Use of hypothermia as a means of anesthesia for amphibians and reptiles is prohibited by agencies that establish veterinary guidelines. This has recently been called into question by members of the scientific community based on reviews of published literature. Using pond turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans), hypothermia as a method for anesthesia to precede euthanasia by decapitation was assessed. Turtles were subjected to hypothermia using a cooling followed by freezing protocol. Body temperature measurements ranged between −1 to −2°C while core body temperature was −1°C. Ice crystal formation was never observed. A protective reflex to noxious stimuli, the eyeblink response, was recorded from in vitro brainstem preparations subjected to cold. At 5–6°C, reflex responses were suppressed, demonstrating minimal synaptic transmission in brain circuits above temperatures used for hypothermia induction. These and previous data indicate that a re-evaluation of the use of hypothermia as an anesthetic in amphibians and reptiles is warranted.
Cold block of in vitro eyeblink reflexes: evidence supporting the use of hypothermia as an anesthetic in pond turtles
2023 JEB Outstanding Paper Prize shortlist and winner
The JEB Editors are delighted to announce the shortlisted authors for the 2023 JEB Outstanding Paper Prize. Read the winning paper - Tiny spies: mosquito antennae are sensitive sensors for eavesdropping on frog calls - by Hoover Pantoja-Sanchez and Brian Leavell from Ximena Bernal's lab at Purdue University, USA.
JEB Science Communication Workshop for ECRs
If you’re an early-career researcher interested in science communication and are attending the SEB Annual Conference in Prague this summer, come a day early and join the JEB Editors at a sci comm workshop to learn the key writing skills needed to promote your research to a broad audience beyond your peers (1 July at 14.30-17.30). Places are limited to 24 attendees, and applicants should apply through the SEB registration page by 30 April 2024.
Bridging the gap between controlled conditions and natural habitats in understanding behaviour
Novel technologies enable behavioural experiments with non-model species, in naturalistic habitats and with underexplored behaviours. In their Commentary, Scholz and colleagues discuss how to obtain a deeper understanding of the natural ecology and lifestyle of study animals.
Beluga metabolic measures could help save species
To help save animals from extinction, it’s important to understand what each species needs to survive. This led Jason John et al. to measure the metabolic rates of captive belugas to develop a ‘fish calculator’ showing that the whales need to eat ~23 salmon per day.
ECR Workshop on Positive Peer Review
Are you an ECR looking for tips on how to write concise, astute and useful manuscript reviews? If so, join the JEB Editors at a 2-hour JEB-sponsored Workshop on Positive Peer Review at the Canadian Society of Zoologists annual meeting in Moncton on 9 May 2024 at 13.00-15.00. There are 25 spaces for ECRs and selection is first come, first serve. To sign up, check the ECR Workshop box when you register for the CSZ meeting.
Social media
