186 posts · 294,644 views
GrrlScientist is the blog pseudonym for an evolutionary biologist/ornithologist who writes about E3: Evolution, Ecology and Ethology, and the subtle relationships between these phenomena, especially in birds.
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- May 15, 2013
- 11:06 AM
- 66 views
Scarlet macaw genome sequenced | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
The newly-sequenced scarlet macaw genome will provide many important insights into avian and human biology, behaviours and genetics and will contribute to parrot conservation.... Read more »
Seabury Christopher M., Dowd Scot E., Seabury Paul M., Raudsepp Terje, Brightsmith Donald J., Liboriussen Poul, Halley Yvette, Fisher Colleen A., Owens Elaine, & Viswanathan Ganesh. (2013) A Multi-Platform Draft de novo Genome Assembly and Comparative Analysis for the Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao). PLoS ONE, 8(5). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062415.s019
Oleksyk Taras K, Pombert Jean-Francois, Siu Daniel, Mazo-Vargas Anyimilehidi, Ramos Brian, Guiblet Wilfried, Afanador Yashira, Ruiz-Rodriguez Christina T, Nickerson Michael L, & Logue David M. (2012) A locally funded Puerto Rican parrot (Amazona vittata) genome sequencing project increases avian data and advances young researcher education. GigaScience, 1(1), 14. DOI: 10.1186/2047-217X-1-14
Ried T, Schröck E, Ning Y, & Wienberg J. (1998) Chromosome painting: a useful art. Human Molecular Genetics, 7(10), 1619-1626. DOI: 10.1093/hmg/7.10.1619
- May 11, 2013
- 05:12 AM
- 53 views
True Facts About The Dung Beetle | video | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
This week's Caturday morning video smile is a lovely blend of science, animals and humour all rolled up into a short video.... Read more »
Dacke Marie, Baird Emily, Byrne Marcus, Scholtz Clarke H., & Warrant Eric J. (2013) Dung Beetles Use the Milky Way for Orientation. Current Biology, 23(4), 298-300. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2012.12.034
- May 7, 2013
- 07:01 PM
- 53 views
In Your Face: soldiers' faces predict aggression, military rank and number of children | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
New research demonstrates that male soldiers' faces may predict their military rank and how many children they ultimately father... Read more »
Carré J. M, & McCormick C. M. (2008) In your face: facial metrics predict aggressive behaviour in the laboratory and in varsity and professional hockey players. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 275(1651), 2651-2656. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2008.0873
Wong E. M., Ormiston M. E., & Haselhuhn M. P. (2011) A Face Only an Investor Could Love: CEOs' Facial Structure Predicts Their Firms' Financial Performance. Psychological Science, 22(12), 1478-1483. DOI: 10.1177/0956797611418838
Tsujimura H., & Banissy M. J. (2013) Human face structure correlates with professional baseball performance: insights from professional Japanese baseball players. Biology Letters, 9(3), 20130140-20130140. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2013.0140
Stirrat Michael, Stulp Gert, & Pollet Thomas V. (2012) Male facial width is associated with death by contact violence: narrow-faced males are more likely to die from contact violence. Evolution and Human Behavior, 33(5), 551-556. DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2012.02.002
Stirrat M., & Perrett D. I. (2012) Face Structure Predicts Cooperation: Men With Wider Faces Are More Generous to Their In-Group When Out-Group Competition Is Salient. Psychological Science, 23(7), 718-722. DOI: 10.1177/0956797611435133
- March 21, 2013
- 08:27 AM
- 96 views
Setting the record a little straighter regarding trade in African grey parrots
by GrrlScientist in Maniraptora
SUMMARY: I am trying to learn the truth regarding a published piece that caused at least one reader to ask: "Is this really true??? If it is not true how can they get away with saying this???" Read more... Read more »
