PeerJ – Zoological Science section

20 July 2018

Rhabdias bufonis (Rhabdiasidae) from the lung of the African common toad, Amietophrynus regularis (Bufonidae) in Egypt: new data on the basis of light and scanning electron microscopic study

Kareem Morsy, Sara Ali Mohamed, Fathy Abdel-Ghaffar, Hoda El-Fayoumi, Heba Abdel-Haleem

Editor rating: 7 / 10

Carlos Gutiérrez –– This manuscript supposes an advance in the knowledge on Rhabdias bufonis, a parasite previously described but not well characterized. These new data will help us for a better understanding of the biology of this parasite.

19 July 2018

Conspicuously concealed: revision of the arid clade of the Gehyra variegata (Gekkonidae) group in Western Australia using an integrative molecular and morphological approach, with the description of five cryptic species

Editor rating: 8 / 10

Daniel Lahr –– This article demonstrates an interesting approach to deal with the problem of describing cryptic species. The authors flesh out a system of species of gekkos, using a multi-faceted approach that is likely to establish a precedent in the field.

18 July 2018

Mechanical/thermal sensitivity and superficial temperature in the stump of long-term tail-docked dairy cows

Section Editor rating: 7 / 10

Jennifer Vonk –– Good to see issues of animal welfare in the feed industry being addressed.

10 July 2018

Evaluation of standard imaging techniques and volumetric preservation of nervous tissue in genetically identical offspring of the crayfish Procambarus fallax cf. virginalis (Marmorkrebs)

Editor rating: 7 / 10

Kenneth De Baets –– The paper aims to bridge the gap between quantitative measurements on arthropod brain structures obtained by different methods. This paper is the first trying to overcome these problems by investigating possible conversion factors.

6 July 2018

Automatic analysis of treadmill running to estimate times to fatigue and exhaustion in rodents

Section Editor rating: 7 / 10

Jennifer Vonk –– Developing new technology to circumvent the need for human observers will make work in this area much more effective and potentially reduce error.

5 July 2018

Trabecular bone patterning in the hominoid distal femur

Section Editor rating: 7 / 10

Michael Wink –– important piece of information for the interpretation of human fossils

13 June 2018

First use of molecular evidence to match sexes in the Monstrilloida (Crustacea: Copepoda), and taxonomic implications of the newly recognized and described, partly Maemonstrilla-like females of Monstrillopsis longilobata Lee, Kim & Chang, 2016

Editor rating: 7 / 10

Mark Costello –– In addition to its significance for the taxonomy of this species of copepod, the article demonstrates the use of traditional morphological and molecular approaches to distinguish sexes of the same species.

11 June 2018

Cortical bone adaptation and mineral mobilization in the subterranean mammal Bathyergus suillus (Rodentia: Bathyergidae): effects of age and sex

Editor rating: 7 / 10