Plant-feeding and non-plant feeding phytoseiids: differences in behavior and cheliceral morphology.

In previous studies plant feeding behavior of plant- and non-plant feeding phytoseiids was never examined directly. Moreover, in these studies the cheliceral morphology of phytoseiids was not associated with their ability to feed on plants. In the present study, we monitored the plant-feeding behavior of Euseius scutalis and Amblyseius swirskii.

The relationship between nature of social change, age, and position of new neurons and their survival in adult zebra finch brain.

Some kinds of neurons are spontaneously recruited in the intact, healthy adult brain, but the variables that affect their survival are not always clear. We show that in caudal nidopallium of adult male zebra finches, the rostrocaudal position of newly recruited neurons, their age (1 vs 3 months), and the nature of social change (complex vs simple) after the neurons were born affect their survival. Greater social complexity promoted the survival of younger new neurons, and the demise of older ones; a less marked social change promoted the survival of older new neurons.

The effect of social environment on singing behavior in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) and its implication for neuronal recruitment.

Previous studies found that complex social environment increases new neuronal recruitment in brains of adult male zebra finches, in comparison with exposure to a simple social environment. These experiments could not determine, however, whether this increase was due to greater amounts of auditory input (amount of auditory information the male is exposed to), or auditory output (amount of song it produces). To answer this question, we raised male zebra finches to adulthood in a controlled environment, and were then exposed them to either a single unfamiliar female (simple social environment) or to 45 unfamiliar zebra finches of both sexes (complex social environment).