Animal Science News
17th January, 2026
| Jenn Hoskins
Bacteria found on centipede claws reveal unique microbial communities
Centipede bites cause pain & swelling, but severe infections are rare. New research found centipedes carry limited harmful bacteria, suggesting skin bacteria are more likely culprits in serious cases.
16th January, 2026
| Jim Crocker
Shrimp genes reveal clues to better starch digestion
Shrimp rely on an enzyme called alpha-amylase to digest carbohydrates for energy. New research on Pacific white shrimp reveals six genes for this enzyme, mostly active in the liver/pancreas organ, peaking during growth & molting.
7th January, 2026
| Greg Howard
Hearing ability in sea bass reveals new details about fish sound perception
European sea bass hear better than previously known, especially around 300 Hz, with sensitivity varying between individuals. This detailed hearing map is vital for understanding noise pollution impacts & improving fish welfare in fisheries & aquaculture.
4th January, 2026
| Greg Howard
Sandflies in Laos reveal new species and disease risks
A 10yr Laos study identified 25 sandfly species, including a new one, but found no evidence of Leishmania parasites in collected insects. Unexpectedly, DNA from unknown Trypanosoma species was detected, highlighting pathogen complexity & the need for wider surveillance.
23rd December, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Smart parrots can learn to trade rewards based on their weight
Goffin’s cockatoos excel at basic weight sorting but struggle with more complex tasks requiring associating heavier/lighter weights with specific rewards. This suggests task type, not inherent intelligence, impacts learning success, mirroring results in primates like chimpanzees.
19th December, 2025
| Greg Howard
Metabolism in captive Asian elephants reveals insights into health
Study comparing Asian elephants in Laos & Thailand reveals those in Thailand, with high-calorie diets & tourism work, show poorer metabolic health & weight issues. Laotian elephants had higher stress, possibly due to recent changes.
17th December, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Frog iron storage protein gene linked to fighting off bacterial infections
Iron is vital but toxic when free, so organisms store it in proteins like ferritin. This study in frogs showed ferritin gene activity increased during bacterial infection, likely helping manage iron & combat cellular damage from the immune response.
11th December, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
How salt and oxygen affect the health and growth of Nile tilapia
Climate change stressors—low oxygen & rising salt—harm Nile tilapia growth, digestion & health. Combined, they weaken immune function, damage tissues & disrupt metabolism. Research highlights urgent need for climate-adapted aquaculture practices to protect this key food source.
9th December, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
How using sound to ‘see’ affects balance and stability
Balance isn't just about sight & inner ear function. New research shows hearing, specifically how we perceive echoes, helps us stay stable. Even without seeing, detecting moving objects by sound improves balance, possibly through unconscious adjustments.
6th December, 2025
| Greg Howard
How skipjack tuna use ocean temperatures to find spawning and wintering grounds
Skipjack tuna migrate south, but not always to spawn. New research reveals two groups: one actively reproducing in warm waters, the other avoiding cold & feeding in the north.
5th December, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Decoding dolphin sounds to understand their behavior
Dolphin sounds reveal a lot about their lives. A new study of bottlenose dolphins found they vocalize more during training, feeding, and especially play. Analyzing these whistles & clicks helps understand their needs & boosts conservation efforts.
4th December, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Ancient fish fossils reveal surprising details about cell preservation and age
Fossils from 375 million years ago reveal preserved cells and blood vessels, pushing back the known limits of soft tissue survival.
4th December, 2025
| Greg Howard
How surroundings influence anthrax bacteria’s ability to create toxins
Anthrax’s virulence relies on AtxA, a key regulator. New research reveals AtxA directly links bacterial sugar intake to toxin production via a protein interaction. Glucose & CO2 levels impact AtxA, offering potential targets for new treatments.
1st December, 2025
| Greg Howard
Bird sperm shape linked to mating success in socially monogamous species
Bird sperm characteristics link to mating success. Longer sperm tails aided extra-pair paternity, while shorter heads helped defend nests. Sperm morphology appears shaped by mating strategy, adding to understanding of how males compete for reproduction.
29th November, 2025
| Jim Crocker
How farm dogs behave around different animals and people
As large predators return to Europe, protecting livestock is key. A new study shows guard dogs effectively defend farms, adapting to goats & horses. Proper training & social groups enhance their vigilance, offering a non-lethal way to reduce conflict & promote coexistence.
