Journal of Experimental Biology

The front cover of Journal of Experimental Biology issue 4, volume 229, published February 2026, shows four dolphins swimming in shallow water. The image is taken from below looking up toward the surface. The central dolphin is entirely visible and takes up 1/3 of the image, the other three dolphins are located around the central dolphin and are either much smaller because they are further away, or are only partially visible because they are at the edge of the shot. An insert in the bottom right shows a sequence (10) electrical impedance tomography reconstructions taken over the course of a single breath. The Company of Biologists logo is in the bottom left corner.

Issue 4 has closed and issue 5 is open
The front cover by Dolphin Quest shows bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) just beneath the surface & accompanies research by Fahlman&co using electrical impedance tomography to visualise lung ventilation while diving
journals.biologists.com/jeb/issue/22...

The 16th International Congress of the Biology of Fish logo. The circular logo includes a sketch of a salmon (top left), a sketch of a sturgeon (bottom right) with a sketch showing Vancouver landmarks across the middle. The text, 'ICBF 2026' is positioned in the middle right of the circular logo.

The abstract submission deadline for the 16th International Congress on the Biology of Fish #ICBF2026 in Vancouver, Canada, (12-16 July 2026), is 3 March!

Don't miss this chance to tell the congress about your work through a poster or oral presentation

Do you work in a Global South country and would like to host a Workshop? Next deadline for topic proposals: 29 May 2026 The Company of Biologists logo to the left and a map of the world to the right, highlighting Global South countries in orange.

Additionally, we are again looking for proposals for the Global South. These proposals will differ from the standard Workshop programme as we will bring the event to your region. Find out more at
biologists.com/workshops/pr...
#BiologistsWorkshops

Want to organise one of our Workshops? You focus on the science, we focus on the logistics. Next deadline for topic proposals: 29 May 2026 The Company of Biologists icon to the left, two people discussing outside to the right

Do you have a vision for a Workshop but don’t have the time to arrange the logistics or raise the funding? Submit your idea to us in our annual call for topics. We'll provide all necessary support for successful applications. Find out more at biologists.com/workshops/pr...

We receive great feedback from biologists that have put their sustainable vision into practice with financial help from our Fund for Innovations in Sustainable Conferencing. The next application deadline is 6 March 2026. Find out more at biologists.com/sustainabili...

A screenshot of the PDF of the first page of the Research Article, The impact of visual perturbations on balance control during walking, by Yaqi Li, Eugenie Lambrecht, Sjoerd M. Bruijn and Jaap H. van Dieën. The publishing information states: © 2026. Published by The Company of Biologists | Journal of Experimental Biology (2026) 229, jeb250847. doi:10.1242/jeb.250847. The first sentence of the Abstract states: 'Visual perturbations may lead to an illusory self-motion and affect balance control'.

Read the full research here
journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

A volunteer walking on a treadmill with visual perturbations presented on a smaller screen during a pilot study. Photo credit: Jaap van Dieën.

As we walk, our brains process information from our eyes & other sources which tell us that we're moving and help us balance. Li & co recently showed that tracking a moving target with your eyes or by moving your head can put you off balance

journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

A card announcing the call for papers stating 'Special Issue: The Integrative Biology of Reproduction Guest Editors: Etya Amsalem, Tony D. Williams and Kathryn Wilsterman. Submission deadline: 30 June 2026' with the Journal of Experimental Biology logo and the logo for the Special Issue containing an egg cell surrounded by eight sperm cells. The eighth sperm, on the top right, is penetrating the egg.

We are calling for Reviews, Commentaries or research papers for our upcoming Special Issue: The Integrative Biology of Reproduction, covering the entire reproductive process, from mate selection, mating and egg-laying or pregnancy through to parental care

bit.ly/3ZT42hY

The 16th International Congress of the Biology of Fish logo. The circular logo includes a sketch of a salmon (top left), a sketch of a sturgeon (bottom right) with a sketch of Vancouver landmarks across the middle. The text, 'ICBF 2026' is positioned in the middle right of the circular logo.

Calling all fish biologists!

