Pasture and diurnal temperature are key predictors of regional Plains Spotted Skunk () distribution.

The Plains Spotted Skunk () is a small carnivore native to central North America that has experienced significant population reductions, and there is a lack of information about the species that could inform conservation. Our study aimed to address knowledge gaps about the distribution and habitat associations of the species in South Dakota using species distribution modeling. We used species location data collected from state natural resource managers, trappers, and members of online social media groups dedicated to hunting and wildlife conservation; environmental predictors; and 6 predictive modeling algorithms (i.

Morphometric synthesis of Pollimyrus (Teleostei, Mormyridae) with the description of four new species.

Mormyridae, a species-rich family endemic to Africa, remains taxonomically understudied. This has been the case for the genus Pollimyrus Taverne, 1971, which hinders further understanding of the distribution, ecology, and conservation of its species. Therefore, an in-depth morphometric comparison of all currently valid species is carried out using most of the available type specimens.

Mixtures of toxic organic micropollutants compromise the safety of water resources in urban agglomerations in low- and medium-income countries: The example of Lahore, Pakistan.

Contamination of water resources with mixtures of organic micropollutants (OMP) including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and industrial chemicals is a serious threat to aquatic organisms and human health. Long-term exposure to such pollutants may cause detrimental effects even at very low concentrations. Water resources in urban agglomerations in low- and medium-income countries may be under particular pressure due to high population densities, significant industrial activities, and limited water treatment and management resources.

Deadwood manipulation and type determine assemblage composition of saproxylic beetles and fungi after a decade.

The biodiversity crisis calls for immediate restoration of deteriorated and rare habitat. Due to fire suppression and intensive forest management, boreal pine forests of high conservation value are exceptionally rare. Despite decades of restoration research in boreal forests, relatively few studies have evaluated multi-taxon biodiversity response of restoration measures in pine forests.

Sustainable land-based IMTA: Holistic management of finfish, mussel, and macroalgae interactions, emphasizing water quality and nutrient dynamics.

This research aims to minimize the environmental impact and promote the sustainability of aquaculture by optimizing nutrient dynamics, improving water quality and enhancing species growth performance through a land-based Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) system. The study focused on Black Sea trout (Salmo labrax), Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis), and sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca), reared in interconnected tanks using Black Sea water over 90 days. The Black Sea trout more than doubled in size to 333.

Assessment of genomic diversity within and between two cryptic shiners, the West Texas shiner (Notropis megalops) and the Texas shiner (Notropis amabilis).

The presence of cryptic species can hinder effective conservation planning and implementation, as has been the case for speciose groups of freshwater fishes that are difficult to differentiate due to conserved morphologies. The West Texas shiner Notropis megalops and the Texas shiner Notropis amabilis are a cryptic pair of leuciscids (minnows) that co-occur in spring-fed tributaries of the Rio Grande in Texas and Mexico. Both N.

Complete mitochondrial genomes of and (Cypriniformes: Leuciscidae).

The Leuciscidae (minnows, shiners and relatives) is a diverse family of freshwater fishes with many species endangered due to anthropogenic stressors. and are two shiners found only in the upper Brazos River basin in Texas, USA and listed as endangered due to contracted habitat. The complete mitochondrial genome was sequenced for two vouchered specimens for each species; having a total mitogenome length of 16,711 bp and having a total mitogenome length 16685-16686 bp, with both including 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs genes, and 2 ribosomal RNA genes.

Ecological diversification of sea catfishes is accompanied by genome-wide signatures of positive selection.

Habitat transitions have shaped the evolutionary trajectory of many clades. Sea catfishes (Ariidae) have repeatedly undergone ecological transitions, including colonizing freshwaters from marine environments, leading to an adaptive radiation in Australia and New Guinea alongside non-radiating freshwater lineages elsewhere. Here, we generate and analyze one long-read reference genome and 66 short-read whole genome assemblies, in conjunction with genomic data for 54 additional species.