28th November, 2025
| Jim Crocker
How mosquito smell receptors develop and control their sensitivity to odors
New research reveals a key protein, Orco, vital for a mosquito’s sense of smell. Disrupting this protein significantly reduces their ability to detect humans & feed, impacting disease spread. Targeting Orco could lead to better mosquito control.
28th November, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Simple setups can boost reptile research and offer useful design tips
New affordable mini-ecosystems let scientists study animals in realistic conditions without huge costs. Built from simple materials, these setups successfully housed lizards for months, allowing observation of natural behaviors & growth.
26th November, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Millipede genes reveal how plants and animals evolved similar defense chemicals
Millipedes defend themselves with hydrogen cyanide, like some plants & insects, but new research shows they evolved this ability independently. They use unique enzymes, differing from those in plants, revealing nature’s diverse routes to similar defense strategies.
24th November, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Radar system accurately tracks small, free-flying bats
Wind farms threaten bat populations. New research shows marine radar—originally for ships—can track bat flight paths over large areas, unlike current methods.
22nd November, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Frozen sperm helps revive endangered fish species
Scientists revived the genetic lineage of an endangered fish by freezing & transplanting early reproductive cells into a related species.
17th November, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Ginseng leaf extract boosts growth, quality and energy use in young fish
Korean ginseng leaf extract boosts fish growth & quality. Study on grass carp showed improved muscle texture, better energy use, & healthier cells with added extract. 100-200mg/kg feed is optimal.
16th November, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria spread from farms to wild birds
Brazilian researchers found antibiotic-resistant bacteria, specifically a strain linked to livestock, in wild birds.
15th November, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Cellular cleanup process ramps up under stress, study finds
Cells recycle components via ‘self-eating’ processes like autophagy. New research on trout liver cells reveals a stress-activated form, eMI, distinct from CMA.
13th November, 2025
| Greg Howard
Snake venom changes blood and spleen function, and antivenom shows promise
Snakebites remain a major global health issue, with current treatments often falling short. Research on a viper from Armenia shows its venom severely disrupts blood clotting & causes lasting tissue damage.
13th November, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Using computer vision to improve care for desert jerboas with hair loss
AI ‘watchdog’ tech accurately tracked tiny jerboas—fast, nocturnal rodents—revealing a link between hair loss and stressful environments. Smaller spaces & lack of privacy increased grooming, suggesting psychological causes. This improves animal welfare assessments.
12th November, 2025
| Jim Crocker
What desert toads eat reveals how they stay poisonous
Sonoran Desert toads uniquely produce a potent psychedelic, 5-MeO-DMT. Research shows diet isn’t the source, pointing to internal production or a symbiotic relationship with microbes. This reveals a hidden capacity for complex chemistry within animals & opens new areas of study.
11th November, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Structure of scent glands in Japanese martens revealed by detailed study
Japanese martens possess abdominal scent glands in all individuals studied. These contain common oily glands & unique ones secreting unknown compounds, likely for communication. Further research will pinpoint the scents’ role in territory & mating.
8th November, 2025
| Greg Howard
Horse scar tissue composition reveals clues about healing speed
Horse wounds, especially on legs, often develop excessive tissue that delays healing. Research reveals this is due to a stalled healing process producing too much of an immature building block protein, alongside blocked blood vessels. Targeting this could improve treatment.
4th November, 2025
| Jim Crocker
What factors affect how much venom India’s most dangerous snakes produce?
Snakebites are a major health issue in India, but accurate data has been lacking. New research details venom amounts from the “big four” snakes, finding significant variation based on species, age, and location. This improves antivenom development & bite treatment.
4th November, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Social interaction boosts brain connections linked to bonding in female voles
Prairie voles form strong pair bonds, making them useful for studying attachment. New research shows even brief contact with a male alters brain structure in areas linked to reward, increasing neuron connections.
2nd November, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
How sugar levels control paused development in silkworm embryos
Silkworm hibernation, called diapause, is triggered by hormones. New research pinpointed an enzyme, BmSdh2, as key to maintaining this dormant state.
2nd November, 2025
| Jim Crocker
50 Years of Research Reveals How Kissing Bugs Stay Separate Species
Chagas disease spread relies on kissing bugs. New research clarifies relationships within the Rhodnius genus, key disease carriers. Breeding experiments show limited successful interbreeding, suggesting most are distinct species, though some genetic exchange occurs.
2nd November, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Simple DNA tests can quickly detect diseases in honey bees
New research offers a faster, cheaper way to detect bee diseases using special paper cards. These cards accurately identify harmful parasites & bacteria, like those linked to colony decline, even in challenging field conditions.