The deadline for abstract submission to the 16th International Congress on the Biology of Fish #ICBF2026 in Vancouver, Canada, 12-16 July 2026, is 3 March

Submit your abstract NOW!

icbf2026.com/abstracts/

Amalie Hutchinson (right) holding the JEB-sponsored 'Mitochondrial bioenergetics in an ecological context - Original model' award certificate at the SEB EcoMito meeting. Charlotte Rutledge (JEB Editor) is on her left. They are standing in front of a screen with the Ecomito logo, SEB logo and sponsor logos.

The organisers of the SEB EcoMito meeting with Charlotte Rutledge and Amalie Hutchinson. Left to right: Loïc Teulier, Jules Devaux, Charlotte Rutledge, Amelie Hutchinson, Enrique Rodriguez and Elisa Thoral.

Congratulations to Amalie Hutchinson @westernu.ca winner of the JEB-sponsored 'Mitochondrial bioenergetics in an ecological context - Original model' award @sebiology.bsky.social EcoMito for the talk Balancing act - ATP supply and demand in torpid ruby-throated hummingbirds

Screenshot of the first page of the PDF of the Review, The CO2 and humidity senses of insects in a changing world, in the Sensory Perception in a Changing World Special Issue. The Review is by Ajinkya Dahake. The publishing information states: © 2026. Published by The Company of Biologists | Journal of Experimental Biology (2026) 229, jeb251089. doi:10.1242/jeb.251089. The first sentence of the Abstract states: 'The ability to detect carbon dioxide and water vapor is essential for insect survival. Insects possess specialized receptors and anatomical structures that confer remarkable sensitivity to these environmental factors'.

Water & CO2 are prominent greenhouse gases. In his SI Review, Ajinkya Dahake discusses how insects sense H2O & CO2, and use the senses to locate plants, hosts & for navigation, although increasing CO2 could desensitise insects affecting host location

journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

Sensory Perception in a Changing World graphic. The graphic has a black background. The text in the top right says: Special Issue. Next line: Sensory Perception in a Changing World Next line: Guest Editors: Almut Kelber, Kathleen M. Gilmour and Sanjay Sane Next line: the Journal of Experimental Biology logo Left of graphic: image showing a moth drinking nectar from cluster of white flowers against two circular green leaves

Many aquatic creatures have a well-developed sense of hearing & in their SI Review, Ana Širović &co discuss the impact of human noise pollution, from shipping & submarine prospecting to construction & military sonar, on fish, marine mammals & invertebrates

journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

Screenshot of the first page of the PDF of the Commentary, Temperature sensing in fishes: mechanisms and modulation in a warming world, in the Sensory Perception in a Changing World Special Issue. The Commentary is by Suzanne Currie and Julia York. The publishing information states: © 2026. Published by The Company of Biologists | Journal of Experimental Biology (2026) 229, jeb250889. doi:10.1242/jeb.250889. The first sentence of the Abstract states: 'Climate change is threatening global biodiversity as a result of increasing temperature and climate variability outpacing adaptation rates'.

Fish are at particular risk of climate change as their physiology is finely tuned by the temperature of their surroundings. Suzanne Currie & Julia York discuss how fish sense temperature & how the fish's own physical condition might impact their sensitivity
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PDF of the first page of the Research Article, Interplay between thermal and hydric traits in psammophilous Liolaemus lizards of the arid Monte Desert, Argentina, by Rodrigo Gómez Alés, Franco Valdez Ovallez, Yamila Méndez Osorio, Miguel A. Carretero and Oscar A. Stellatelli. The publishing information states: © 2026. Published by The Company of Biologists | Journal of Experimental Biology (2026) 229, jeb250936. doi:10.1242/jeb.250936. The first sentence of the Abstract states: 'Sympatric ectotherms belonging to the same guild often exhibit differences in thermal ecophysiology as a result of their evolutionary history or current ecological interactions'.

Read the full research at journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

A Liolaemus riojanus lizard, known as ‘lagartija de la Rioja’ in Argentina, in the Lagunas de Guanacache, del Desaguadero y del Bebedero sand dunes. Photo credit: Rodrigo Gómez Alés.

