HARPER, G.R.; ZIMMERER, E.J.; GROGAN, W.L.; OWENS, J.; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Murray State University; Salisbury University; Murray State University: A reevaluation of the taxonomic status of the Scarlet Kingsnake, Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides (Serpentes: Colubridae) The Scarlet Kingsnake (Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides) was originally described by Holbrook (1838) as a distinct species. By […]

MAHON, A.R.; CARPENTER, K.E.; Old Dominion University ; Old Dominion University: A phylogeny of putative perciform suborders based on the nuclear RAG1 gene The Perciformes is the largest vertebrate Order comprising one-third of all extant fishes in eighteen suborders with over 9,300 species. It is widely recognized as a catch-all group that is probably polyphyletic. […]

RICE, Amber M. *; PFENNIG, David W.; University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill: A Phylogeographic Investigation of Character Divergence When closely related species co-occur, they often exhibit greater differences in morphology and resource use than do allopatric populations of the same species. Spadefoot toads (Spea bombifrons, S. multiplicata) exhibit such divergence […]

BILEWITCH , J.B.; COATES, K.A.*; Univ. of Toronto; Bermuda Biological Station for Research: A Morphometric Reanalysis of Gorgonian Sclerites: �Old Microscopy� Sheds New Light on Octocoral Phylogeny Historically, taxonomic classifications of octocorals were based on morphology of sclerites without testing character homology in a phylogenetic framework. Recently, some inter- and intra- generic relationships have been […]

RICE, A.; TSUKIMURA, B.; California State University, Fresno; California State University, Fresno: A Key To Brachyuran Zoea Of The San Francisco Bay Estuary The purpose of this study was to examine and identify Brachyuran zoea of the San Francisco Bay Estuary, then to generate a dichotomous key. Zooplankton samples were obtained from the California Department […]

RUBENSON, J*; LLOYD, D.G.; BESIER, T.F.; HELIAMS, D.B.; FOURNIER, P.A.; Univ. Western Australia: 3D kinematics and kinetics of running in the ostrich (Struthio camelus) While several studies have enhanced our understanding of the mechanics of avian bipedalism, many have focused only on locomotor kinematics and/or whole body dynamics or have been limited to 2D analysis. […]

SPEISER, D. I.*; JOHNSEN, S.; Duke University; Duke University: Wavelength-dependent phototaxis as a depth regulating mechanism in a ctenophore Opsins and photoreception well preceded the appearance of eyes in Metazoa. Our understanding of eye evolution may, therefore, be enriched by studying the photoreceptive systems present within basal phyla. Observations of Ocyropsis maculata, a lobate ctenophore, […]

KOT, B.W.; University of California, Los Angeles: Ventral Pouch Flow Dynamics in Feeding Rorqual Whales: A Kinematic Analysis Rorqual whales (Family: Balaenopteridae) capture prey intermittently by lunging into masses of prey organisms. They employ their unique filter-feeding anatomy to engulf prey and seawater. Due to the impossibility of directly investigating internal flow dynamics in wild […]

YU, B*; CLARK, C.J.; DUDLEY, R; Univ. of California, Berkeley; Univ. of California, Berkeley; Univ. of California, Berkeley: Using a Physical Model to Study the Aerodynamic Cost of Hummingbird Tails Hummingbird tails exhibit remarkable diversity in morphology and size. Approximately one fifth of the hummingbird species possess tails that measure longer than their bodies. These […]

FINCEL, E.A.**; WALLACE, E.; MARJANOVIC, M.; COSTANZO, J.P.; LEE, R.E.; Eastern Illinois University, Charleston; Eastern Illinois University, Charleston; Eastern Illinois University, Charleston; Miami University, Miami, OH; Miami University, Miami, OH: Urea: a natural cryoprotectant in the freeze-tolerant wood frog (Rana sylvatica) The wood frog (Rana sylvatica) is one of only a few vertebrates that are […]