29th October, 2025
| Greg Howard
Goat family tree reveals surprising relationships among wild species
Goats were among the first animals domesticated, key to early agriculture. New genetic research confirms the bezoar goat is the sole ancestor of all domestic goats, supporting earlier findings.
24th October, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Parasitic mites transmit a lethal bacterium to honey bees
Honey bee declines are linked to Varroa mites, but new research reveals a key role for the bacterium Morganella morganii. Mites efficiently spread this lethal pathogen, not just viruses, causing high bee mortality.
19th October, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
How bee scent glands differ between species and what they do
Male mason bees possess a unique gland releasing chemicals that both attract mates & deter rivals. The gland delivers a constant signal, plus concentrated bursts during mating, likely controlling female receptivity & boosting male reproductive success.
9th October, 2025
| Jim Crocker
How deer responsiveness affects training success
Red brocket deer temperament significantly impacts training for veterinary care. Initial reactivity levels predicted success: calmer deer learned faster with habituation & rewards.
8th October, 2025
| Greg Howard
Protein in mosquito antennae detects insecticide, triggering defense response
New research reveals mosquito proteins, Sensory Appendage Proteins (SAPs), help them find people & resist insecticides. These proteins sense odors & chemicals, with peak activity during feeding times.
7th October, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Early life stages of the Blue-Eye Cichlid offer clues to fish development
Researchers documented the early growth of a Middle American cichlid fish, revealing rapid head and mouth development crucial for feeding.
7th October, 2025
| Greg Howard
Red-eared sliders: health check and potential risks to local wildlife
Invasive red-eared sliders in Illinois carry numerous pathogens – bacteria, viruses, fungi – without showing illness, acting as potential disease spreaders to native turtles like the Blanding’s turtle.
6th October, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Gum Arabic impacts gut health and well-being, insights from zebrafish
Gum Arabic, a fibre from the Acacia tree, impacts gut health & may benefit brains. Research in zebrafish showed it alters gut bacteria, improving glucose processing & potentially aiding appetite control, especially in females.
3rd October, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Sage extract shows promise against infection and inflammation in lab studies
Trichinellosis, a meatborne illness causing muscle damage, often lacks effective treatments. A new study found sage extract significantly reduced parasite numbers in mice, comparable to the drug albendazole, with the best results from combining both.
1st October, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Vitamin E boosts shrimp growth, immunity, and gut health
Shrimp thrive on a specific amount of Vitamin E. Research shows 80mg/kg diet boosts growth, immunity & digestion, protecting against harmful bacteria & stress. Optimal levels around 72mg/kg improve resilience & may reduce disease risk in aquaculture.
26th September, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Effects of Arabian jasmine on zebrafish may offer key insights into anxiety
Arabian jasmine’s effect on anxiety varies: it can calm some, but stimulate others. New research using zebrafish suggests genetics, sex, & personality play a role. The flower contains compounds that both reduce & induce anxiety, explaining inconsistent results.
23rd September, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
How Repeated Blood Draws Affect Relaxed Oyster Muscles
Researchers tested if repeatedly taking small blood samples from oysters harms them. Some oysters died, especially after many samples, but rates were low (10-22%).
20th September, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Omega 3 Supplementation During Pregnancy Improves Spatial Learning in Rat Offspring
Omega-3 supplementation in rats showed benefits for brain development, with faster learning and memory formation. Starting supplementation before conception, during, or after showed similar short-term gains.
18th September, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Bacteria on eggs reveal bird nesting habits in wetlands
Bird eggs host diverse bacteria, vital for health but also potential illness. A new study reveals wet nests harbor far more bacteria than dry ones, shaping eggshell communities.
15th September, 2025
| Greg Howard
Costs of Reduced Breeding Success Across Generations in Yellow Finches
Saffron Finch studies reveal females bear extra parental costs when paired with younger, less colourful males, especially with limited resources.
13th September, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Shade and Water Intake in Feedlot Cattle
Cattle under heat stress drink more often, but less at each visit, trying to cool down. Shade reduces total water needed without impacting growth, improving resource use. Optimal shade levels (around 2.4 m²/animal) and combining shade with fans are most effective.
5th September, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Amyloidosis in Stone-curlews
Researchers studied a protein buildup disease in wild stone-curlews, finding it linked to long-term inflammation, often from infections. They identified the main protein involved (AA amyloid) plus others consistently present, expanding understanding of this disease in birds.
