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1. Phylogenetic analysis and diversity of peculiar new lecanicephalidean tapeworms (Eniochobothriidae) from cownose rays across the globe

   https://doi.org/10.1071/IS22018  

   Jensen, K.; Caira, J. N. (January 2022, Invertebrate Systematics)

   Worsaae, Katrine (Ed.)

   The three members of the lecanicephalidean tapeworm family Eniochobothriidae are unusual among tapeworms in that they lack a vagina and possess a series of expanded proglottids forming a trough at the anterior end of their body. They exclusively parasitise cownose rays of the genus Rhinoptera (Myliobatiformes: Rhinopteridae). New collections from six of the nine known species of cownose rays from the waters off Australia, Mexico, Mozambique, Senegal, Taiwan and the United States (off Mississippi, Louisiana and South Carolina) yielded eight new species and a new genus of eniochobothriids. Here we erect Amiculucestus, gen. nov. and describe six of the eight new species – four in the new genus and two in Eniochobothrium – expanding the number of genera in the family to two and the number of described species in the family to nine. Morphological work was based on light and scanning electron microscopy. The tree resulting from a maximum likelihood analysis of sequence data for the D1–D3 region of the 28S rDNA gene for 11 species of eniochobothriids supports the reciprocal monophyly of both genera. The mode of attachment to the mucosal surface of the spiral intestine of the host was investigated using histological sections of worms in situ. These cestodes appear to use the anterior trough-like portion of their body, which consists of an unusual series of barren proglottids, rather than their scolex, to attach to the mucosal surface. Based on our new collections, we estimate that the total number of eniochobothriids across the globe does not exceed 27 species. ZooBank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0740EC72‐AC3F‐43AA‐BD41‐B9820BA9D0CE 

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2. Neuroanatomical and Functional Dissociations between Variably Present Anterior Lateral Prefrontal Sulci

   https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_02049  

   Willbrand, Ethan H; Bunge, Silvia A; Weiner, Kevin S (January 2023, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience)

   Abstract The lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) is an evolutionarily expanded region in humans that is critical for numerous complex functions, many of which are largely hominoid specific. Although recent work shows that the presence or absence of specific sulci in anterior LPFC is associated with cognitive performance across age groups, it is unknown whether the presence of these structures relates to individual differences in the functional organization of LPFC. To fill this gap in knowledge, we leveraged multimodal neuroimaging data from two samples encompassing 82 young adult humans (aged 22–36 years) and show that the dorsal and ventral components of the paraintermediate frontal sulcus, or pimfs, present distinct morphological (surface area), architectural (thickness and myelination), and functional (resting-state connectivity networks) properties. We further contextualize the pimfs components within classic and modern cortical parcellations. Taken together, the dorsal and ventral pimfs components mark transitions in LPFC anatomy and function, across metrics and parcellations. These results emphasize that the pimfs is a critical structure to consider when examining individual differences in the anatomical and functional organization of LPFC and suggest that future individual-level parcellations could benefit from incorporating sulcal anatomy when delineating LPFC cortical regions. 

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3. Some like it hot: Temperature and hydrodynamic factors influence Xenobalanus globicipitis attachment to cetaceans

   https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13022  

   Dolezal, Milan M.; Foroughirad, Vivienne; Fish, Frank E.; Jacoby, Ann‐Marie; Collier, Melissa A.; Murphy, Colin J.; Rittmaster, Keith A.; Mann, Janet (April 2023, Marine Mammal Science)

   Abstract Barnacles can reveal much about the physiology, health, and spatial ecology of their cetacean hosts. Here, we examine how temperature and hydrodynamic factors impact presence ofXenobalanus globicipitis, a pseudo‐stalked barnacle that attaches exclusively to cetaceans. We hypothesized that temperature is a key environmental factor (i.e., water temperature) and physiological factor, in thatX. globicipitisprefers the warmest skin temperature for attachment, possibly as a mechanism for survival in colder waters. First, we demonstrate a global relationship between spatial ecology of host species and presence ofX. globicipitis. Notably,X. globicipitisis absent in the four species occupying waters with the lowest sea surface temperature (SST) year‐round, but present in migratory species that likely acquire the barnacle in waters with higher SST. Second, barnacle attachment location on common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) dorsal fins corresponds with fin temperature and hydrodynamics. Although body temperature may influence attachment location on the body of the animal, hydrodynamic forces, as previously proposed, determine how well barnacles can remain attached during the adult stage.X. globicipitisprevalence likely provides important bioindicator, ecological, and physiological information about its host. As parasitic infestation has some cost, these results have implications for cetacean health in warming seas. 

