Seeking the limits of osmoregulation: Thirst and fluid ionic balance research in non-model vertebrates

The current understanding of osmoregulation has been largely shaped by studies in traditional laboratory models such as mice and rats. Yet, across habitats, animals have diversified the ways they seek, consume, and manage water, revealing that the mechanisms governing thirst and fluid ionic balance are more flexible than those known from traditional laboratory models. In this integrative review, we explore the insights some diverse animal models can provide to the field of osmoregulation, highlight recent discoveries, and propose new research trajectories grounded in comparative neurophysiology.