Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A-Ecological and Integrative Physiology实验动物学杂志A辑：生态与整合生理学
Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A-Ecological and Integrative Physiology(英文缩写 J EXP ZOOL PART A),ISSN 2471-5638,eISSN 2471-5646,中文译名:实验动物学杂志A辑：生态与整合生理学 是一本学术期刊。本页汇总该期刊的最新影响因子、分区信息以及最新收录于 PubMed 的文献,帮助您快速了解期刊全貌。
发文量统计区间：2025-10-01 至 2026-09-30，按本站收录文献的发表日期统计。
期刊介绍
历年影响因子趋势
| JCR 数据年份 | 影响因子 | JCR 分区 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2.693 | Q1 |
| 2022 | 2.800 | Q1 |
| 2023 | 1.900 | Q1 |
| 2024 | 1.400 | Q2 |
| 2025 | 1.600 | Q2 |
Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A-Ecological and Integrative Physiology 最新收录文献
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1. Monitoring Changes in Sperm Concentration and Quality Help Improve Captive Breeding Outcomes of the Endangered Amphibian Rawlinsonia littlejohni.
PMID:日期:2026-10-05Amphibians are among the most threatened taxonomic groups, with many species experiencing rapid declines that have resulted in small, isolated populations vulnerable to inbreeding depression and reduced fertility. One major outcome of inbreeding is lowered fecundity, often linked to morphological changes in gametes. Littlejohn's tree frog (Rawlinsonia littlejohni; previously Litoria) is a threatened species requiring targeted conservation management. To increase population numbers and restore genetic diversity, a captive breeding program has been established. This study aimed to optimize the timing of hormonally-induced sperm collection to improve outcomes for captive breeding, cryopreservation, and in vitro fertilization. Three experiments were conducted with ten captive males. Experiment one examined the effects of different human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) and Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-a) concentrations on spermiation response over 6 h. Both 5 and 10 IU hCG/g bwt yielded high sperm concentrations with similar motility and membrane viability, whereas GnRH-a (1 and 2 µg/g bwt) produced no response. Experiment two assessed seasonal effects on sperm traits over a year, showing high variability between individuals but no consistent seasonal pattern. Sperm motility and membrane viability remained high, with slight declines in January, April, and June. Experiment three compared captive and wild males during the breeding season. Sperm concentration was higher in June for wild frogs but variable across all months in both groups. Our findings demonstrate that sperm production and quality in R. littlejohni are shaped more by its breeding system than by seasonal cycles, informing strategies to enhance reproductive success and genetic recovery in captivity.
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2. Attraction of Ovulating Females by Hypertrophied Male Kidney Secretions During the Breeding Season in the Freshwater Goby, Rhinogobius flumineus.
PMID:日期:2026-09-25In nest-breeding fish species, olfactory signals can provide an effective means for males to attract distant females to nests without leaving them. Previous studies have shown that substances produced in the male kidney may be involved in female chemoattraction in typical nest-breeding fishes, including members of Gasterosteidae and Cottidae. However, this function, particularly in female attraction, has not been investigated in Gobiidae. In this study, we used the freshwater goby Rhinogobius flumineus to examine changes in male kidney size and urine accumulation in the bladder during the breeding season, as well as the ability of male kidney extracts to attract females. The kidneys of males approximately double in size between April (just before the breeding season) and May (during the breeding season). When two males and one nesting site were placed in the tank during the breeding season, only the male that occupied the nesting site accumulated urine in its bladder. In choice experiments using a Y-maze, ovulating females showed a tendency to enter the channel containing kidney extract from breeding-season males first more frequently, and spent significantly more time in the channel than the channels containing the control or female kidney extract. These results suggest that, in male R. flumineus, kidneys enlargement during the breeding season may be associated with the production of olfactory signals that attract ovulating conspecific females to the nest, which are subsequently released in urine.
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3. Influence of Habitat Use on Prey Capture Behavior and Kinematics in the Pyrenean Brook Newt (Calotriton asper).