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4. Multimodal Parcellations and Extensive Behavioral Profiling Tackling the Hippocampus Gradient

   https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhy336  

   Plachti, Anna; Eickhoff, Simon B; Hoffstaedter, Felix; Patil, Kaustubh R; Laird, Angela R; Fox, Peter T; Amunts, Katrin; Genon, Sarah (February 2019, Cerebral Cortex)

   Abstract The hippocampus displays a complex organization and function that is perturbed in many neuropathologies. Histological work revealed a complex arrangement of subfields along the medial–lateral and the ventral–dorsal dimension, which contrasts with the anterior–posterior functional differentiation. The variety of maps has raised the need for an integrative multimodal view. We applied connectivity-based parcellation to 1) intrinsic connectivity 2) task-based connectivity, and 3) structural covariance, as complementary windows into structural and functional differentiation of the hippocampus. Strikingly, while functional properties (i.e., intrinsic and task-based) revealed similar partitions dominated by an anterior–posterior organization, structural covariance exhibited a hybrid pattern reflecting both functional and cytoarchitectonic subdivision. Capitalizing on the consistency of functional parcellations, we defined robust functional maps at different levels of partitions, which are openly available for the scientific community. Our functional maps demonstrated a head–body and tail partition, subdivided along the anterior–posterior and medial–lateral axis. Behavioral profiling of these fine partitions based on activation data indicated an emotion–cognition gradient along the anterior–posterior axis and additionally suggested a self-world-centric gradient supporting the role of the hippocampus in the construction of abstract representations for spatial navigation and episodic memory. 

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5. A new potentially endangered limestone-associated Bent-toed Gecko of the Cyrtodactylus pulchellus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) complex from northern Peninsular Malaysia

   https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4751.3.2  

   Wood, Jr.; Grismer, L. Lee; Muin, Mohd Abdul; Anuar, Shahrul; Oaks, Jamie R.; Sites, Jr. (January 2020, Zootaxa)

   A survey of a limestone forest at Gunung Baling, Kedah, West Malaysia lead to the discovery of an undescribed species of Bent-toed Gecko from the Cyrtodactylus pulchellus complex. Cyrtodactylus evanquahi sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other species in the C. pulchellus complex by a suite of morphological and color pattern characteristics: prominent tuberculation, higher number of dark body bands, and a smaller maximum SVL. It is further differentiated from all other species as follows; no tubercles on the ventral surface of the forelimbs, gular region, or in the ventrolateral folds; 31–34 paravetebral dorsal tubercles; 18–23 longitudinal rows of tubercles; 29–33 ventral scales; 22–23 subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe; 32–36 femoroprecloacal pores; a shallow precloacal groove in males; body bands and nuchal loop edged with a thin white line bearing tubercles; no scattered white spots on the dorsum; six or seven dark body bands much thinner than interspaces; 9–11 dark caudal bands on original tail; bands on the original tail separated by immaculate white caudal bands. It is further differentiated by an uncorrected pairwise genetic divergence of 6.50–15.67% from all other congeners in the C. pulchellus complex. It is most closely related to C. pulchellus from Penang Island ∼76 km to the southwest. In addition to the new samples from Gunung Baling, we added four samples of C. bintangrendah from the new locality of Belukar Semang, Perak. The discovery of yet another new species of the C. pulchellus complex from a limestone habitat continues to underscore the high degree of endemism and the importance of these unique habitats for biodiversity, and the continued need for their conservation. 

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