ROMANO, S.L.; University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas: Utility of multilocus phylogenetic analysis for assessing species differences in scleractinian corals of Caribbean Porites Resolution of species boundaries in scleractinian corals is problematic: relationships among closely related species are difficult to resolve even with a combination of morphological, behavioral, reproductive, allozyme and molecular data. Despite […]

MCGUIRE, B.M.*; WILLIAMS, J.D.; Hofstra University; Hofstra University: Use of partially predated gastropods by the hermit crab Pagurus longicarpus: Who is predating on the snail Littorina littorea? Although many investigations have focused on the importance of shell resources to hermit crabs, few studies have documented how these shells become available to hermit crabs. Field collections […]

CONLON, JM*; OHNUMA, A; KAWASAKI, H; IWAMURO, S; UAE University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates; Toho University, Chiba, Japan; Toho University, Chiba, Japan; Toho University, Chiba, Japan: Triiodothyronine differentially stimulates expression of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides in the skin of Tago�s brown frog Rana tagoi For many anurans, the synthesis of polypeptides with a broad spectrum […]

STEPHENS, Natalee*; DESALLE, Rob; ALMEIDA, Francisca ; GIANNINI, NORBERTO ; BOLNET, Carolle; Medgar Evers College; American Museum of Natural History; American Museum of Natural History; American Museum of Natural History; Medgar Evers College: Towards a Phylogeny of Megabats The phylogenetic relationships among megabats (Order Chiroptera: Suborder Megachiroptera) are still under investigation. Previous studies using molecular […]

SANTAGATA, S.; Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL and Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington: The significance of neuromuscular anatomy and metamorphosis in the larval and juvenile body plans of phoronids and brachiopods. Molecular, developmental, and anatomical evidence support the monophyly of phoronids and brachiopods. However, discrepancies remain regarding the homology of larval neuromuscular characters […]

GOYRET, Joaquin*; RAGUSO, Robert A.; Univ. of S. Carolina, Columbia: The role of mechanosensory input in flower handling efficiency and learning by Manduca sexta Manduca sexta is a wide spread, generalist flower visiting hawkmoth whose sensory biology is highly tuned to floral cues. In an appetitive context, strong fragrances and bright objects attract these nocturnal […]

VASQUEZ, M. S.*; BURNAFORD, J. L.; University of Puget Sound; University of Puget Sound: The role of UV radiation in microhabitat selection by the seastar, Pisaster ochraceus Ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280-400nm) has been found to cause cellular damage in a wide variety of organisms from many phylogenetic groups. UVR can penetrate into surface waters, and […]

MAHON, A.R.*; CARPENTER, K.E.; Old Dominion University: The recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) and phylogenetic inference of the suborder Percoidei within the Perciformes (Teleostei) No serious attempt has been made to test the monophyly of the suborder Percoidei (Perciformes: Teleostei) or infer the evolutionary relationships of its 71 putative families within the order Perciformes. To […]

STEARNS, M.H.*; THOMBRE, R.M.; GILLEN, C.M.; ITAGAKI, H.; Kenyon College; Kenyon College; Kenyon College; Kenyon College: The metabolic rates and the expression of a cation-chloride cotransport protein during development in larval Manduca sexta. Investigations of metabolic rates in organisms of different sizes typically involve different individuals of different species. Using the larvae of the moth […]

OYELEYE, M.O.; CHATTERJEE, J.; ARACENA, J.*; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi University for Women: The feeding and searching behavior of fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) on patches of sucrose: effects of quinine and substrate color Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) deprived of food for 24 hours readily feed on 0.25 M sucrose solutions […]