Revealing the cells behind the biological clocks of intertidal animals

Published

10 months ago

May 8, 2025

SCIENTISTS in Wales have identified the cells behind the bioclocks keeping time with tides in tiny marine organisms.

The biological clock of land animals is regulated by a circadian rhythm, with biological processes such as sleeping and waking, digestion and hormone release responding to the 24-hour cycle of light and darkness.

Intertidal organisms, on the other hand, regulate their biological processes to a 12.4 hour circatidal clock, which follows the ebb and flow of the tide, in addition to having 24 hour clocks. This allows them to survive in a temporally complex environment which is exposed at low tide and underwater at high tide.

***Dr David Wilcockson, marine biologist, from Aberystwyth University***

In a paper published today (Thursday 8 May 2025) in Current Biology, researchers at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge and Aberystwyth University reveal that they have identified the clock cells and genes they think are responsible for this tidal timekeeping.

The discovery marks a significant step forward in scientists’ understanding of how these natural biological clocks are orchestrated at the molecular and cellular level within the brains of intertidal organisms, and could provide insight to the evolution of biological clocks.

The researchers studied two species of crustaceans which inhabit the space between the high and low tide-lines -Eurydice pulchra, the speckled sea louse which is a marine relative of the woodlouse, and the amphipod Parhyale hawaiensis.

By manipulating the light regime that the animals were exposed to, and the maintenance or removal of tidal cues, the researchers were able to disentangle the cells responsible for the circadian and circatidal clocks in the organisms’ brains.

This allowed them to discover that the crustaceans have distinct circadian and circatidal cell groups, which adjust independently to light and to mechanical stimuli (tides).

Dr David Wilcockson, a marine biologist based at Aberystwyth University’s Department of Life Sciences, is a co-author of the paper. He said:

“For more than six decades marine biologists and chronobiologists have known about tidal clocks that regulate the life of coastal animals by studying rhythmic behaviours of numerous marine species. However, significant progress in understanding how these clocks work has been hampered because we have never found the cells that coordinate 12.4 hour behavioural rhythms.

“This discovery is significant because we can now tinker with the clockwork of these cells to better understand the mechanisms that have evolved to keep animals to tidal time. Many of these animals evolved many millions of years before land animals, making the clocks of marine species especially fascinating.”

Chee Ying Sia, a PhD student and joint first-author of the study from the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, which led the research, said:

“It was exhilarating to identify, for the first time, a small cluster of cells capable of tracking the tidal time in the brains of intertidal crustaceans. These cells might just be the gateway to revealing the mechanisms of tidal timekeeping. The molecular rhythms that we see in these marine animals also hint at clock mechanisms that are different from what we have learned from circadian clocks of terrestrial model organisms.”

The research was funded by the UKRI Medical Research Council and Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds, and was led by Dr Michael Hastings (Cambridge).

Crime

Man who threatened to kill Herald editor given suspended prison sentence

Published

13 minutes ago

February 23, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

A PEMBROKESHIRE man who sent a message threatening to kill Pembrokeshire Herald editor Tom Sinclair has been given a suspended prison sentence by magistrates.

Anthony Jones, aged 34, of Castle Quarry, Long Mains, Monkton, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Feb 23) for sentencing after being found guilty of two offences following a trial earlier this month.

The court heard that on February 24, 2025, Jones sent a communication conveying a threat of death or serious harm, contrary to the Online Safety Act 2023. Magistrates were told he intended, or was reckless as to whether, the recipient would fear the threat would be carried out.

Jones was also convicted of racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress following an incident on April 8, 2025, in Pembroke involving a police officer.

Magistrates imposed a total custodial sentence of 26 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, for the threats against Mr Sinclair. He was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to the victim, £640 prosecution costs, and a £154 surcharge.

For the racially aggravated harassment offence, Jones received a separate 12-week prison sentence, also suspended for 12 months, to run concurrently, together with £200 compensation.

The court was told the offences were so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified, with magistrates noting the defendant had shown a “flagrant disregard for people” and had targeted the victim with serious threats.

A victim personal statement from Mr Sinclair was read to the court by the prosecutor.

The custodial sentences were suspended after the court heard Jones had not offended for some time, was employed, had children, and was assessed by probation as not presenting a high risk of harm or reoffending.

Crime

Man remanded in custody over Tenby assault allegations

Published

20 minutes ago

February 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A MAN has been remanded in custody after appearing before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court charged with causing serious injuries to a woman in Tenby.

Lewis Thompson-Gill, aged 35, of Worcester Road, Little Witley, Worcestershire, is accused of assaulting a female on December 28, 2025, causing actual bodily harm.

He also faces a further charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent in relation to the same incident.

The court heard the case during a mention hearing on Monday (Feb 23).

Thompson-Gill previously entered a not guilty plea to the assault occasioning actual bodily harm charge. A plea to the grievous bodily harm charge has not yet been recorded.

Magistrates remanded him in custody due to concerns he could commit further offences, cause injury or fear of injury to an associated person, or interfere with witnesses.

The custody time limit in relation to the assault charge expires on March 9, while the limit for the grievous bodily harm allegation expires on April 13.

The case was adjourned for trial at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on March 2 at 2:00pm. The hearing is expected to last around two and a half hours.

The Crown Prosecution Service has been directed to serve the full case file on the defendant before the next hearing.

Crime

Eleven-year jail term for rape after judge finds victim ‘particularly vulnerable’

Published

1 hour ago

February 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A MAN from Newport has been jailed for eleven years after being convicted of raping a woman who was asleep and physically vulnerable.

Yogesh Parmar, aged 35, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Monday (Feb 23) following a trial in which jurors heard harrowing details of the abuse suffered by the victim.

Sentencing, Her Honour Judge Catherine Richards said the complainant had been “particularly vulnerable” at the time of the attack because of her small physical stature and the fact she was asleep when the rape occurred.

The court heard Parmar placed heavy gym weights against the bedroom door to prevent the woman from leaving the room.

In her personal statement, the victim said that when she told Parmar his behaviour was harming her, he responded by telling her to “get used to it”.

It was also heard that he dismissed her distress by describing her as “hormonal” when she reacted to his pattern of abuse. The victim told the court she regarded Parmar as “a predator”.

In mitigation, defence counsel argued the complainant had “woken to him effectively having intercourse”.

Alongside the eleven-year custodial sentence for rape, Parmar was handed a 20-year restraining order. He also received a two-year concurrent sentence on a separate count of controlling and coercive behaviour.

Judge Richards told the defendant the offences represented a grave breach of trust and had caused lasting harm to the victim.

Parmar will serve his sentence in custody before being subject to restrictions upon release.