Biology

Carrion Crows Can Volitionally Control Their Calls, Researchers Say

Carrion crows (Corvus corone), a species of songbird in the family of Corvidae, can voluntarily control the release and onset of their calls, suggesting that songbird calls are under cognitive control, according to new research from the University of Tübingen, Germany. The carrion crow (Corvus corone). Image credit: Ian Kirk …

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Study Provides New Insights into Honeybee ‘Waggle Dance’ Communication

According to a study published in the journal eNeuro (bioRxiv.org preprint), changes in vibration-sensitive neurons may equip forager honeybees for waggle dance communication. A honeybee (Apis mellifera). Image credit: Vijaya Narasimha. Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are social insects. As they mature, adult honeybees engage in four primary social roles — cleaners, …

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New Caledonian Crows Enjoy Using Tools, Study Finds

New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) are well-known for their sophisticated tool use. According to a new study, these birds behave optimistically after tool use. The findings, published in the journal Current Biology, raise the possibility that enjoyment may be a fundamental cause in the evolution of tool use and other …

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Newly-Discovered Microbe Turns Oil into Methane

Methanoliparia, a species of archaea from deep-sea oil seeps of the Gulf of Mexico, splits long-chain hydrocarbons into methane and carbon dioxide, according to a new paper published in the journal mBio. Methanoliparia is an important methanogenic alkane degrader in subsurface environments, producing methane by alkane disproportionation as a single …

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New Species of Medicinal Leech Discovered

An international team of biologists has discovered and described a new species of medicinal leech living in the freshwater wetlands of the eastern United States. It is the first description of a North American medicinal leech since 1975. Macrobdella mimicus. Image credit: Ian Cook. Leeches are parasitic worms, many of …

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Crocodiles Have Surprisingly Thin Tooth Enamel, Study Shows

Crocodiles — and their plant-eating ancestors — have thin tooth enamel, a trait that is in stark contrast to humans and other hard-biting species, according to new research. Sellers et al found regardless of tooth position, age, or diet, crocodiles do not have thick tooth enamel. Image credit: Pexels. “Once …

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