WHITMAN, B.A.*; BREUNER, C.W.; DUFTY, A.M; Boise State University; University of Texas at Austin; Boise State University: Investigator Handling, Stress, and Nestlings: Should We be Concerned? It is well established in the mammalian literature that early developmental environment and experiences can have profound and lasting consequences. For example, neonatal stressors can alter gene expression to […]

BREWER, J.H.**; O’REILLY, K.M.; BUCK, C.L.; Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks; Univ. of Portland; Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks: Interannual variation in adrenal responsiveness of black-legged kittiwake chicks: An indicator of forage availability? Productivity (fledglings/nest attempt) of black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) is strongly influenced by local foraging conditions. Recent studies demonstrate that corticosterone levels of breeding kittiwakes […]

HEIDINGER, Britt/J*; NISBET, Ian/CT; KETTERSON, Ellen/D; Indiana University; Indiana University: Attenuation of the stress response may mediate an increase in reproductive performance with age in the common tern Sterna hirundo In many organisms, reproductive performance increases with age. However, we currently have little information about the physiological mechanisms underlying this commonly observed pattern. One physiological […]

WILLIAMS, C.T.*; KITAYSKY, A.S.; BUCK, C.L.; Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks; Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks; Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks: Adrenocortical activity in tufted puffin nestlings varies with growth rates and fledging behavior Birds modulate the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) in response to changes in life and changes in nutritional status. Baseline levels of corticosterone (cort) and the […]

Meeting Abstract 10.5  Jan. 4  The evolution of Bilateria � insight from an acoel flatworm HEJNOL, A.*; MARTINDALE, M.Q.; Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu; Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu hejnol@hawaii.edu Recent molecular phylogenies place the Acoelomorpha (Acoela + Nemertodermatida) as the sister to all remaining Bilateria before their split into Proto- and Deuterostomes. This phylogenetic position makes the acoel […]

Meeting Abstract 10.2  Jan. 4  The elementary (pre-)nervous system reconsidered: new evidence from poriferans NICKEL, M; Stuttgart University, Germany michael.nickel@bio.uni-stuttgart.de In 1919 Parker presented basic ideas on the elementary nervous system. He assumed it became manifest due to the evolutionary pressure to coordinate independent effectors. The concepts behind his theory continued to hold with little changes over […]

Meeting Abstract 10.3  Jan. 4  Poriferan paraphyly and its implications for Precambrian paleobiology SPERLING, Erik/A*; PETERSON, Kevin/J; Yale University, Department of Geology and Geophysics; Dartmouth College, Department of Biological Sciences erik.sperling@yale.edu Well-supported molecular phylogenies combined with knowledge of modern biology can lead to new inferences about the sequence of character acquisition in early animal evolution, the taxonomic […]

Meeting Abstract 10.4  Jan. 4  New Insights on the Evolution of Metazoan Photoreceptors PLACHETZKI, David C.*; OAKLEY, Todd H.; Univ. of California, Santa Barbara plachetzki@umail.ucsb.edu Duplication and divergence models are commonly invoked as a means of explaining evolutionary processes. While these concepts are usually applied to the gene and species levels, here we examine their role in […]

Meeting Abstract 10.1  Jan. 4  Mitochondrial genomics of sponges � Implications for animal phylogeny and evolution LAVROV, DV*; HAEN, KM; WANG, X; Iowa State University dlavrov@iastate.edu Mitochondrial DNA of bilaterian animals is typically a small, circular-mapping molecule that encodes 37 tightly packed genes. MtDNA of choanoflagellate Monosiga brevicollis, the closest unicellular out-group of animals, is four times […]

Meeting Abstract 10.6  Jan. 4  Assembling the Protostome Tree of Life: EST Data from Diverse Taxa DUNN, CD*; MATUS, DQ; HEJNOL, A; SEAVER, E; MARTINDALE, MQ; University of Hawaii; University of Hawaii; University of Hawaii; University of Hawaii; University of Hawaii cdunn@hawaii.com Key nodes in the animal phylogeny have remained unresolved despite the growing availability of datasets […]