Establishment of 'knots' by Mice While Exploring a New Environment

Path breaking research by Anna Dvorkin and Ilan Golan of Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv, Israel, and Henry Szechtman of Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada have come up with fascinating insights in to the "Knots" established by mice and their significance.

"Knots" established by mice are preferred places visited sporadically and marked by the formation of twists and turns. Research suggests that the tortuous movements improve the interpretation of the visual scene, enhance the memory of the place and provide the mouse with multiple views that turn the established places into navigational landmarks.

Using advanced computational tools the researchers establish how a particular type knot is formed and then used by mice. It shows clearly how the animals map the environment, and what they try to accomplish. Until recently, rodents' exploration of an open field has been considered to be largely random.

Details of the research appear in the latest issue of PLoS Computational Biology.

Ecuador Throw Up New Surprises

A team of scientists working for Reptile & Amphibian Ecology International, in a ­threatened rain forest around Cerro Pata de Pájaro in Ecuador have discovered a gecko so small it can perch on top of a pencil. Other fascinating discoveries include a species of snail sucking snake, 30 varieties of frog, four previously unseen types of stick insect and salamanders that have dispensed with lungs and breathe entirely through their skin. Some of the frogs lay their eggs in trees, rather than in water

The sad part of the story is that the area is being rapidly deforested. About 95% of the trees have been felled. Mans’ avarice know no bounds.

Breeding area of the Large-billed reed warbler, the world's least known bird species, discovered in Afghanistan

Amidst the grim scenario in Afghanistan here comes something to cheer about. Researchers of the Wildlife Conservation Society have discovered for the first time the breeding area of the large-billed reed warbler in the remote Wakhan Corridor of the Pamir Mountains of north-eastern Afghanistan. Large-billed reed warbler was rated in 2007 by ‘BirdLife International’ as "the world's least known bird species”. Practically nothing is known about this species. The first specimen was discovered in India in 1867. It was more than a century later that a second discovery of a single bird was made in Thailand in 2006.

Ornithologists around the world are excited about the discovery. Details appear in the latest issue of BirdingASIA. The authors include: Robert Timmins, Naqeebullah Mostafawi, Ali Madad Rajabi, Hafizullah Noori, Stephane Ostrowski and Colin Poole, of the Wildlife Conservation Society; Urban Olsson of Göteborg University, Sweden; and Lars Svensson.