PMID:日期:2026-09-14Caves are extreme environments that impose stringent selective pressures on organisms. Consequently, many cave dwellers show extreme adaptations such as the loss of eyes, depigmentation, and a low resting metabolic rate. Yet, how the initial stages of adaptation to these extreme environments take place remains poorly understood. Calotriton asper is a species of salamander that is ideal to understand the initial stages of adaptation to underground environments. This species presents two genetically distinct morphotypes that live either in surface streams or in cave streams, yet without showing obvious morphological differences. Here, we test for differences in the capacity to locate prey and differences in feeding kinematics between cave-dwelling and surface-dwelling populations under different light conditions. To do so, we quantified prey location ability using a Y-maze and filmed animals capturing prey using high-speed video cameras, both in light and in full darkness. Our results show that animals change capture style and exploration behavior in function of light conditions suggesting an intrinsic plasticity in the species allowing it to feed in both environments. However, the kinematics of capture suggest population-specific behaviors allowing cave-dwellers to be more efficient in capturing prey under total darkness.
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4. Position Within the Burrow and Behavioral Thermoregulation Jointly Shape Thermal Lability in a Fossorial Ectotherm.
PMID:日期:2026-09-14Burrowing is a widespread thermoregulatory strategy among ectotherms, yet the spatial and temporal scales by which burrows buffer organisms from thermal extremes remain poorly quantified. We combined high-resolution temperature measurements from gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) burrows during an anomalous winter cold front and a prescribed fire with multi-year carapacial temperature data from free-ranging tortoises to characterize how belowground refuges mediate exposure to extreme cold and heat. Using Bayesian generalized additive models, we reconstructed continuous temperature fields within burrows and quantified how thermal variability attenuates with distance from the burrow entrance, measured along the burrow axis. During the cold front, thermal fluctuations declined gradually along the burrow, with a half-attenuation distance (distance at which thermal variability is reduced by 50% compared to values outside the burrow) of ~174 cm and an e-folding distance (distance at which thermal variability is reduced to ~37% of values outside the burrow) of ~251 cm, indicating that sustained cold forcing penetrated far into the burrow. In contrast, fire-associated heating attenuated rapidly, with half-attenuation and e-folding distances occurring at ~69 cm and 100 cm, respectively, indicating most thermal stabilization was achieved within the first meter of the burrow. Multi-year carapacial temperature data revealed strong seasonal structure not only in mean temperatures but also in daily thermal amplitude and the rate of temperature change, suggesting that tortoises regulate both thermal exposure and thermal lability through behavioral use of burrows. Together, these results demonstrate that burrows act as dynamic thermal filters whose buffering capacity depends on position within the burrow and on the type and duration of the disturbance, providing quantitative insight into how animal-engineered refugia shape ectotherm thermal ecology in environments characterized by increasing climatic and disturbance variability.
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5. Quantitative Morphometric and Scanning Electron Microscopic Analysis of Scale Dimensions and Epidermal Thickness in Scaly Shank Skin: Habitat-Correlated Adaptations in Aquatic and Terrestrial Birds.
PMID:日期:2026-09-07The integumentary system of avians is represented by the scaly shank skin, which plays an essential role in adaptation to environmental conditions. In this paper, we provide the first set of quantitative morphometric data on the dimensions of scales, sulcus width (SuW), thickness of layers of epidermis, and dermal adipose tissue in two species of different habitats, namely, the Egyptian Balady Duck (EBD; Anas boschas domesticus, aquatic) and the Broad-Breasted White Turkey (BBWT; Meleagris gallopavo domesticus, terrestrial). Two scale types (scute and scutella) were identified and quantified using calibrated ImageJ software based on gross, SEM, and histological photographs (n = 20 scales/species). Scale length (SL), scale width (SW), aspect ratio (AR; SL/SW), and scale area (SA) were quantified in gross photographs; SuW in SEM images. Furthermore, total epidermal thickness (TET), stratum corneum thickness (SCT), stratum germinativum thickness (SGT), and adipose tissue thickness were quantified in histological sections (n ≥ 10 fields/aspect/bird). The dorsal scute scales of BBWT were significantly larger than those of EBD in terms of SL (5.46 ± 1.36 vs. 2.57 ± 0.29 mm); SW (7.53 ± 0.83 vs. 2.59 ± 0.29 mm); SA (26.18 ± 1.03 vs. 7.86 ± 2.16 mm), all p < 0.05. SuW was significantly wider in BBWT compared to EBD across all aspects assessed (p < 0.05). TET and SCT of BBWT were significantly greater than those of EBD on dorsal (TET: 210.98 ± 19.45 vs. 164.42 ± 17.03 µm; p < 0.05; SCT: 155.21 ± 18.27 vs. 79.15 ± 25.42 µm; p < 0.05) and medial aspects (TET: 169.31 ± 18.8 vs. 88.83 ± 13.22 µm, p < 0.05). In contrast, the EBD had much thicker dermal fat tissue (1028.73 ± 27.65 vs. 647.77 ± 23.37 µm, respectively; p < 0.05). This is consistent with their energy requirements to swim in an aquatic environment. From these data, one can conclude that biomechanical requirements due to habitat lead to a specific architectural design of bird shank scales.
