Journal of The Royal Society Interface,
Journal Year:
2021,
Volume and Issue:
18(185)
Published: Dec. 1, 2021
Across
insects,
wing
shape
and
size
have
undergone
dramatic
divergence
even
in
closely
related
sister
groups.
However,
we
do
not
know
how
morphology
changes
tandem
with
kinematics
to
support
body
weight
within
available
power
the
specific
force
production
patterns
are
linked
differences
behaviour.
Hawkmoths
wild
silkmoths
diverse
families
divergent
morphology.
Using
three-dimensional
quasi-steady
aerodynamic
modelling,
compare
aerodynamics
contributions
of
shape,
10
moth
species.
We
find
that
movement
also
diverges
between
clades
underlies
two
distinct
strategies
for
flight.
use
kinematics,
especially
high
frequencies,
enhance
morphologies
reduce
power.
Silkmoths
force,
slow,
high-amplitude
wingstrokes
Both
converge
on
similar
can
ranges.
inter-clade
within-wingstroke
profiles
quite
different
hovering
flight
hawkmoths
bobbing
silkmoths.
These
groups
fly
more
like
other,
distantly
insects
than
they
each
demonstrating
diversity
flapping
evolution
a
rich
bioinspired
design
space
robotic
flappers.
Science Robotics,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
9(89)
Published: April 24, 2024
Animals
are
much
better
at
running
than
robots.
The
difference
in
performance
arises
the
important
dimensions
of
agility,
range,
and
robustness.
To
understand
underlying
causes
for
this
gap,
we
compare
natural
artificial
technologies
five
subsystems
critical
running:
power,
frame,
actuation,
sensing,
control.
With
few
exceptions,
engineering
meet
or
exceed
their
biological
counterparts.
We
conclude
that
biology's
advantage
over
from
integration
subsystems,
identify
four
fundamental
obstacles
roboticists
must
overcome.
Toward
goal,
highlight
promising
research
directions
have
outsized
potential
to
help
future
robots
achieve
animal-level
performance.
Communications Biology,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
6(1)
Published: June 13, 2023
Fossil
endocasts
record
features
of
brains
from
the
past:
size,
shape,
vasculature,
and
gyrification.
These
data,
alongside
experimental
comparative
evidence,
are
needed
to
resolve
questions
about
brain
energetics,
cognitive
specializations,
developmental
plasticity.
Through
application
interdisciplinary
techniques
fossil
record,
paleoneurology
has
been
leading
major
innovations.
Neuroimaging
is
shedding
light
on
organization
behaviors.
Inferences
development
physiology
extinct
species
can
be
experimentally
investigated
through
organoids
transgenic
models
based
ancient
DNA.
Phylogenetic
methods
integrate
data
across
associate
genotypes
phenotypes,
Meanwhile,
archeological
discoveries
continuously
contribute
new
knowledge.
cooperation,
scientific
community
accelerate
knowledge
acquisition.
Sharing
digitized
museum
collections
improves
availability
rare
fossils
artifacts.
Comparative
neuroanatomical
available
online
databases,
along
with
tools
for
their
measurement
analysis.
In
context
these
advances,
paleoneurological
provides
ample
opportunity
future
research.
Biomedical
ecological
sciences
benefit
paleoneurology's
approach
understanding
mind
as
well
its
novel
research
pipelines
that
establish
connections
between
neuroanatomy,
genes
behavior.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
120(18)
Published: April 25, 2023
The
Old
World
macaque
monkey
and
New
common
marmoset
provide
fundamental
models
for
human
visual
processing,
yet
the
ancestral
lineage
diverged
from
these
lineages
over
25
Mya.
We
therefore
asked
whether
fine-scale
synaptic
wiring
in
nervous
system
is
preserved
across
three
primate
families,
despite
long
periods
of
independent
evolution.
applied
connectomic
electron
microscopy
to
specialized
foveal
retina
where
circuits
highest
acuity
color
vision
reside.
Synaptic
motifs
arising
cone
photoreceptor
type
sensitive
short
(S)
wavelengths
associated
with
"blue-yellow"
(S-ON
S-OFF)
color-coding
circuitry
were
reconstructed.
found
that
distinctive
arises
S
cones
each
species.
contacted
neighboring
L
M
(long-
middle-wavelength
sensitive)
humans,
but
such
contacts
rare
or
absent
macaques
marmosets.
discovered
a
major
S-OFF
pathway
established
its
absence
Further,
S-ON
chromatic
pathways
make
excitatory-type
types
not
Our
results
predict
early-stage
signals
are
distinct
imply
solving
connectome
at
nanoscale
level
will
be
critical
fully
understanding
neural
basis
vision.
Cell Reports,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
38(7), P. 110360 - 110360
Published: Feb. 1, 2022
How
evolution
modifies
complex,
innate
behaviors
is
largely
unknown.
Divergence
in
many
morphological
traits,
and
some
behaviors,
linked
to
cis-regulatory
changes
gene
expression.
Given
this,
we
compare
brain
expression
of
two
interfertile
sister
species
Peromyscus
mice
that
show
large
heritable
differences
burrowing
behavior.
Species-level
differential
allele-specific
F1
hybrids
indicate
a
preponderance
divergence,
including
genes
whose
cis-regulation
affected
by
Genes
related
locomotor
coordination
the
strongest
signals
lineage-specific
selection
on
burrowing-induced
changes.
Furthermore,
genetic
markers
closest
these
candidate
associate
with
variation
burrow
shape
cross,
suggesting
an
enrichment
for
loci
affecting
behavior
near
genes.
Our
results
provide
insight
into
how
cis-regulated
can
depend
behavioral
context
this
dynamic
regulatory
divergence
between
may
contribute
evolution.
Nature,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
635(8037), P. 142 - 150
Published: Oct. 9, 2024
Mate
recognition
systems
evolve
rapidly
to
reinforce
the
reproductive
boundaries
between
species,
but
underlying
neural
mechanisms
remain
enigmatic.
Here
we
leveraged
rapid
coevolution
of
female
pheromone
production
and
male
perception
in
Drosophila1,2
gain
insight
into
how
architecture
mate
circuits
facilitates
their
diversification.
While
some
Drosophila
species
females
produce
unique
pheromones
that
act
arouse
conspecific
males,
most
are
sexually
monomorphic
such
possess
no
distinguishing
chemosensory
signatures
males
can
use
for
recognition3.
We
show
yakuba
evolved
ability
a
pheromone,
7-tricosene,
as
an
excitatory
cue
promote
courtship.
By
comparing
key
nodes
across
multiple
reveal
this
sensory
innovation
arises
from
coordinated
peripheral
central
circuit
adaptations:
distinct
subpopulation
neurons
has
acquired
sensitivity
7-tricosene
and,
turn,
selectively
signals
subset
P1
brain
trigger
Such
modular
organization,
which
different
inputs
independently
couple
parallel
courtship
control
nodes,
may
facilitate
evolution
by
allowing
novel
modalities
become
linked
arousal.
Together,
our
findings
suggest
adaptations
be
flexibly
underlie
strategies
species.
Peripheral
Drosophila,
organization
