PeerJ – Zoological Science section

18 January 2019

Potential surrogate plants for use in semi-field pesticide risk assessment with Megachile rotundata

Andrew J. Frewin, Angela E. Gradish, Graham R. Ansell, Cynthia D. Scott-Dupree

Editor rating: 7 / 10

Sheila Colla –– Methods to test pesticide impacts on species other than honeybees and bumblebees will be important for policy and regulation going forward.

9 January 2019

The gut microbiome correlates with conspecific aggression in a small population of rescued dogs (Canis familiaris)

Section Editor rating: 8 / 10

Jennifer Vonk –– This is a novel study that has important practical applications to the management of pet dogs

9 January 2019

Efficient generation of human primordial germ cell-like cells from pluripotent stem cells in a methylcellulose-based 3D system at large scale

Editor rating: 8 / 10

Shao-Chen Sun –– A system which produces more primordial germ cell-like cells.

17 December 2018

Dogs can be trained to find a bar magnet

Editor rating: 7 / 10

Lesley Rogers –– Investigation of the ability of dogs to respond to magnetic information is of broad interest.

4 December 2018

COI barcoding of plant bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera: Miridae)

Editor rating: 7 / 10

Hilary Morrison –– The article provides a molecular identification method for members of an important taxonomic group.

30 November 2018

Anti-predator defences of a bombardier beetle: is bombing essential for successful escape from frogs?

Section Editor rating: 7 / 10

Michael Wink –– Interesting story

27 November 2018

Differences in persistence between dogs and wolves in an unsolvable task in the absence of humans

Editor rating: 7 / 10

Jennifer Vonk –– Behavioral flexibility is an important topic that gets at underlying species differences in cognition. Here, the authors were able to examine wolves and dogs, which may point to the impact of domestication on some aspects of canid cognition.

21 November 2018

Catch fast and kill quickly: do tiger beetles use the same strategies when hunting different types of prey?

Editor rating: 7 / 10

Barry Brook –– Useful study on decision making in insect predators.

6 November 2018

Sociality genes are associated with human-directed social behaviour in golden and Labrador retriever dogs

Editor rating: 7 / 10

Jennifer Vonk –– Gene - behavior associations is a very important and growing area of research. These types of studies will help us understand the impact of domestication at a more molecular level in canids.

6 November 2018

Sexual dimorphism in the Arachnid orders

Editor rating: 7 / 10

Kenneth De Baets –– This manuscript a comprehensive review of sexual dimorphism in arachnids including several small understudied orders. This makes it possible to discuss general patterns and gaps in our current knowledge. For the more general audience, it might be interesting to see how male and female arachnids can differ.

Zoological Science

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Zoological Science