicines and improving patient outcomes is evident in their ongoing research and dedication to addressing unmet medical needs. [Extracted from the article]

The article explores the field of neuromorphic engineering in wetware, which involves using chemical systems to mimic human intelligence. It discusses different approaches to developing artificial neural networks in wetware, such as using neural surrogates in reactors or implementing synthetic biology techniques. The article also emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of this field and its potential to revolutionize artificial intelligence and robotics. The document is a list of references cited in a research article on chemical artificial intelligence and its applications in various fields. It highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and provides insights into the current state of research and future perspectives in these areas. [Extracted from the article]

This article examines the concept of early life adversity and its relationship to the politics of fabulation. It discusses the power of age as a measure of time and its influence on the narrative of early life adversity. The author argues that the contemporary science of early life adversity, known as NEAR science, may perpetuate power relations and inequalities. The article explores alternative approaches, such as Homo mimeticus and critical fabulism, and cautions against aligning Homo mimeticus with NEAR science. It also delves into the role of mimetic behavior in childhood development and human evolution. The text discusses the historical context of childhood studies and the emergence of NEAR science. It acknowledges the power of storytelling in shaping public perception and support for initiatives related to childhood development and resilience. The text explores the concept of resilience in trauma-informed approaches and highlights the potential dangers and limitations of this narrative. It suggests alternative ways of understanding and responding to adversity, such as critical distancing and an alter-mimetic politics of refusal. The text concludes by discussing the method of "critical fabulism" used by scholar Saidiya Hartman in her book "Wayward Lives," which imagines the lives of marginalized individuals in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It explores the story of Mabel Hampton, a Black woman who challenged societal expectations and embraced her identity as a bisexual woman. The article emphasizes the importance of a nuanced and holistic approach to addressing early life adversity. [Extracted from the article]

Seeds always presuppose cooperative arrangements of tending and care. Seeds are useful to think with because they connect the past, present, and future, carrying old biologies and inherited histories as well as genetic transformations and new possibilities. This essay traces a history of botanical classification in herbariums, photographs, and seed libraries in Palestine that stretches back to the nineteenth century. Through individuation and taxonomic ordering, colonial botanical archives isolated plants and people from history and vanished Palestinians from their land. The colonial archive's formal organization and orientation to preserving dead or disappearing objects also opens space to investigate the proliferation of archive-based artworks by contemporary Palestinian artists such as Larissa Sansour and Jumana Manna. Sansour and Manna's artworks demonstrate that the value of seeds lies in their cultivation, transformations, and local adaptations. The seed is an alternative archive that maintains the vitality of being in the world. The seed is well-suited to planting Palestinian futures that are living, growing, and changing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the first of two articles on the ontology of biological entities (appeared in Resonance, Vol.29, No.8, pp.1111–1126), I had discussed how young students of biology intuitively imagine the biosphere, constructed from the bottom up by physical material entities that act as its building blocks. The nature of being, or ontologies, of these entities, it would seem, depend upon the machination of parts and processes confined within their material demarcating structures like membranes, walls, and skins. I suggested that perhaps there is precedence to this view due to the influence of reductionist and mechanical philosophies upon the early development of biological thought. Additionally, this view is mirrored in the way biology is taught in academic institutions today that could reinforce this part–whole, hierarchical imagination of the biosphere. In this article, I discuss the development of biological thought that took shape in the early part of the 18th century that was influenced by and borrowed from contemporary developments in disciplines outside the natural sciences. It arose primarily as a response to the reductionist and mechanical descriptions of living bodies, and may be seen as a move toward a more holistic understanding of the biosphere. These frameworks bring forth the idea of conceptual unities whose ontologies are dynamic and influenced by changes outside their boundaries. Taken together, both these perspectives are useful and necessary for a student of biology to appreciate the diverse and dynamic nature of the biosphere. A useful guide to understanding material and conceptual boundaries is provided. Once again, I take recourse to Robert Frost's poem "Mending Wall" to guide our discussions on the topic. Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder If I could put a notion in his head: 'Why do they make good neighbors?' Isn't it Where there are cows? But here there are no cows. Before I built a wall I'd ask to know What I was walling in or walling out, And to whom I was like to give offense. Something there is that doesn't love a wall –An extract from Robert Frost's "Mending Wall" [1]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In honour of the two hundredth birthday of naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913) we present a transcription and analysis of the plan for Wallace's unrealized final book. Recently come to light, Darwin and Wallace was to have been a volume of eight chapters published by the well-known London publishing house of John Murray in the spring of 1915, a project derailed by Wallace's death at the age of 90 in November 1913. Drawing on letters, manuscripts and contemporary published works, we show how the chapter outlines illuminate Wallace's late-life thinking about his and Darwin's working methods, the factors contributing to their independent discovery of natural selection and contemporary challenges to Darwin–Wallace evolutionary gradualism and natural selection by the neo-Lamarckian, mutationist and early Mendelian schools during the period dubbed the 'eclipse of Darwinism'. Wallace's planned book provides insight into how the co-founder of modern evolutionary biology saw his legacy in relation to Darwin's, and his role as fierce and eloquent defender of his and Darwin's theory during a fascinating period in the history of evolutionary biology. In the emergence of neo-Darwinism in the 'Modern Synthesis' period, Wallace's contributions were largely omitted, an oversight that Darwin and Wallace may have prevented had it been realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circadian rhythms are ubiquitous across the kingdoms of life and serve important roles in regulating physiology and behavior at many levels. These rhythms occur in ~24-hour cycles and are driven by a core molecular oscillator. Circadian timekeeping enables organisms to anticipate daily changes by timing their growth and internal processes. Neurospora crassa is a model organism with a long history in circadian biology, having conserved eukaryotic clock properties and observable circadian phenotypes. A core approach for measuring circadian function in Neurospora is to follow daily oscillations in the direction of growth and spore formation along a thin glass tube (race tube). While leveraging robust phenotypic readouts is useful, interpreting the outputs of large-scale race tube experiments by hand can be time-consuming and prone to human error. To provide the field with an efficient tool for analyzing race tubes, we present Rhythmidia, a graphical user interface (GUI) tool written in Python for calculating circadian periods and growth rates of Neurospora. Rhythmidia is open source, has been benchmarked against the current state-of-the-art, and is easily accessible on GitHub. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the concept of evolvability in evolutionary biology, highlighting different perspectives and definitions from various fields. It emphasizes the importance of historical context and conditions for evolvability, providing mathematical proofs and derivations for measurement and analysis. The article concludes by discussing the book "Evolvability" by Hansen and collaborators, which covers mutations, genotype-phenotype maps, development, body plans, and the connection between micro- and macroevolution. While the book offers a comprehensive understanding, it may lack empirical evidence and overlook concepts like phenotypic plasticity and niche construction. Overall, it provides a nuanced and updated perspective on evolvability. [Extracted from the article]

Components of the biosphere, dynamic and diverse as they are, can be imagined to assume two rather distinct morphologies. Some present themselves as materially bounded unities, while others lack material boundaries but can appear unified conceptually. In this series of two articles on the ontology (the nature of being or the general features of the object/s of enquiry and also their relationships) of biological phenomena, the development of thought regarding boundedness in biology and the nature of bounded part-whole constructions are discussed. In the first part, I discuss some of the classical developments of biological thought that imagined the biosphere as a collection of material entities that come into being due to functions of components within their material boundaries. I present three instances in early conventional bioscience learning, two of these discussing the biosphere as hierarchical unities and one positing internal mechanisms as being crucial to their material ontology. This pedagogical exercise is intuitive and provides focus to students' imagination. I take recourse to Robert Frost's poem "Mending Wall" to guide discussions on the topic: He is all pine and I am apple orchard. My apple trees will never get across. And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him. He only says, "Good fences make good neighbors." He will not go behind his father's saying. And he likes having thought of it so well. He says again, "Good fences make good neighbors." - An extract from Robert Frost's "Mending Wall" [1]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the post-genomic era, epigenetics