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a black wolf and a gray wolf follow a third gray wolf, whose head is tilted back to watch, as they trot through a snowy background, with light colored, barren trees in the background.
Black and Gray Wolf Pairings Stem Disease, Stabilize Population: Study
The black fur allele has fitness costs but also confers higher immunity against canine distemper virus, making mix-and-match mating key to population survival.
Black and Gray Wolf Pairings Stem Disease, Stabilize Population: Study
Black and Gray Wolf Pairings Stem Disease, Stabilize Population: Study

The black fur allele has fitness costs but also confers higher immunity against canine distemper virus, making mix-and-match mating key to population survival.

The black fur allele has fitness costs but also confers higher immunity against canine distemper virus, making mix-and-match mating key to population survival.

evolutionary ecology

Green fish with boat behind
The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill’s Hidden Impacts on Mahi-Mahi      
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Sep 28, 2022 | 5 min read
Mahi-mahi were more likely to be eaten and less likely to spawn after being exposed to sublethal concentrations of oil, raising concerns about the risks oceanic drilling pose to life in the ocean.
group of people standing on rock outcropping with ocean in distance
Repeated El Niño Events Could Spark Big Ecological Shifts
Margaret Osborne | Sep 19, 2022 | 5 min read
Five major El Niño events per century could lead to fewer fishes that thrive in cold water and more terrestrial birds in eastern coastal ecosystems.
Photo of a North American caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in Jasper National Park in Canada
Dozens of Genes Tied to Caribou’s Seasonal Migration
Maddie Bender | May 2, 2022 | 2 min read
Researchers tracked the movements of endangered caribou and sequenced a portion of their genomes to determine which genes may influence migratory behavior.
bat flying in front of tan building
Fruit Bats Echolocate During the Day Despite Having Great Vision
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Apr 20, 2022 | 4 min read
Contrary to what researchers had assumed, Egyptian fruit bats don’t rely solely on sight to orient themselves as they drink and forage for food in daylight. 
a research sailboat with white sails inscribed with "tara ocean" traverses a body of water with small, rocky islands in the background
Q&A: Thousands of RNA Viruses Newly Discovered in Ocean Water
Dan Robitzski | Apr 7, 2022 | 6 min read
The Scientist spoke with Ohio State University microbiologist Matthew Sullivan about a recent expedition that identified thousands of RNA viruses from water samples and cataloged them into novel phylogenic groups.
Drosophila melanogaster on cactus leaf
Fruit Flies Evolve in Time with the Seasons: Study
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Mar 17, 2022 | 5 min read
Researchers find that evolution can operate on extraordinarily fast timescales.
close-up of a salmon's head swimming among underwater plants
Sudden Decline in Salmon Growth May Signal Ecological Shift
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Mar 4, 2022 | 5 min read
The decrease in growth appears to be associated with increasing water temperatures, affecting animals throughout the marine food web.
two quails
Chromosomal Rearrangement Linked to Less Mobile Quail
Chloe Tenn | Dec 7, 2021 | 5 min read
The Scientist interviews evolutionary biologist Carles Vilà about how a large genomic inversion detected in common quail affects the birds’ physical characteristics and migratory behaviors.
snake eating another snake
Male Snakes Cannibalizing Females Present Evolutionary Puzzle
Chloe Tenn | Nov 15, 2021 | 4 min read
The Scientist speaks with organismal biologist Xavier Glaudas about possible reasons for his recent finding that male Montpellier snakes cannibalize female conspecifics.
A reticulated giraffe in Samburu National Park, Kenya
Whole-Genome Data Point to Four Species of Giraffe
Ruth Williams | May 6, 2021 | 4 min read
The genome sequences of 51 giraffes from all over Africa contribute to the latest attempt in an ongoing pursuit to pin down a species number.
Pandemic Shutdown Altered Bay Area Birdsongs
Ruth Williams | Sep 24, 2020 | 4 min read
As shelter-in-place orders quieted the city of San Francisco, its sparrow population developed softer, sexier songs.
Monkey Hybrids Challenge Assumptions of What a Species Is
Jim Daley | May 3, 2018 | 4 min read
A study finds two species of guenon monkeys in Tanzania have been mating and producing fertile offspring for generations.
Pinpointing the Origin of Marbled Crayfish Clones
Diana Kwon | May 1, 2018 | 5 min read
Research suggests that the invasive, all-female Procambarus virginalis originated in a German aquarium back in the 1990s.
Hawaiian Spiders on Different Islands Evolved Same Disguise in Parallel
Catherine Offord | Mar 8, 2018 | 2 min read
In an unusual evolutionary twist, local stick spiders have come up with an almost identical repertoire of color morphs in multiple locations.
Amazonian Fish Genome Challenges Long-Held Assumptions About Asexual Reproduction
Jim Daley | Feb 14, 2018 | 2 min read
Poecilia formosa, an all-female fish species, has a surprisingly robust genome. 
Spiders with Long Tails Found in Ancient Amber
Jim Daley | Feb 5, 2018 | 2 min read
This discovery closes a 170-million-year gap in the fossil record.
Lords of the Flies
Aggie Mika | Jun 19, 2017 | 5 min read
Biologists’ walk in the woods sparks the creation of a masterful fruit fly field guide. 
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