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6. When the Soil Turns Hostile: A Comparative Study of Aestivation in Riparian and Terrestrial Earthworms.
PMID:日期:2026-09-07In the Iberian Peninsula, intensifying summer aridity poses a significant threat to soil fauna. Earthworms, as key ecosystem regulators, often rely on aestivation-a dormancy state involving metabolic depression-to survive these hostile conditions. However, little is known about this strategy in riparian species like Allolobophora molleri, whose reliance on waterlogged soils and its narrow distribution make it particularly vulnerable to climate change compared to cosmopolitan species like Aporrectodea trapezoides. Here, we investigate the aestivation response of A. molleri in a comparative framework with A. trapezoides, identifying the specific temperature and moisture thresholds that trigger dormancy. We further assessed the associated physiological costs through changes in weight, tissue water content and lipid peroxidation to understand their resilience to abiotic stress. Our results highlight soil moisture as the primary driver of aestivation, though temperature also acted as a constraint for A. molleri. Both species suffered significant biomass loss, however, lipid peroxidation levels remained stable, indicating no measurable oxidative damage. Aestivating individuals of A. molleri retained slightly higher tissue water content compared to active individuals. Morphological changes, such as a differentiated region in the posterior segments, were observed in aestivating individuals of both species. Finally, moisture restoration triggered a rapid recovery of activity, confirming the facultative nature of this dormancy. These findings show the different ecology of both species and provide key insights into their resilience under future climate change scenarios.
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7. Higher Energy Demands and Lower Body Condition in a Hot Spring: Comparing Relict Leopard Frogs at Two Thermally Contrasting Sites.
PMID:日期:2026-09-01Following range-wide decline, all remnant populations of the relict leopard frog (Rana onca) in the eastern Mojave Desert of the southwestern USA occupied geothermally influenced hot springs. In recent years, however, several large populations have been established at cold-water sites. There has, however, been little research into the thermal ecology of the species. We monitored body temperature (T) of adult frogs at a pair of hot and cold springs using implanted temperature data loggers, and measured body condition across seasons. We determined temperature preference using a thermal gradient, and measured mass-specific oxygen consumption rates to estimate energy demands in the wild. We found that frogs at the two sites had similar temperature preferences, but the thermal profiles in the wild were seasonally 2.5°C to 5.7°C warmer at the hot site. In summer, frogs at the hot site mostly sought the lowest temperatures available, which were still warmer than measured thermal preferences. Frogs at the cold site maintained cooler temperatures at night, but warmed up during the early part of the day, likely moving in and out of cold water. At both sites, frogs in winter used two overwintering strategies, manifested mostly as differences in T variability. Frogs with low T variability thermally reflected cold water temperatures throughout most of winter and were interpreted as mostly inactive. Frogs with higher T and variability were interpreted as mostly remaining active throughout winter. We estimated that the energy demands at the hot site were 1.27-fold higher in summer and 1.14-fold higher in winter than at the cold site. Frogs at the hot site had significantly lower body condition than those at the cold site. We concluded that thermal conditions at the hot site were not favorable to R. onca and required higher energy investment in physiological maintenance, presumably at the expense of growth and reproduction.
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8. Thirst Responders: Effects of Hydration State on Body Temperature and Immune Responses to an Antigen Challenge.
