YOUNG, B.A.; MORAIN, M.: Prey Localization by Vibration Detection in Saharan Sand Vipers (Cerastes) Snakes of the genus Cerastes are ambush predators which launch strikes while partially, or fully, buried in sand. Our observations indicated that the mouth and snout are typically covered in sand, and tongue flicks are rarely observed prior to predatory strikes. […]

TAKAHASHI, K. ; CHIU, C.-h.; AMEMIYA, C. ; RUDDLE, F.; LARSSON, H. ; WAGNER, G. P. ; Yale University, CT; Rutgers University, NJ; V. Mason Research Institute, WA; Yale University, CT; Yale University, CT; Yale University, CT: Sequence evolution of Hoxa-11 and Hoxa-13 suggests an early origin of the autopodial fieldearly origin of the autopodial […]

ELINSON, R.P.*; NINOMIYA, H.; Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA: Parallel microtubules and other conserved elements of dorsal axial specification in the Puerto Rican tree frog, Eleutherodactylus coqui In the frogs Xenopus laevis and Rana pipiens, a transient array of parallel microtubules in the vegetal cortex of the egg moves a dorsal determinant asymmetrically. This movement is […]

TANAKA, K.*; TRUMAN, J.W.; University of Washington, Seattle: Molecular patterning of the larval and the adult legs in the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta Insect leg development can be classified into three major types. The first type is found in direct developing insects where a leg of the adult form is made during embryogenesis. Insects with […]

CROTWELL, P.L.*; MABEE, P.M.; Univ. of South Dakota, Vermillion; Univ. of South Dakota, Vermillion: Co-option of genetic regulatory mechanisms? From fish segments to mouse joints. We have hypothesized that the mechanisms underlying radial segmentation in fishes may have been co-opted over several million years of evolution to give rise to tetrapod synovial joints. Radials are […]

DAVIDSON, B. J.; LEVINE, M.; Univ. of California, Berkeley: Chordate CPR: Resuscitating the exploration of chordate heart evolution The most primitive chordate heart is found in the tunicates. Although rudimentary in structure, the tunicate heart is similar to vertebrate hearts in morphogenesis and embryological origins. Recent research has characterized many of the essential genes which […]

MINSUK, S.B.*; RAFF, R.A.; Dept. of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington: A New Angle on Axial Patterning: Co-option of a Dorsal-Ventral Patterning Mechanism to Control Left-Right Differentiation in a Direct-Developing Sea Urchin Axial patterning is a central question in developmental biology. In sea urchins it is not known how the dorsoventral (DV) and left-right (LR) larval […]

STREBLE, Laurie; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill: Ultraviolet Radiation and Marine Invertebrate Larvae Research has shown that some invertebrate larvae are damaged by exposure to natural sunlight. To date, however, few taxa have been tested and it is unknown how general the effects are. Survival of larvae is very critical to the survival of […]

ELF, P.K.*; ROBERT, K.A.; THOMPSON, M.B.; FIVIZZANI, A.J.; University of Minnesota Crookston; University of Sydney; University of Sydney; University of North Dakota: Steroid hormone levels in maternal plasma and yolk during embryonic development in a viviparous TSD reptile The Australian skink, Eulamprus tympanum, is a viviparous reptile that exhibits temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). In this […]

HALPIN, P. M.; HOFMANN, G. E.; Univ. of California, Santa Barbara; Univ. of California, Santa Barbara: Relationship between heat shock response and body temperature in natural population of intertidal mussels during spring Organisms must quickly respond to environmental changes at the physiological level. In the heat shock response (HSR), heat shock proteins (Hsps) are rapidly […]