Interaction of just 2 genes governs coloration patterns in mice
...ween just two genes determines the patterns of fur coloration that camouflage mice against their background, pro...hter pigmentation than their mainland relatives, a coloration that helps camouflage them from predators that include owls, herons, and hawks." Previous research...New species declared: Clouded leopard on Borneo and Sumatra
... clouded leopard, based mainly on fur patterns and coloration of skins held in museums and collections. The moment we started comparing the skins of the mainland clouded leopard and the leopard found on Borneo and Sumatra, it was clear we were comparing two different species, said Dr Andrew Kitchener, from t...Remote latrine reconfirms the presence of Essene sect at Qumran
...he area appeared to have a significantly different coloration from other soils in the Qumran environs, a fact which was subsequently confirmed by Zias using high-resolution aerial photographs. "I started thinking that in the scrolls they have these very explicit descriptions of where the latrines have to be,"...Oldest complex organic molecules found in ancient fossils
...d. They may have served some other purpose besides coloration -- perhaps to defend the animal from predators by making it less palatable. Because the molecules appear to be a little different for each species of crinoid, scientists can now use the pigments as biomarkers to map relationships on the creatures' ...Discovery of genetic mutation in Florida beach mice suggests extinct mammoth had light and dark fur
...e results suggest that beach mice gain their light coloration through different genetic mechanisms. "There is apparently more than one way genetically to become a light-colored beach mouse," says Hoekstra. Other genes also contribute to the differences in the coat patterns among the mice. But, concedes Ho...Researchers evolve a complex genetic trait in the laboratory
.... Or, the same butterfly can assume very different coloration in winter or summer. A kind of polyphenism is also likely at work in mammals -- for example in the seasonal development of antlers or changes in plumage or coat colors, said Nijhout and Suzuki. While biologists have understood the basic machinery und...Sudden change in social status triggers genetic response in male fish, study finds
...nity to do so, displaying dramatic changes in body coloration and behavior," write neurobiologists Sabrina Burme...ys. "He goes through a warm-up period in which his coloration and dominant behaviors return. Everyone in the tank accepts this process." Burmeister and her collea...Rapid genomic and physiological responses for social dominance
...pportunity to do so, rapidly developing the bright coloration of dominant males and indulging in dominant behavi...mined. At the moment of development of the bright coloration and behavior associated with dominant males, the expression of the immediate-early gene egr-1 increa...Study in Royal Society journal on first observation of giant squid in the wild
...arger groups. Animals possessing armor or cryptic coloration also had a decreased perception of risk. We find that selection sensitizes prey to predator behaviour, and prey can reduce fear via behavioural modifications and experience. Contact: Mr. T Stankowich, University of California, Davis, 268A Young Hal...University of Oregon scientists reveal how coral reefs got the blues
...s report their discovery of the basis for the blue coloration found in many coral reef formations in an article ... "However, it is less well known that the dramatic coloration of coral reef formations is largely due to four closely related classes of proteins: cyan, green, ye...Tadpole soon to help in the fight against cancer and lymphedema
...e formation of lymphatic vessels. With the help of coloration techniques they visualized the areas in tadpoles w...rox1 is made: the lymphatic vessels. With the same coloration techniques the researchers indicated that the development of lymphatic vessels in tadpoles is compar...Study in Royal Society journal on holly as an indicator of climate change
...respond to enhancement of their partner's breeding coloration by investing more energetic resources into their offspring (rendering a female in poorer condition), and by producing more daughters. These results agree with the notion that females invest more when mating with higher quality partners. It also sugge...Ultra-fast camera captures how hummingbirds hover
...ummingbird Society. "Perhaps it's their iridescent coloration and miniature size, or their ability to drop their heart rate from 500 beats per minute during the day to 40 beats per minute at night." Hawkins commented that it was logical, but perhaps nave, for scientists and bird-lovers alike to postulate that h......rom predators, shaping the evolution of protective coloration in insects. Innovative research from the Universit... likely to have shaped the evolution of protective coloration in insects. Professor Innes Cuthill and his team pinned artificial 'moths' to trees in a field with...A puzzle posed by black-headed ducks yields to persistent biologists
...al ways that any incremental change in egg size or coloration would not yield an advantage for the ducks and would not be favored by natural selection. The researchers confirmed this idea experimentally by adding painted eggs to coot nests. They found that improving the degree of mimicry had no effect on the li...Study in Royal Society journals presents evidence for inherited factors in homosexuality
..., natural selection and the evolution of dimorphic coloration and ornamentation in agamid lizards by Dr DM Stuart-Fox and Dr TJ Ord Conspicuous coloration and ornamentation in males are thought to result from sexual selection. However, these 'showy' trait...