Monitoring Seroprevalence of Infectious Diseases in the Florida Panther (Puma concolor coryi).

Infectious diseases can have detrimental effects on wildlife populations, particularly those that persist at small sizes, have low genetic diversity, and are affected by fragmented habitat. One such example is the endangered Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi), which has been intensively managed since the early 1980s, with the current population ranging between 120 and 230 individuals. For more than three decades, panthers have been captured, demographics recorded, and blood samples collected to monitor for multiple infectious diseases; however, an updated comprehensive study of many of these pathogens has not occurred since 1991.

The re-use of offshore platforms as ecological observatories.

The high number of offshore platforms at the end of their productive phase offers the opportunity of their re-use and the development of effective management solutions, such as the possibility of utilizing them as ecological observatories for monitoring marine ecosystems and their biological resources. Here, through a multiparametric observatory deployed at an unproductive offshore platform, located in the Central Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea), we collected data for 13 months on benthopelagic fish assemblage and habitat conditions. A total of 155.

Swimming kinematics of deep-sea fishes.

Although the deep oceans represent Earth's largest habitat, the challenges of studying deep-sea organisms in situ have limited our understanding of adaptation, ecology, and behaviour in these important ecosystems. One fundamental trait of fishes that remains largely unexplored in the deep ocean is swimming, a vital process for movement, migration, and dispersal in marine habitats. Deep-sea conditions such as temperature, pressure, and food availability could each impact the speed and efficiency of swimming in fishes.

Downscaled climate change threats to United States freshwater finfish aquaculture.

Climate change threatens food production, yet gaps remain in our understanding of these threats to aquaculture, the fastest growing food production subsector. To build climate-resilient practices and policies we need to quantify and map current and future climate threats to aquaculture. Here, we explore how downscaled climate change [SSP 2 (eq.

Prion Gene Sequencing in Florida Panthers (Puma concolor coryi) Suggests No Differential Susceptibility to Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy.

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, or prion disease, poses a serious threat to wildlife; however, the susceptibility of apex predators is still being assessed. We investigated variation in the prion protein gene in Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi) and found that admixture from Central American pumas probably introduced a novel, albeit benign, prion allele.

Incorporating habitat use and life history to predict PCB residues in wild fish in an urban estuary.

Owing to the heterogenous distribution of contaminated sediments in urban estuaries, contaminant residues, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), in fish tissue can vary widely. To investigate the relationship between PCBs in fish tissue and heterogeneity of PCBs in sediment, we developed a geospatial Biota-Sediment Accumulation Factor (BSAF) model for an urban estuary. The model predicts whole fish total PCB residues at a scale of 0.

Weak integration allows novel fin shapes and spurs locomotor diversity in reef fishes.

In complex functional systems composed of many traits, selection for specialized function can induce trait evolution by acting directly on individual components within the system, or indirectly through networks of trait integration. However, strong integration can also hinder diversification into regions of trait space that are not aligned with axes of covariation among traits. As a result, non-independence among traits may limit capacity for functional expansion.

New bass on the block: Trophic interactions among invasive largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and local sportfish.

Novel introductions of largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, often cause negative impacts on endemic populations of prey fishes and interspecific competitors. Although many studies have investigated trophic interactions between M. salmoides and smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu, few have included chain pickerel, Esox niger, as a competitor despite similarities in their habitat use.

Eels' individual migratory behavior stems from a complex syndrome involving cognition, behavior, physiology, and life history.

Variability within species is key for adaptability and biological evolution. To understand individualities in the context of animal movement, we focused on one of the most remarkable migrations-the journey of the endangered European eel from their birthplace in the Sargasso Sea to freshwater environments. Laboratory observations unveiled a continuum of diverse phenotypes of migrating eels: Some displayed a heightened tendency to swim against a constant water flow, while others a greater propensity to climb obstacles.