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“As the human population continues to expand, increased encroachment on natural landscapes and wildlife habitats is expected. Organisms able to acclimate to human-altered environments should have a selective advantage over those unable to do so. Over the past two decades, bats have increasingly begun to roost

and raise offspring in spaces beneath pre-cast concrete bridges. Few studies have examined the health or fitness of individuals living in these anthropogenic sites. In the present study, we examined birth size and postnatal growth, as surrogates of MAPK Inhibitor Library in vitro reproductive success, in Brazilian free-tailed bat pups born at a natural and a human-made roost. Based on putative stress-related conditions HDAC inhibitor (noise from vehicular traffic, chemical pollutants and a modified social environment) present at bridges, we predicted that bats at these sites would have reduced reproductive success. Contrary to our prediction, pups

born at a bridge site were on average heavier and larger at birth and grew faster than those born at a cave site. Also, both birth size and growth rates of pups differ between years. We attribute observed differences to a combination of roost-related conditions (i.e. roost temperature and proximity to foraging areas), climate and maternal effects with larger mothers raising larger pups. Thus, some bridge roosts, at least in the short term, are suitable, and in some cases may provide better conditions, for raising

young bat pups than cave roosts. “
“The Spanish ribbed newt Pleurodeles waltl shows a bizzare defensive mechanism against predators. X-ray analysis before and after a simulated threat shows that this newt this website rotates its ribs anteriorly. The maximum measured angle to which the ribs moved was 65°. This forward movement causes the sharply pointed rib tips to lacerate the body wall and project freely from the sides of the trunk as spines. Light microscopy shows the microanatomy, and computed tomography shows the 3D morphology of these unusual weapons. They are ‘spear-shaped’ and hollow proximally, massive distally and are connected to the corresponding vertebra by a well-developed, two-headed joint. The skin in the penetration areas lacks permanent pores through which the ribs could be projected and is pierced de novo by every antipredator posturing. This investigation provides new insight into the functionality of a highly complex, integrated and unusual defensive strategy. Amphibians are an essential part of the natural food chain. Being numerous, small to moderate in size and having soft skin, some of them are common prey for a huge variety of predators from all classes of vertebrates, as well as for certain arthropods (Duellman & Trueb, 1994).