VINCENT, S. E. ; IRSCHICK, D. J. ; HERREL, A. ; Tulane University: Has head shape evolved to match feeding mode in natricine snakes? Convergence and constraints Macrostomatan snakes have independently evolved multiple feeding modes (e.g., piscivory, dietary generalist) and are often dietary specialists. Because snakes are gape-limited predators, it is generally thought that a […]

VAN VALKENBURGH, B; SEDLMAYR, JC; Univ. of California, Los Angeles: Cephalic Vasculature in Canidae Canids are an ubiquitous group of basal carnivorans, yet, outside domestic dogs ,very little is known of canid anatomy or physiology. Canids can provide an important test of the correlation of purported vascular physiological devices with important physiological behaviors that protect […]

HOOVER, C.A.*; MARSH, A.G.; SLATTERY, M.; Univ. of Delaware; Univ. of Delaware; Univ. of Mississippi: Secondary metabolite synthesis and variability in the soft coral, Sinularia polydactyla Defensive secondary metabolites are present in Indo-Pacific soft corals presumably to deter predators, prevent epiphytic fouling, and/or to compete for space with other corals. The soft coral, Sinularia polydactyla, […]

SCHWARZ, R.S.*; CADAVID, L.F.; University of New Mexico, Albuquerque; University of New Mexico, Albuquerque: Immunity in lower Metazoans: characterization of CnPolydom, a pentraxin-containing multidomain protein in Cnidaria We have identified a novel 352 aa multidomain protein from the hydroid Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus (Cnidaria; Hydrozoa). This protein is encoded in a 5.5 kb genomic region having 6 […]

SWEENEY, A; JOHNSEN, S; Duke University; Duke University: Evolution of Complex Optics in Squid Lenses Squid lenses are composed primarily of S-crystallins, structural proteins derived from multiple duplications of the enzymatic liver protein glutathione s-transferase. In some squid species, lenses are sophisticated optical instruments, with a graded refractive index that corrects for spherical aberration and […]

SKOPEC, M.M.; HALEY, S.L.; DEARING, M.D.; University of Utah; University of Utah; University of Utah: Differential gene expression in the livers of a dietary specialist versus generalist species of woodrat. Differential abilities to detoxify the plant secondary compounds present in juniper (Juniperus monosperma) are implicated as a major reason for the disparate juniper tolerances of […]

WESTON, J.L.*; RAMSDELL, C.M.; NAPIER, S.C.; BULLARD-DILLARD, R.; BRAITHWAITE, C.; EXETER, H.; GLENN, T.C.; DEWEY, M.J.; Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center, Univ. of South Carolina; Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center, Univ. of South Carolina; Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center, Univ. of South Carolina; Claflin Univ., South Carolina; Claflin Univ., South Carolina; Claflin Univ., South Carolina; Savannah River Ecology […]

LIGHTON, JRB*; SCHILMAN, PE; Univ. of NV, Las Vegas; Univ. of CA, San Diego: What the Eleodes going on: Cyclic gas exchange in the xeric beetle, Eleodes armata In insects, the discontinuous gas exchange cycle or DGC is now fairly well understood, though its selective correlates and evolutionary genesis remain elusive. Less well described and […]

SOCHA, J.J.**; HARRISON, J.F.; LEE, W.-K.; WESTNEAT, M.W.; Argonne National Laboratory; Arizona State University; Argonne National Laboratory; Field Museum of Natural History: Tubes squeeze and the air flows out: Correlated patterns of CO2 emission and tracheal compression in the beetle, Platynus decentis Active tracheal compression is a prominent feature of internal dynamics in multiple species […]

BRADLEY, TJ*; GRAY, EM; Univ.of California, Irvine: Mosquitoes Respire Using the Discontinuous Gas Exchange Cycle. Larval stages of the mosquito Culiseta inornata were collected and reared in the laboratory at 20oC and 12:12 L:D. Adult female mosquitoes aged between 2 and 6 days post-emergence and with access to 10% sucrose were used for the experiments. […]