brings about an opportunity to better understand how the molecular machinery works and is led by a complex dynamic set of mechanisms, often intricate and complementary in many aspects. In particular, epigenetics links developmental biology and genetics, as well as many other areas of knowledge. The present work highlights substantial scopes and relevant discoveries related to the development of the term from its first notions. To our understanding, the concept of epigenetics needs to be revisited, as it is one of the most relevant and multifaceted terms in human knowledge. To redirect future novel experimental or theoretical efforts, it is crucial to compile all significant issues that could impact human and ecological benefit in the most precise and accurate manner. In this paper, the reader can find one of the widest compilations of the landmarks and epistemic considerations of the knowledge of epigenetics across the history of biology from the earliest epigenetic formulation to genetic determinism until the present. In the present work, we link the current body of knowledge and earlier pre-genomic concepts in order to propose a new definition of epigenetics that is faithful to its regulatory nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The text is an editorial from the International Journal of Molecular Sciences discussing the field of chemical biology. Chemical biology is an interdisciplinary field that combines chemistry, biology, and physics to study and manipulate biological systems using chemical techniques and compounds. The editorial highlights the history and development of chemical biology and its similarities to medicinal chemistry. It also mentions a special issue of the journal that covers various topics related to the discovery and investigation of bioactive compounds. The authors emphasize the importance of chemical biology in drug discovery and understanding diseases. [Extracted from the article]

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Arctomecon californica, the Las Vegas bear poppy, is a rare plant found only in the eastern Mojave Desert of North America. Because of recent declines in the populations of this endemic plant, conservationists are currently seeking protection for A. californica under the US Endangered Species Act. In this study, we investigated the natural history of A. californica and documented insect visitors potentially pollinating A. californica in Clark County, Nevada. We find that the populations of A. californica fluctuate from year to year, with many populations declining by over 90% from 2021 to 2022. The pollinator communities of A. californica also vary from year to year. In some years, specialist bees in the genus Perdita make up the majority of pollinators, while in other years, generalist bees like Apis mellifera and Hylaeus dominate. Furthermore, we confirm what previous work has suggested, that A. californica requires pollinators to set seed, yet not all insect visitors are good pollinators. This work provides useful natural history information about the Las Vegas bear poppy, which will be informative to conservationists designing strategies to protect this imperiled species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1861 the physiologist Ernst Brücke (1819–1892) published "The Elementary Organisms," calling for a major reform of the definition of the animal cell. An English translation of Brücke's essay is presented here for the first time. In this translation the numbered footnotes 1–9 are Brücke's own; alphabetical endnotes A–HH are my own annotations, with additional references to works cited by Brücke. Figures referenced by Brücke but not included in his original essay are also provided. I have also presented an introductory essay to my translation that provides background on Brücke and his arguments: "The Schema and Organization of the Cell," https://doi.org/10.1007/s10739-024-09774-8, in this same issue of the Journal of the History of Biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flagfin mojarra (Eucinostomus currani) is an important subsistence fishery resource in local Ecuadorian markets; however, very little is known about the early life history and reproductive biology of this species. In 2016 and 2017, E. currani larvae were collected at 3 sandy beaches in the Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador, and identified using DNA barcoding. Standard lengths ranged from 4.00--15.78 mm. We also collected otoliths to better understand the early life history of E. currani. Otoliths were used to estimate the age, population growth rate (±SE), hatch dates, and reproductive period. On average, the fish were 16.5 ± 4.5 days old, while the average growth rate was 0.70 ± 0.05 and 0.22 ± 0.16 mm per day in March and May, respectively. In the Gulf of Guayaquil, most hatch dates and the presumed reproductive activity of E. currani occurred during the wet season (December--April) when warmer water prevailed. To our knowledge, this is the first study to estimate the hatch dates and larval growth rate for a species of the family Gerreidae in the Pacific Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of thorny skate (Amblyraja radiata) in the Northwest Atlantic has posed a conservation dilemma for several decades due to the species' lack of response to strong conservation efforts in the US Gulf of Maine and the Canadian Scotian Shelf, confusion over the relationship between two reproductive size morphs of differing life