Melo Martim, & O’Ryan Colleen. (2007) Genetic differentiation between Príncipe Island and mainland populations of the grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus), and implications for conservation. Molecular Ecology, 16(8), 1673-1685. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2006.03128.x
Blackburn Tim M., Harvey Paul H., & Pagel Mark D. (1990) Species Number, Population Density and Body Size Relationships in Natural Communities. The Journal of Animal Ecology, 59(1), 335. DOI: 10.2307/5176
- January 16, 2013
- 04:36 AM
- 43 views
The extraordinary courtship dance of Australia’s peacock spider
by GrrlScientist in Maniraptora
SUMMARY: Meet the world's most adorable spider and watch his amazing courtship dance! Adult male Maratus volans from Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park near Sydney. Read more... Read more »
Otto Jürgen C., & Hill David E. (2011) An illustrated review of the known peacock spiders of the genus Maratus from Australia, with description of a new species (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryinae). Peckhamia, 96(1), 1-27. http://peckhamia.com/peckhamia.html
Hill David Edwin . (2009) Euophryine jumping spiders that extend their third legs during courtship (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryinae: Maratus, Saitis). . Peckhamia, 74(1), 1-27. http://www.peckhamia.com/peckhamia/PECKHAMIA 74.1.pdf
Otto Jürgen C., & Hill David E. . (2012) Contests between male Maratus vespertilio (Simon 1901) (Araneae: Salticidae). Peckhamia, 98(1), 1-17. http://www.peckhamia.com/peckhamia/PECKHAMIA_98.1.pdf
- January 15, 2013
- 10:53 AM
- 159 views
The extraordinary courtship dance of Australia's peacock spider | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
Meet the peacock of the spider world and watch his lovely courtship dance! ... Read more »
Otto Jürgen C., & Hill David E. (2011) An illustrated review of the known peacock spiders of the genus Maratus from Australia, with description of a new species (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryinae). Peckhamia, 96(1), 1-27. http://peckhamia.com/peckhamia.html
Hill David Edwin . (2009) Euophryine jumping spiders that extend their third legs during courtship (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryinae: Maratus, Saitis). . Peckhamia, 74(1), 1-27. http://www.peckhamia.com/peckhamia/PECKHAMIA 74.1.pdf
Otto Jürgen C., & Hill David E. . (2012) Contests between male Maratus vespertilio (Simon 1901) (Araneae: Salticidae). Peckhamia, 98(1), 1-17. http://www.peckhamia.com/peckhamia/PECKHAMIA_98.1.pdf
- November 13, 2012
- 08:00 AM
- 203 views
Sing for your supper: fairy-wren chicks must sing vocal password for food | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
Female fairy-wrens teach their chicks a vocal password before they hatch to distinguish them from brood parasitic bronze-cuckoo chicks... Read more »
Colombelli-Négrel Diane, Hauber Mark E., Robertson Jeremy, Sulloway Frank J., Hoi Herbert, Griggio Matteo, & Kleindorfer Sonia. (2012) Embryonic Learning of Vocal Passwords in Superb Fairy-Wrens Reveals Intruder Cuckoo Nestlings. Current Biology, 22(22). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2012.09.025
Langmore Naomi E., Hunt Sarah, & Kilner Rebecca M. (2003) Escalation of a coevolutionary arms race through host rejection of brood parasitic young. Nature, 422(6928), 157-160. DOI: 10.1038/nature01460
- November 11, 2012
- 10:01 AM
- 132 views
Journal Club: Polly gets his own cracker: clever cockatoo manufactures, uses tools
by GrrlScientist in Maniraptora
SUMMARY: Not known to manufacture or use tools in the wild, a captive cockatoo demonstrates that parrots can make tools to suit their needs... Read more »
Auersperg Alice M.I., Szabo Birgit, von Bayern Auguste M.P., & Kacelnik Alex. (2012) Spontaneous innovation in tool manufacture and use in a Goffin’s cockatoo. Current Biology, 22(21). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2012.09.002
- November 10, 2012
- 08:00 AM
- 166 views
Polly gets his own cracker: clever cockatoo manufactures, uses tools | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
Not known to manufacture and use tools in the wild, a captive cockatoo demonstrates that parrots can make tools to suit their needs... Read more »
