The wasp that never cries wolf

European paper wasps (Polistes dominula) advertise the size of their poison glands to potential predators, finds a new study published in BioMed Central's open access journal Frontiers in Zoology. The brighter the colour, ...

The scent of love: Decomposition and male sex pheromones

Young virgin female hide beetles (Dermestes maculatus) are attracted to cadavers by a combination of cadaver odour and male sex pheromones, finds a new study published in BioMed Central's open access journal Frontiers in ...

The difference between a mole and shrew is in their SOX

The family of small insectivores, Talpidae, includes the moles, shrew moles, and aquatic desmans. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal EvoDevo has found that the enlargement of moles' digging front ...

Lace plants explain programmed cell death

Programmed cell death (PCD) is a highly regulated process that occurs in all animals and plants as part of normal development and in response to the environment. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal ...

Not so happy: King penguins stressed by human presence

King penguins tolerate some, but not all, human interference. Research published in BioMed Central's open access journal, BMC Ecology, investigates the adjustment of a king penguin colony on the protected Possession island ...

Ants farm root aphid clones in subterranean rooms

The yellow meadow ant, Lasius flavus, farms root aphids for sugar (honeydew) and nitrogen (protein). In turn these species of aphids have developed distinctive traits never found in free living species such as the 'trophobiotic ...

Insights into primate diversity: Lessons from the rhesus macaque

New research published in BMC Genetics shows that the rhesus macaque has three times as much genetic variation than humans. However despite much of this extra variation being within genes, it does not affect protein function. ...

Better looking birds have more help at home with their chicks

In choosing a mate both males and females rely on visual cues to determine which potential partner will supply the best genes, best nesting site, best territory, and best parenting skills. New research published in BioMed ...

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