In contaminated water, swordtail fish often chose mates from the wrong species, producing hybrid offspring. This implicates human influence in the loss of biodiversity. 

Based on genetic studies in an anemone and a coral — both of which sequester symbiotic algae — UC Berkeley biologists suggest that the relationship between algae and cnidarians looks like a form of parasitism. Algae appear to have hijacked lysosomes, which in animal cells digest invaders, to get nutrients, primarily carbon. To do this, algae had to learn how to withstand digestive enzymes. Coral benefitted too, getting food from algae and fueling the spread of reefs.

- Scientists at University of Leicester and Yunnan University identified an ancient member of the Chelicerate family

- X-ray analysis revealed pincer-like limbs that are the beginnings of what would become spiders’ fangs

- An inspiration for many monster movies and the origin of Spider-Man, the fangs of chelicerates made them formidable predators

Healthy ecosystems depend on more than just having lots of species – they rely on the complex relationships between plants, prey and predators, according to new international research led by the University of Waikato and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv).

Published in the journal Nature, the study found that ecosystems with greater diversity of species – and particularly a greater diversity of predators – function more effectively, helping maintain natural processes that people rely on, such as pest control, climate regulation and ecosystem stability.

Pangolins, which look like a cross between an anteater and a pinecone, are the most-trafficked mammals in the world. In a new study, researchers used DNA and specimens from museum collections to determine that Himalayan pangolins belong to a different species than their Asian pangolin cousins. This new demarcation could help scientists differentiate between different pangolin species killed by poachers and ultimately help conserve these rare mammals.

Researchers at Kyushu University recently identified a wasp species, Eupelmus curvator, in Japan for the first time after citizen scientists posted photos of it on Twitter (now X), marking both a new national record and the first formal description of the male of the species. The discovery highlights the growing role of social media in biodiversity research, allowing scientists to tap into observations from the public that would otherwise go unnoticed.

A comprehensive 15-year study published in the Biodiversity Data Journal details the growing threat of extreme weather on White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) in Bulgaria. The research, which is part of the topical collection "Restoration of species of conservation importance," analyzes the admissions and treatment outcomes of injured storks at the Wildlife Rescue and Breeding Centre (WRBC) of the Green Balkans NGO between 2010 and 2025. The researchers found that juvenile storks are exceptionally vulnerable to extreme conditions. Also,  survival rates for fire-related incidents were strikingly low at just 33% (32 out of 97 wildfire recorded cases of collapsed nests, etc.).