Auersperg Alice M.I., Szabo Birgit, von Bayern Auguste M.P., & Kacelnik Alex. (2012) Spontaneous innovation in tool manufacture and use in a Goffin’s cockatoo. Current Biology, 22(21). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2012.09.002
- November 6, 2012
- 03:46 PM
- 213 views
First ever sighting of world’s rarest whale on New Zealand coast
by GrrlScientist in Maniraptora
SUMMARY: DNA technologies were used by scientists to definitively identify two stranded whales as members of rare species previously known only from a few scattered bones. ... Read more »
Thompson, K., Baker, C., van Helden, A., Patel, S., Millar, C., & Constantine, R. (2012) The world’s rarest whale. Current Biology, 22(21). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2012.08.055
- October 9, 2012
- 03:00 AM
- 358 views
One-eyed wooing: beauty is in the right eye of the beholder for finches | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
GrrlScientist: a newly published study shows that beauty is in the right eye of the beholder for birds, providing the first demonstration in any animal of visual lateralization of mate choice... Read more »
Jennifer J. Templeton, D. James Mountjoy, Sarah R. Pryke, & Simon C. Griffith. (2012) In the eye of the beholder: visual mate choice lateralization in a polymorphic songbird. Biology Letters. info:/10.1098/rsbl.2012.0830
L. Workman, & R.J. Andrew. (1986) Asymmetries of eye use in birds. Animal Behaviour, 34(5), 1582-1584. info:/10.1016/S0003-3472(86)80235-4
Orsola Rosa Salva, Lucia Regolin, Elena Mascalzoni, & Giorgio Vallortigara. (2012) Cerebral and behavioural asymmetries in animal social recognition. Comparative Cognition , 110-138. info:/10.3819/ccbr.2012.70006
- Ecology / Conservation
- Biology
- Neuroscience
- visual lateralization
- Evolutionary Biology
- polymorphic
- Behavioral Ecology
- Behavioral Biology
- Reproduction
- birds
- Zoology
- passerines
- Ornithology
- zebra finch
- Conservation
- Taeniopygia guttata
- passeriformes
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Gouldian finch
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Erythrura gouldiae
- mate choice
- September 27, 2012
- 07:06 AM
- 260 views
Journal club: Choosy females speed speciation of poison dart frogs
by GrrlScientist in Maniraptora
SUMMARY: Female poison dart frogs’ distinct preferences for mates with particular colours may be a first step in the process of speciation Strawberry dart frog, Dendrobates pumilio, photographed at La Loma Jungle Lodge on Isla Bastimentos, Panama. Image: Cori Richards-Zawacki. Speciation is often a subtle thing, starting with a tiny difference here or there, and after a few generations, these changes begin to add up into something obvious. But speciation only happens after a portion of a p........ Read more »
Corinne L. Richards-Zawacki, Ian J . Wang, & Kyle Summers. (2012) Mate choice and the genetic basis for colour variation in a polymorphic dart frog: inferences from a wild pedigree. Molecular Ecology, 3879-3892. info:/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2012.05644.x
- September 27, 2012
- 04:00 AM
- 416 views
Choosy females speed speciation of poison dart frogs | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
Female poison dart frogs' distinct preferences for mates with particular colours may be a first step in the process of speciation... Read more »
Corinne L. Richards-Zawacki, Ian J . Wang, & Kyle Summers. (2012) Mate choice and the genetic basis for colour variation in a polymorphic dart frog: inferences from a wild pedigree. Molecular Ecology, 3879-3892. info:/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2012.05644.x
- September 22, 2012
- 05:00 AM
- 347 views
Wild parrots name their babies | video | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
Wild green-rumped parrotlet parents give their babies their own individual names... Read more »
Karl S. Berg, Soraya Delgado, Kathryn A. Cortopassi, Steven R. Beissinger, & Jack W. Bradbury. (2011) Vertical transmission of learned signatures in a wild parrot. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. info:/10.1098/rspb.2011.0932