Distant lizard relatives Liolaemus cuyanus & L. rojanus live side by side in Argentina's Monte Desert but use different physiological strategies to remain hydrated. Surprisingly smaller L. rojanus are at less risk of dehydration than larger L. cuyanus

journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

Sensory Perception in a Changing World graphic. The graphic has a black background. The text in the top right says: Special Issue. Next line: Sensory Perception in a Changing World Next line: Guest Editors: Almut Kelber, Kathleen M. Gilmour and Sanjay Sane Next line: the Journal of Experimental Biology logo Left of graphic: image showing a moth drinking nectar from cluster of white flowers against two circular green leaves

Artificial light at night, urban noise, psychoactive pollutants, agriculture, introduced species & a warming world are making it difficult to sleep. John Lesku & Anne Aulesebrook review how species are affected & suggest ways to minimise the impact #SensoryPerceptionInAChangingWorld

bit.ly/469cNrT

Screenshot of the first page of the PDF of the Review, The visual challenges of short-range navigation in teleost fish, in the Sensory Perception in a Changing World Special Issue. The Review is by Cait Newport and Theresa Burt de Perera. The publishing information states: © 2026. Published by The Company of Biologists | Journal of Experimental Biology (2026) 229, jeb250888. doi:10.1242/jeb.250888. The first sentence of the Abstract states: 'To understand how fish use vision to navigate, we must first understand what they see'.

Light pollution & changes in water turbidity are affecting how fish negotiate their environment. In their SI review, Cait Newport & @burt15theresa.bsky.social discuss how sensory limitations & visual noise may impact the navigation of fish @biology.ox.ac.uk

journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

The front cover of Journal of Experimental Biology, issue 3 volume 229, published February 2026. The cover image, by by Ellie Laetz shows an upside-down jellyfish, Cassiopea xamachana, resting bell-down with its tentacles extended upward. The jellyfish is resting on seaweed that is partially covered with white sand.

Issue 3 has closed and issue 4 is open

The front cover by Ellie Laetz shows an upside-down jellyfish, Cassiopea xamachana. These jellyfish are found in shallow tropical and subtropical bays, resting bell-down with their tentacles extended upward

journals.biologists.com/jeb/issue/22...

Screenshot of the PDF of the first page of the Research Article, Temperature overrides nutritional cues for optimal oviposition decision in a polyphagous invasive insect, by Wendy Destierdt, Gwenaëlle Deconninck, José E. Crespo, Esteban Moyer, Vincent Foray, Olivier Chabrerie and Sylvain Pincebourde. The publishing information states: © 2026. Published by The Company of Biologists | Journal of Experimental Biology (2026) 229, jeb251743. doi:10.1242/jeb.251743. The first sentence of the Abstract states: 'Polyphagous insects rely on multiple cues to choose oviposition sites, including substrate temperature and nutritional quality, which often do not coincide'.

Read the full article here
journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

A spot-winged fruit fly on a leaf. Photo credit: Katja Schulz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

When it comes to where to lay your eggs, it's all about location. Destierdt & co show that the temperature of a fruit is more important than its nutritional value when fruit flies are deciding where to lay

journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

Sensory Perception in a Changing World graphic. The graphic has a black background. The text in the top right says: Special Issue. Next line: Sensory Perception in a Changing World Next line: Guest Editors: Almut Kelber, Kathleen M. Gilmour and Sanjay Sane Next line: the Journal of Experimental Biology logo Left of graphic: image showing a moth drinking nectar from cluster of white flowers against two circular green leaves

In the 1st article of the #SensoryPerceptionInAChangingWorld SI, Almut Kelber&co propose that scientists study all developmental stages of species & include entire ecosystems to understand how changes to sensory information caused by humans affect animals

journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

Screenshot of the first page of the Inside JEB article. Top line, left: INSIDE JEB Top line, right: SPECIAL ISSUE Second line, right: SENSORY PERCEPTION IN A CHANGING WORLD Third line, left: title: Sensing the world: perception at a time of unprecedented change Beneath the third line is a photograph of a butterfly on a hibiscus flower. Beneath the photo is the caption: A Japanese yellow swallowtail butterfly (Papilio xuthus) perched on a hibiscus flower. Photo credit: Michiyo Kinoshita The text of the article begins beneath: 'The world is changing, and fast. In 2020, the Earth passed a tipping point. '