3rd September, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Pulsatilla saponin B4 Helps Treat Mastitis in Dairy Cows
Mastitis, a common cow udder inflammation impacting milk production, is often treated with antibiotics. New research suggests Pulsatilla saponin B4 (PSB4) effectively reduces inflammation, restores milk yield to normal, and fights infection—comparable to antibiotic treatment.
2nd September, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Shrimp Group’s Structure and DNA Variation Revealed
Recent genetic research confirms the pantanal prawn is a unique species, not just a variation of the amazonicum prawn. Scientists used detailed dna analysis to reveal distinct genetic differences and uncover multiple lineages within the amazonicum species, linked to habitat.
1st September, 2025
| Greg Howard
Discovering Ancient Diets: Early Bronze Age People Ate Horse Meat
New research reveals the earliest evidence of horse meat consumption in Sicily, dating back to the Early Bronze Age.
29th August, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
How Badgers Use Their Home Range: A Movement Study
New research used advanced data analysis to track badger movements in the uk, revealing how they organise socially and respond to interventions like culling.
29th August, 2025
| Greg Howard
How Vitamins Impact Honey Bee Health Throughout the Year
Honey bee health relies on good nutrition, but a new study found vitamin supplements didn’t boost lifespan or weight. Pollen proved vital, increasing both.
28th August, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Honey Bees With Strong Hygiene Skills Resist Chalkbrood Disease
Bees face threats from mites & disease. Research shows breeding for mite resistance (VSH) doesn’t weaken defenses against fungal infections like chalkbrood. VSH bees also effectively controlled mite populations, showing strong colony hygiene overall.
28th August, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Gut Microbes Differ in Healthy and Allergic Dogs
itchy skin disease in West Highland White Terriers may be linked to gut bacteria, but surprisingly, overall gut diversity isn't different in affected dogs. Lower itchiness correlated with more E. coli bacteria, suggesting a complex relationship needing further study.
28th August, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Honeybee and Gilliamella Bacteria Boost Energy Production for Cold Tolerance
Honeybees adapt to climates with help from gut bacteria. Research shows Gilliamella boosts energy levels in cold conditions, improving bee activity & fat storage.
27th August, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Funding Conservation: Using the BIOFIN Tool for Native Livestock Breeds
India’s livestock is vital for ecosystems & rural economies, but faces threats from modernization. A study in Madhya Pradesh found current funding (~$727m, 2016-22) supports biodiversity goals, using a new financial planning approach.
21st August, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Cooperative Hunting and Social Life in the Vampire Bat
New research reveals spectral bats, once thought solitary, share food – likely helping young learn to hunt – and coordinate foraging.
20th August, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
How A Rice Virus Forces Cells To Die To Boost Its Spread
New research shows a plant virus, Rice Ragged Stunt Virus, makes its insect carriers' cells self-destruct by disrupting their energy. Paradoxically, this programmed cell death helps the virus spread, offering vital insights to protect global crops.
19th August, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Common Chemical Causes Major Changes in Development
A new study reveals common lab solvent DMSO isn't as safe for developing zebrafish as once believed. Even 1% causes serious developmental problems like heart issues and skeletal changes, challenging assumptions and urging caution in scientific research.
17th August, 2025
| Greg Howard
A Muscle Energy Protein Controls Aging and Lifespan
Scientists found that subtly changing a protein in cell powerhouses extends fruit fly lifespan. This triggers muscle cells to clear harmful protein clumps, revealing how mitochondria communicate to fight aging.
17th August, 2025
| Greg Howard
Specific Organisms Are Key To Leaf Decay In Ponds
Ponds rely on fallen leaves for energy, but how they decompose was a puzzle. New research reveals it's not the variety of leaf-shredding water insects, but one specific keystone species, Sericostoma, that powerfully drives this process, fueling the entire aquatic food web.
15th August, 2025
| Jenn Hoskins
Changes in Milk Fat and Vitamins A and E From Early to Regular Milk
New research reveals how a cow's first milk (colostrum) rapidly changes, losing high levels of vitamins A & E and altering its fat profile as it becomes mature milk. This dynamic transformation highlights colostrum's crucial role for newborn calves and informs dairy management.
12th August, 2025
| Jim Crocker
Understanding Genetic Diversity For Silk
Researchers mapped Colombia's silkworm diversity using physical traits and DNA fingerprints. They found rich genetic variation, crucial for identifying promising lines. This data will boost breeding efforts for stronger, more productive silkworms and better silk.
