Predicting the distribution of in Europe: integrating microclimatic factors into ecological niche models.

, commonly known as the castor bean tick and sheep tick, is a significant vector of various diseases, such as tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme borreliosis. Owing to climate change, the distribution and activity of are expected to increase, leading to an increase in the number of diseases transmitted by this species. Most distribution models and ecological niche models utilize macroclimate datasets such as WorldClim or CHELSA to map the distribution of disease-transmitting ticks.

Predicting climate-driven distribution shifts in (Ixodidae).

is an important tick species which is the main vector of Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever and spotted fever. The species is predominantly distributed in parts of southern Europe, North Africa and West Asia. However, due to ongoing climate change and increasing reports of in central and northern Europe, the expansion of this range poses a potential future risk.

Thermal biology of two sympatric Lacertid lizards (Lacerta diplochondrodes and Parvilacerta parva) from Western Anatolia.

Sympatric lizard species present convenient models for studying differentiation in thermal behavior and the role of morphological differences in their thermal biology. Here we studied the thermal biology of two sympatric lizard species which occur sympatrically in the Phrygian Valley of Western Anatolia. These two species differ in body size, with Lacerta diplochondrodes being larger than Parvilacerta parva.

The relation between melanism and thermal biology in a colour polymorphic bush cricket, Isophya rizeensis.

According to the thermal melanism hypothesis, darker coloured melanic individuals heat up faster and to higher temperatures than lighter coloured individuals due to lower skin reflectance. Consequently, it is assumed that darker melanic types may be advantageous compared to light coloured types in colder regions. As temperature gradually decreases with elevation and latitude the degree of melanism is expected to increase along these gradients in ectothermic species.