histories that are sympatric in the Northwest Atlantic, and conflicting data on regional population connectivity throughout the species' broader range. To better assess potential A. radiata regional population differentiation and genetic links to life‐history variation, we analysed complete mitochondrial genome sequences from 527 specimens collected across the species' North Atlantic geographic range, with particular emphasis on the Northwest Atlantic region. A high level of genetic diversity was evident across the North Atlantic, but significant genetic differentiation was identified between specimens inhabiting the Northwest (Gulf of Maine and Newfoundland) and Northeast (Greenland, Iceland, North Sea, and Arctic Circle) Atlantic. In the Northwest Atlantic, significant differentiation between the Gulf of Maine and Newfoundland regions was revealed; however, the overall level of differentiation was very low. No genetic difference was identified between the large and small reproductive morphs. The results of this study advance our understanding of A. radiata population structure in the North Atlantic but do not resolve all the questions confounding our understanding of the species' biology and evolutionary history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bergmann’s rule posits that an organism’s body size or mass increases with decreasing temperature. While generally established in homeotherms, Bergmann’s rule has been largely inconsistent in insects due to limited taxonomic and spatial coverage and variable sampling methods applied to the same taxonomic group. To rectify these shortfalls in tests of Bergmann’s rule in insects, we sampled ants, ichneumonid wasps, carabid beetles, and geometrid moths simultaneously from three locations (representing tropical, subtropical, and subalpine altitudinal gradients) across Yunnan, Southwest China, where temperature and productivity generally decline with latitude. We sought generalities in Bergmann’s rule in insects by investigating whether community-level altitudinal body size patterns within each location were dependent on geographic locations, microhabitats (forest canopy vs understory), focal taxa (insect families), and taxonomic scale (subfamilies within individual families). We found that altitudinal clines, when present, varied across geographic locations; carabids and geometrids showed positive clines in the tropical altitudinal gradient and negative clines in the subtropical and subalpine altitudinal gradients. Understory and canopy geometrids showed similar patterns while different subfamilies showed variable patterns. Carabid and geometrid body size patterns complied with the combined resource allocation model, which posits that the body size varies with resource availability along altitudinal and latitudinal ranges. Overall, our study revealed idiosyncratic altitudinal and latitudinal body size patterns for different insect taxa. Our study also illustrates the value of fully standardized, large-scale studies in revealing generalities (or the lack thereof) in Bergmann’s rule in insects and we suggest incorporating the natural history and biology of target groups to better explain patterns of body size variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embracing the complex and diverse nature of the heterogenous group of malignancies that are included under the umbrella of "endometrial cancer" (EC) to better align prognosis with treatment recommendations, requires a more comprehensive staging system. Our goal at the development of the new FIGO staging was to provide 1) high accuracy in the predictive prognosis for a patient with EC, which is the genuine purpose of a staging system, and 2) identification of distinct treatment relevant subgroups. Since the publication of the 2009 staging system by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 14 years ago (1, 2), our understanding of the biology and natural history of EC has undergone a radical transformation. The TGCA results in 2013 (3), and the many validation reports published since then (4–9), have taught us that "EC" is composed of at least four distinct molecularly defined diseases. Strong histopathologic markers reflecting tumor biology such as lymph vascular space invasion (LVSI) were identified. Importantly, anatomical borders were shown to lose their prognostic relevance for EC patients in the presence of dominant tumor biology-markers such as molecular subtypes/LVSI (10, 11). This emphasizes the integration of these novel markers into a prognostic staging system that aims to be relevant to patients. The 2023 FIGO staging system for EC harmonizes and integrates old and new knowledge on anatomic, histopathologic, and molecular features (12). It requires a change in our perception of a staging system, from a traditional purely anatomical borders-based system to an integrated staging system integrating anatomical borders and tumor biology as pivotal prognostic factors for EC patients while providing important information for treatment decision making. Therefore, the 2023 FIGO staging system demonstrates the logical next step in the evolution of the revolution in a patient-centric staging approach. Below, we elucidate the rationale for the FIGO 2023 endometrial cancer staging system. • 2023 FIGO staging system integrates old and new knowledge on anatomic, histopathologic, and (optional) molecular features. • 2023 FIGO is superior to 2009 FIGO in the prediction of survival, confirmed by to do date 5 validation