SPONBERG, S.; HANSEN, W.; PEATTIE, A.; AUTUMN, K.: Dynamics of Isolated Gecko Setal Arrays Geckos have the extraordinary ability to run up walls, and to adhere to even molecularly smooth surfaces. The ventral surface of gecko toe pads form arrays of millions of ~5 micron diameter setae, each branched into hundreds of 200 nm spatular […]

LAPPIN, A.K.*; NISHIKAWA, K.C.; PIEROTTI, D.J.: A proposed mechanism for high power output during feeding in toads Among anurans, toads exhibit the greatest tongue protraction velocities (>270 cm/s) and accelerations (>310 m/s) during feeding. This is accomplished via transmission of inertial forces from the rapidly opening mouth to the tongue. The mouth is opened by […]

WOODEN, K.M.; WALSBERG, G.E.; Arizona State University; Arizona State University: Temperature independent muscle function in a heterothermic mammal Most birds and mammals must maintain a high and stable body temperature to remain fully functional. A change of more than 2�C in the body temperature of endothermic homeotherms usually leads to a loss of coordinated behavioral […]

AZIZI, E.; BRAINERD, E.L.; Univ. of Massachusetts,Amherst: Strain measurements of angled muscle fibers during swimming in an aquatic salamander Siren lacertina Despite numerous studies that have focused on the mechanics and motor patterns of axial musculature in fishes, a functional understanding of myomere shape and axial muscle architecture has remained elusive. In contrast to the […]

MONROY, JA; NISHIKAWA , KC; Northern Arizona University: Modulation of muscle pre-activation as a function of prey distance in freely behaving toads In toads, the mouth opening muscles, the m. depressor mandibulae, power ballistic tongue projection. During rapid mouth opening, momentum is transferred from the lower jaw to the tongue to launch the tongue from […]

HIERONYMUS, T.L.; Montana State University, Bozeman: Microanatomical correlates of muscle attachment and their implications for muscular reconstruction Reconstructions of the musculature of Dinosauria based on osteological features are often used as a basis for paleobiological inference. Actualistic research on osteological correlates of muscle attachment has shown that most features interpreted as muscle attachment have little […]

AHN, A.N.; MONTI, R.J.; BIEWENER, A.A.; Harvard University; Harvard University; Harvard University: In vivo and in vitro heterogeneity of segment length changes in the toad semimembranosus. Many studies examine sarcomere dynamics in single fibers or whole muscle function, but few studies link the two levels of organization. To link data addressing in vitro sarcomere behavior […]

LAPPIN, A.K.*; NISHIKAWA, K.C.; PIEROTTI, D.J.; Northern Arizona University: How do toads accelerate their tongues at over 2000 m/s2? During feeding, toads exhibit extreme tongue projection velocities (>350 cm/s) and accelerations (>2000 m/s2). This is accomplished via transmission of inertial forces from the rapidly opening mouth to the tongue. The rapid phase of mouth opening, […]

DEMAINTENON, M.J.; MUIR, C.C.; EBLE, J.; University of Hawaii at Hilo; University of Hawaii at Hilo; University of Hawaii at Hilo: Phylogeography of the Hawaiian direct-developing marine gastropod Peristernia chlorostoma (Neogastropoda: Fasciolariidae) Marine species, regardless of their larval ecology, are often dispersed over wide distances, and are traditionally considered panmictic across large parts of their […]

MAHONEY, M .J.; Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, UC Berkeley: Phylogeny and demographic history of the Plethodon elongatus species group (Caudata: Plethodontidae) Plethodon elongatus and P. stormi are closely related salamander species with narrow distributions in northwestern California and southwestern Oregon. I used mitochondrial sequence data to examine biogeographic hypotheses concerning the divergence and regional history […]