Ralf Wanker, Jasmin Apcin, Bert Jennerjahn, & Birte Waibel. (1998) Discrimination of different social companions in spectacled parrotlets (Forpus conspicillatus): evidence for individual vocal recognition. . Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology , 43(3), 197-202. info:/10.1007/s002650050481)
- September 19, 2012
- 04:00 AM
- 394 views
Extinct Carolina parakeet provides glimpse into evolution of American parrots | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
DNA obtained for the first time from extinct Carolina parakeets reveals their closest relatives and provides insight into the evolution of New World parrots... Read more »
Jeremy J. Kirchman, Erin E. Schirtzinger, & Timothy F. Wright. (2012) Phylogenetic relationships of the extinct Carolina Parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis) inferred from DNA sequence Data. The Auk, 129(2), 197-204. info:/10.1525/auk.2012.11259
Manuel Schweizer, Ole Seehausen, & Stefan T. Hertwig. (2011) Macroevolutionary patterns in the diversification of parrots: Effects of climate change, geological events and key innovations. Journal of Biogeography, 38(11), 2176-2194. info:/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2011.02555.x
- August 24, 2012
- 04:00 AM
- 491 views
Two new owl species discovered in Philippines | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
Two new owl species were discovered in the Philippine Islands and five more Philippine owls were given full species status... Read more »
P. C. Rasmussen, D. N. S. Allen, N. J. Collar, B. De Meulemeester, R. O. Hutchinson, P. G. C. Jakosalem, R. S. Kennedy, F. R. Lambert, & L. M. Paguntalan. (2012) Vocal divergence and new species in the Philippine Hawk Owl Ninox philippensis complex. Forktail, 1-20. info:/
- August 22, 2012
- 04:30 AM
- 328 views
Unraveling the life history traits of successful invaders | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
Species at the opposite ends of the life span-brood value spectrum will be most likely to survive climate change... Read more »
Daniel Sol, Joan Maspons, Miquel Vall-llosera, Ignasi Bartomeus, Gabriel E. García-Peña, Josep Piñol, & Robert P. Freckleton. (2012) Unraveling the Life History of Successful Invaders . Science, 580-583. info:/
- August 9, 2012
- 12:30 PM
- 324 views
Mystery bird: Sira barbet, Capito fitzpatricki | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
This striking mystery bird is a new species just discovered in the cloud forests of Peru!... Read more »
Glenn F. Seeholzer, Benjamin M. Winger, Michael G. Harvey, Daniel Cáceres A., & Jason D. Weckstein. (2012) A new species of barbet (Capitonidae: Capito) from the Cerros del Sira, Ucayali, Peru. Auk, 129(3), 551-559. info:/10.1525/auk.2012.11250
John P O'Neill, Daniel F Lane, Andrew W Kratter, Angelo P Capparella, & Cecilia Fox Joo. (2000) A striking new species of barbet (Capitoninae: Capito) from the eastern Andes of Peru. Auk, 117(3), 569-577. info:/10.1642/0004-8038(2000)117[0569:ASNSOB]2.0.CO;2
- June 27, 2012
- 04:38 PM
- 513 views
Trees, grass and gas: the battle for dominance | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
A new study shows that increasing carbon dioxide levels favours trees over grass, suggesting that large regions of Africa's savannas may be forests by the end of this century... Read more »
Steven I. Higgins, & Simon Scheiter. (2012) Atmospheric CO2 forces abrupt vegetation shifts locally, but not globally. Nature. info:/10.1038/nature11238
John Grace, Jose´ San Jose´, Patrick Meir, Heloisa S. Miranda, & Ruben A. Montes. (2006) Productivity and carbon fluxes of tropical savannas. Journal of Biogeography, 387-400. info:/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2005.01448.x
- May 10, 2012
- 04:12 AM
- 536 views
Identification of the world's smallest mammoth | video | @GrrlScientist
by GrrlScientist in GrrlScientist
The world's smallest mammoth has been discovered on Crete, and it's the size of a newborn baby elephant!... Read more »
Herridge, V., & Lister, A. (2012) Extreme insular dwarfism evolved in a mammoth. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.0671
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