studies. • 2023 FIGO adds prognostic granularity and identifies treatment-relevant subgroups of EC patients. • 2023 FIGO reinforces molecular testing to EC patients leveraging a strong demand for global access. • FIGO 2023 system will spur worldwide adoption of molecular classification so more tailored therapy will be adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive biology in snakes can exhibit various forms, ranging from highly seasonal to aseasonal patterns, as well as asynchronous or synchronous behaviors between males and females. Understanding these aspects is a crucial step in comprehending an organism’s life history and the evolutionary biology of the species, as it is vital for species conservation. In this study, we examined the reproductive aspects of Oxyrhopus petolarius (Linnaeus, 1758) using morphometric and histological data. We observed that females exhibit larger body sizes than males, resulting in Sexual Size Dimorphism (SSD) of 0.41. Females seem to follow a discontinuous reproductive cycle, exhibiting a reproductive period during the rainy season. On the other hand, males exhibit a continuous cycle, with heightened testicular development during the dry season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being the world's largest single-flower, Rafflesia's biology and life history are still poorly understood due to its cryptic growth strategy on Tetrastigma vines. Previous studies have been mostly short-term, contrary to Rafflesia's long development period before blooming. Bud development and flower phenology of R. cantleyi was studied in a dipterocarp forest in Lata Jarum, Peninsular Malaysia. Seven populations, consisting of 247 buds, were monitored fortnightly for 65 months in two discrete studies between 2009 and 2018. The bud size distribution of R. cantleyi is dynamic, progressively changing from small flower buds to larger buds before flowering. Buds < 5.0 cm across had the slowest growth and highest mortality rates, while those > 15.0 cm across demonstrated accelerated growth. The bud growth profiles of the same site clustered distinctively regardless of sex with successful blooming rate that varied greatly between sites, prompting speculation about their relatedness to the sites' physical attributes. We reported the first female-dominated population in Rafflesia's life history. Rafflesia cantleyi's blooming rate at Lata Jarum is moderate to high, with non-seasonal flowering phenology as evident by the lack of synchronisation and consistency between flowering and local rainfall patterns. Based on the field data of the present study and the published information of other Rafflesia species, R. cantleyi's life cycle was estimated between 4.0 and 5.3 years. Our findings further explain Rafflesia's biology and life history and highlight the gap in knowledge of the natural habitats on the endoparasite's growth and fate potentially for future conservation and study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document profiles Cecelia Stokes, a first-generation queer PhD student in fungal ecology and evolution at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Stokes was inspired by the southern Appalachian Mountains to pursue plant science and later shifted her focus to fungi. She aims to demystify fungal ecology and contribute to conservation efforts. Stokes is motivated by curiosity, a quest for knowledge, and a desire to create an inclusive science community. She credits her mentors and advisors for shaping her scientific journey and looks up to them as role models. The document also highlights Stokes' favorite New Phytologist papers on ectomycorrhizal fungi and her favorite fungus, Pseudoboletus parasiticus. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the fifth edition of the textbook "Evolution" by Doug Futuyma and Mark Kirkpatrick, focusing on the changes in the conceptual framing of evolutionary biology. The book has expanded with more chapters, illustrations, and boxed materials compared to its 1986 version. It covers various topics such as genetic mechanics, species, speciation, evolution of genes and genomes, and evolutionary ecology. However, the article suggests that future editions should include alternative ideas and evidence, particularly in the treatment of macroevolutionary change. The article praises the clear and easy-to-follow chapter on human evolution, but criticizes the textbook for not mentioning the speculation on the origin of humans from African apes before Darwin and the ongoing debate over the extended evolutionary synthesis. The article suggests that textbooks should clarify concepts related to fitness, distinguish between causes and consequences of selection, and emphasize the role of phenotypes and transmission fidelities in evolution. [Extracted from the article]

The history and reproductive biology of the Eupomatiaceae family are reviewed, and the flowering of Eupomatia bennettii is described to highlight the significance of floral parts and their movements for cross-pollination. The highly specialised relationships between Eupomatia spp. and weevil pollinators (Elleschodes spp.) are discussed, and gaps in knowledge of the reproductive biology of Eupomatiaceae are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an overview of the spawning and larval development of Colossendeis megalonyx, a large sea spider found in Antarctica. The researchers observed the unique reproductive behavior of this species, where male parents care for the offspring. They collected eggs and observed the slow development of embryos, leading to the hatching of larvae. The study also suggests that the larvae of C. megalonyx have limited potential for long-distance dispersal and that the family Colossendeidae as a whole are nonbrooders. The researchers highlight the importance of field and laboratory observations for understanding the biology and natural history of sea spiders. [Extracted from the article]

