COSTA, MJTM; RAMOS, A; University of the Azores; University of the Azores: Demystifying molecular biology: a role for conservation In the developed world, few citizens will ignore that the human genome has been deciphered or that gene therapy holds promises for new cures. DNA has turned into a new myth. Molecular biology became part of […]

MANTEL, L.H.; none: A look at the status of women in biological sciences. In contrast to women in many other scientific fields, women in the biological sciences now represent more than half of those awarded bachelor’s degrees (55%) and close to half of those awarded doctoral degrees (43%). A steady trend of progress has occurred […]

HORTON, J.M.*; DRUCKER, E.G.; SUMMERS, A.P.; Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst; Univ. of California, Irvine; Univ. of California, Irvine: Swiftly swimming fish show evidence of stiff spines Fast swimming fishes typically have low amplitude and high frequency tail beats, an indication of a stiff body. Previous work has shown that cartilaginous fishes increase intramuscular myotomal pressure […]

EIDIETIS, L; Univ. of Michigan: Scaling of escape response performance over ontogeny for Rana sylvatica tadpoles Rana sylvatica tadpoles escape from sit-and-wait predators via tearing from a predator grasp, accelerating so that the predator cannot gain a grasp, or some combination of these. Thus, escape success depends on tail force production. Force production depends on […]

MCHENRY, Matthew/J; LAUDER, George/V; Harvard Univ.; Harvard Univ.: How do ontogenetic changes in morphology, behavior, and hydrodynamics affect the performance of gliding in zebrafish? As fish grow from larvae to adults, changes in their morphology and behavior cause unpredictable alterations in swimming performance. On example of such ontogenetic change is provided by the routine beat-and-glide […]

STANDEN, E.M.; LEVINE, R.P.; DOMENICI, P.; Harvard University; University of Massachusetts Amherst; CNR-IAMC c/o International Marine Centre: Fast and slow escape manoeuvres in the spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) Little is known about the fast-start behavior of escape response in chondrichthyans. The aims of this study are to examine the escape response in the spiny dogfish […]

CHADWELL, BA*; VICHOT, D; HARRIS, C; ASHLEY-ROSS, MA; Wake Forest University; Wake Forest University; Wake Forest University; Wake Forest University: Dorsal fin use during the escape response in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Though the fast-start escape response in fish is powered primarily by the axial musculature, the median fins are in a position to increase […]

HSIEH, S.T.; Harvard University: Comparative locomotor characteristics of two amphibious blennies, Alticus arnoldorum and Praealticus labrovittatus Amphibious behavior is found in at least 12 families of fishes. Whereas most blennies (family Blenniidae) are fully-aquatic, at least seven of the 53 genera have amphibious species. I have been examining the amphibious locomotor repertoire of the Pacific […]

LANDBERG, T.*; AZIZI, E.; Univ.of Massachusetts Amherst: Aquatic escape performance through ontogeny and metamorphosis of spotted salamanders, Ambystoma maculatum Spotted salamanders begin development inside a gelatinous egg mass and then hatch as larvae into ephemeral aquatic habitats where they grow and metamorphose into terrestrial adults that eventually return to water to breed. Throughout this complex […]

THEOBALD, JC; COATES, MM; Lund University, Sweden; Lund University, Sweden: Visual processing in the box jellyfish, Charybdea Box jellyfish possess lenses and retinas capable of forming images, which is unique among cnidarians. This presumably allows them to exploit near-shore habitats too dangerous for other jellyfish. But the existence of these structures does not tell us […]