The ricefield eel (Monopterus albus) is the only protogynous hermaphrodite freshwater fish. How this species changes its sex remains elusive. By performing comparative transcriptome analysis, we tentatively propose that a temperature-induced sex reversal mechanism is at work in ricefield eel, similar to that in embryonic reptiles. We show that warm temperature induces the expression of male sex determination genes in ovarian tissues, and that temperature-induced up-regulation of male genes depends on Trpv4, a thermosensor that can sense thermal cues.  

About 66 million years ago, an asteroid slammed into the planet, wiping out all non-avian dinosaurs and about 70% of all marine species. But the crater it left behind in the Gulf of Mexico was a literal hotbed for life enriching the overlying ocean for at least 700,000 years, according to research published today in Nature Communications.

New research will help scientists predict where and when animals will move, a task which is becoming more urgent, given the current rapid pace of global change.  

On our planet, at any one moment, billions of animals are on the move.  From migratory birds, insects, marine mammals and sharks connecting distant continents and seas, to bees and other insects pollinating our crops, to grazing animals roaming across the plain.    The study of animal movement has grown fast in recent decades.  However, much of this work still focuses on describing and understanding current patterns, rather than predicting future movements. 

The problem is that using the past and present as a guide will be of limited use given how quickly environments are changing, due to new patterns of land use, climate change, and human population shifts.

This is where the new research comes in.  It sets out a framework that can help scientists provide more robust predictions in rapidly changing environmental conditions.    It can help to conserve species, but also to protect wider ecosystems and our environment and the many services these provide to human wellbeing.

A sea turtle’s shell is a masterpiece. A new study reveals that marine turtle shells combine flexibility and strength to protect against predators like sharks and stress while optimizing movement. This adaptation highlights the complex design of their shells and provides insights into this remarkable balance of strength and flexibility, which has allowed them to survive in the ocean for millions of years – an example of evolution shaping species in an environment.

As coral bleaching and deaths become more widespread globally, experts show that over a third of restoration projects fail and might never be scalable enough to have positive effects on reef ecosystems. The results show that major barriers to effective interventions include the small scale of restoration programs, high costs per hectare, and the tendency to restore already compromised reefs that are highly vulnerable to future heat stresses.

About 131 million years ago, an 11-foot-long ichthyosaur slammed snout first into the seafloor and was rapidly buried by sediments — a sequence of events that helped preserve not only her skeleton, but that of her unborn baby, along with the remains of her last meal.  These details are part of a new study from an international team published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology about the pregnant marine reptile, which the team named Fiona.

Twelve distinguished science and health journalists have been awarded a highly competitive fellowship in the Logan Science Journalism Program at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL). Now in its 38th year, the Logan Science Journalism Program provides journalists with immersive, hands-on research training, giving them invaluable insight into the practice of science as well as some of the major news stories of today

Large-scale multidisciplinary ecological survey reveals long-term changes in the eastern Indian sector of the Southern Ocean