The article explores the presence of yellow tails in Iasis cylindrica colonies, suggesting the existence of specialized zooid types within salp colonies. This phenomenon, known as colonial polymorphism, has been observed in other marine invertebrates but not in salps. The article describes the anatomy and characteristics of the yellow zooids, called lepidozooids, and proposes that they may function as a decoy to distract predators. The study emphasizes the importance of direct observation and in situ fieldwork in uncovering new aspects of salp natural history, including the discovery of a pigmented defense mechanism called a lepidosome in I. cylindrica. The text also mentions the widespread presence of pigmentation in salps and its potential role in interactions with predators and symbionts. [Extracted from the article]

The text explores the importance of collaborations between historians and scientists in the field of biology. It emphasizes the role of organizations like the History of Science Society and the Journal of the History of Biology in promoting the integration of science and history. The text introduces the McDonnell Initiative, which focuses on studying regeneration in different organisms. It highlights three books published as part of this initiative, which offer new perspectives on topics such as regeneration, microbial communities, and germline regeneration. The authors argue that these collaborations can lead to a better understanding of science and the development of new research questions, shaping the future of both fields. [Extracted from the article]

The book "Philosophy of Biology before Biology" explores the philosophical themes underlying the work of historical figures who contributed to the emergence of biology as a unified science. The book consists of eight historical essays that discuss the biological contributions of French and German thinkers from the mid-eighteenth to the early nineteenth century. The essays examine the writings of well-known figures such as Georges-Louis Leclerc Buffon, Immanuel Kant, and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, as well as lesser-known figures of the time. While the historical essays are the main focus of the book, the introductory and concluding sections provide philosophical reflections on the study of living phenomena before the establishment of biology as a discipline. However, the book lacks a clear unifying theme and may not effectively bridge the gap between historical understandings and contemporary philosophy of biology. [Extracted from the article]

The lesson “X-linked recessive inheritance” is interdisciplinary, part of the curriculum of the innovative subject of Science and technology. It is based on Content Language Integrated Learning and not only combines subject content and foreign language skills, but unites more than one scientic eld. In our case, we examined a biological process through the lens of the English language and in a historical context. This provided a deeper understanding of the processes in our surroundings, proving that nothing operates in isolation, but in constant and predictable connections with the world around us. The topic deals with basic concepts of genetics in English, tracing the ability of recessive genes on the X-chromosome to be inherited only by the female descendants. We worked with VIII grade students, for whom this lesson was their rst encounter with genetics. The content of all lesson material is adapted to the age and grade of the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The allometric scaling of metabolic rate and what drives it are major questions in biology with a long history. Since the metabolic rate at any level of biological organization is an emergent property of its lower-level constituents, it is an outcome of the intrinsic heterogeneity among these units and the interactions among them. However, the influence of lower-level heterogeneity on system-level metabolic rate is difficult to investigate, given the tightly integrated body plan of unitary organisms. In this context, social insects such as honeybees can serve as important model systems because unlike unitary organisms, these superorganisms can be taken apart and reassembled in different configurations to study metabolic rate and its various drivers at different levels of organization. This commentary discusses the background of such an approach and how combining it with artificial selection to generate heterogeneity in metabolic rate with an analytical framework to parse out the different mechanisms that contribute to the effects of heterogeneity can contribute to the various models of metabolic scaling. Finally, the absence of the typical allometric scaling relationship among different species of honeybees is discussed as an important prospect for deciphering the role of top-down ecological factors on metabolic scaling. This article is part of the theme issue 'The evolutionary significance of variation in metabolic rates'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]