The Inside JEB article accompanying our new Special Issue, #SensoryPerceptionInAChangingWorld, provides a brief overview of the issue, highlighting the key points and take-home message from each article

journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

Photo of Nicholas Antonson, wearing a red, white and grey checked shirt

Congratulations to Nicholas Antonson @nickantonson.bsky.social, winner of the 2025 JEB Outstanding Paper Prize, for his research into the neuromuscular coordination of movement and breathing in woodpecker drilling

Find out more about Nicholas & his research

journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

The PDF of the News article, Announcing the 2025 Journal of Experimental Biology Outstanding Paper Prize shortlist and winner, by Kathryn Knight. The publishing information at the top states: © 2026. Published by The Company of Biologists | Journal of Experimental Biology (2026) 229, jeb252265. doi:10.1242/jeb.252265. The first sentence of the article says, 'If you're a fan of comparative physiology, clicking on a new issue of Journal of Experimental Biology can feel like being let loose in an opulent store of treats'. The first three shortlisted articles are presented in a box at the top of the second column of text.

Congratulations to all of the remarkable ECRs whose research has been recognised in the 2025 JEB Outstanding Paper Prize shortlist

Find out about each of the shortlisted papers and their outstanding ECR authors

journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

Screenshot of the PDF of the first page of the Research Article, Dancing in the dark: the annelid Platynereis dumerilii is re-envisaged for its climactic final night, by John D. Kirwan, Emelie A. Brodrick, Jacob Bartholin, Morten Bartholin, Julius Friis Petersen, Cameron Hird, and Anders L. Garm. The publishing information states: © 2026. Published by The Company of Biologists | Journal of Experimental Biology (2026) 229, jeb251047. doi:10.1242/jeb.251047. The first sentence of the Abstract states: 'When sexually mature, the marine annelid Platynereis dumerilii emerges at night from its tube and swims to the surface in search of a mate'.

Read the full research here
journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

A scanning electron microscopy image of the ragworm Platynereis dumerilii. Photo credit: John Kirwan and Ola Gustafsson.

The ragworm Platynereis dumerilii does its mating dance in near total darkness, yet the adults have huge eyes with long light-sensing cells. Kirwan &co show that these cells help them see a tiny bit better helping them find mates to dance with in the dark

journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

📣 Calling fish biologists & conservation scientists!

We’re convening a session at #ICBF2026 (UBC, Vancouver):
Bridging experimental biology & conservation

If your research connects mechanism to real-world application- from lab to field- we want your abstract!

Apply by March 3rd! 🐟🌎
icbf2026.com

Photos of the six female JEB Editors. Top row: Almut Kelber, Monica Daley and Emily Baird. Bottom row: Katie Gilmour, Trish Schulte and Sheila Patek

On #InternationalDayOfWomenAndGirlsInScience, we celebrate all of the great women that contribute to JEB, from our fantastic female Editors to the female ECRs submitting their first ever paper to the journal!

#WomeninScience

The front cover the Journal of Experimental Biology Special Issue, Sensory Perception in a Changing World, volume 229, Supplementary issue 1, published February 2026. The background of the cover is purple. In the centre there is an image of a butterfly, surrounded by a dove (top), turtle, seal, snake, dolphin, frog and fish, arranged in a circle. Those images are surrounded by a second circle of images representing sources of environmental change, including; a submarine (top), a wind turbine, a thermometer with the mercury to the top, a flask containing bubbling chemicals, a car (bottom), an electricity pylon, a light bulb and a factory with smoke coming out of its chimneys. The Company of Biologists logo is in the bottom left corner.

All of the Reviews and Commentaries in our new Special Issue, Sensory Perception in a Changing World, are available for FREE!

tinyurl.com/5t3mkrny

Sensory Perception in a Changing World graphic. The graphic has a black background. The text in the top right says: Special Issue. Next line: Sensory Perception in a Changing World Next line: Guest Editors: Almut Kelber, Kathleen M. Gilmour and Sanjay Sane Next line: the Journal of Experimental Biology logo Left side of graphic: image showing a moth drinking nectar from a cluster of white flowers against two large circular green leaves

Read our new Special Issue, Sensory Perception in a Changing World, guest edited by Almut Kelber, Kathleen Gilmour and Sanjay Sane, featuring Reviews & Commentaries discussing the impact of environmental change on how animals perceive their surroundings

tinyurl.com/5t3mkrny