PMID:日期:2026-09-01Physiological performance is highly temperature sensitive, and enhanced physiological activity (e.g., digestion, reproductive, immune activation) often leads to a thermophilic response that elevates body temperature. Previous studies have shown that the hydration state of the organism may influence the extent of the thermophily, and other studies have shown that hydration state can alter physiological performance. However, it is rare for studies to comprehensively examine the interaction among hydration state, physiological performance, and the thermophilic response. We simultaneously examined the effects of hydration state and an immune challenge on thermophily and plasma-based innate immune responses in Gila monsters (Heloderma suspectum). Our results show that water deprivation led to progressive dehydration and reduction of body temperature. Upon receiving a lipopolysaccharide injection, dehydrated but not hydrated Gila monsters showed a thermophilic response, and multiple reactive immunity metrics were elevated in dehydrated individuals, particularly at 7 days post injection. Interestingly, this reactive immune response and the thermophily were not temporally correlated. Also, the reactive immune response of Gila monsters appears to be more responsive to dehydration than is the constitutive immune response, as enhancement of the reactive response was seen at moderated dehydration whereas previous work has demonstrated that enhancement of constitutive immune function does not occur until more severe dehydration. Future research should further investigate the interrelationship of hydration state, body temperature, and both constitutive and reactive immune function, especially in species where dehydration is a mechanism used to tolerate seasonal drought.
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9. Functional Characterization of the PI3K/AKT Pathway in Glucose Metabolism of Macrobrachium rosenbergii.
PMID:日期:2026-08-25The glucose intolerance of the crustacean limits its carbohydrate utilization, and the underlying metabolic mechanisms remain poorly understood. While the PI3K/AKT pathway is a central regulator of insulin-mediated glucose metabolism in vertebrates, its role in crustacean is largely unexplored. This study investigated the function of the PI3K/AKT pathway in glucose metabolism in the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Prawns were injected with the PI3K-specific inhibitor LY294002 or a PBS control, followed by a glucose tolerance test. Western blot analysis confirmed that LY294002 significantly inhibited AKT phosphorylation in hemocytes. Inhibition of the PI3K/AKT pathway resulted in impaired glucose clearance, evidenced by significantly higher plasma glucose and trehalose levels post-glucose injection. Concurrently, hepatopancreatic glycogen and triglyceride contents were significantly reduced in the inhibitor group. Gene expression analysis revealed that PI3K inhibition inhibited the glucose-induced upregulation of genes involved in glycolysis, glycogenesis, and lipogenesis in hepatopancreas. This study provides the first direct functional evidence supporting the conserved role of PI3K/AKT pathway in carbohydrate metabolism in M. rosenbergii, providing preliminary knowledge for understanding glucose intolerance of crustacean.
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10. Baseline Hematological and Biochemical Reference Values for Wild Mus musculus and Rattus rattus From Southern Punjab, Pakistan.
PMID:日期:2026-08-17Baseline hematological and oxidative stress data for wild rodents are scarce despite their importance in wildlife health assessment and disease surveillance. This study aimed to generate baseline hematological and markers of oxidative stress reference values for wild Mus musculus and Rattus rattus trapped from southern Punjab, Pakistan, and to evaluate sex-related differences in these physiological parameters. Twenty-seven Mus musculus (14 males, 13 females) and 28 Rattus rattus (18 males, 10 females) were trapped from Dera Ghazi Khan District in Punjab, Pakistan between February 2022 and January 2023. Complete blood count was determined using an automated hematology analyzer, while superoxide dismutase, catalase, and malondialdehyde levels were measured in the heart, liver, lungs, and kidneys. Sex-wise comparisons were performed using two-sample t-tests (p < 0.05). Body weight did not differ significantly between sexes in either species (p > 0.05). No significant sex-related differences were observed in the hematological parameters of Mus musculus. In Rattus rattus, males had significantly higher red blood cell counts (p = 0.008) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (p = 0.05), whereas females had higher white blood cell counts (p = 0.02). Male Mus musculus exhibited significantly higher renal malondialdehyde levels (p = 0.002), while male Rattus rattus showed higher cardiac malondialdehyde levels (p = 0.006) and females exhibited higher hepatic superoxide dismutase activity (p = 0.04). These findings provide baseline physiological reference values for wild rodents and will support future ecological and disease surveillance studies. Larger studies are required to establish robust species- and sex-specific reference intervals.