VILLINSKI, J.V.; DAYAL, S; KIYAMA, T; LIANG, S; KLEIN, W.H.; Univ. Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX: Dynamic cis-regulatory evolution in the Spec gene family involves the acquisition of a transcriptional enhancer and evidence of stabilizing selection. The evolution of genetic regulatory interactions is considered a driving force in generating evolutionary novelty because alterations […]

CHIU, C-H.; Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ: Bichir HoxA cluster sequence reveals surprising trends in ray-finned fish genomic evolution The study of Hox clusters and genes provides insights into the evolution of genomic regulation of development. Derived ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii, Teleostei) such as zebrafish and pufferfish possess duplicated Hox clusters that have undergone considerable sequence evolution. […]

SERB, J.M.*; OMILIAN, A.; OAKLEY, T.H.; Univ. of California, Santa Barbara; Indiana Univ., Bloomington; Univ. of California, Santa Barbara: Ancient duplication of Pax-6 homologs eyeless (ey) and twin of eyeless (toy) Two Pax-6 homologs, eyeless (ey) and twin of eyeless (toy), play important and non-redundant roles in controlling Drosophila eye and nervous system development. Strong […]

MERRY, J.W.*; KEMP, D.J.; SCOW, A.M.; VIVAS, R.F.; RUTOWSKI, R.L.; Arizona State University; Arizona State University; Arizona State University; Arizona State University; Arizona State University: The effects of family and larval host plant quality on vision in the Orange Sulphur Butterfly, Colias eurytheme Understanding the factors that affect variation in a trait can provide insight […]

ROBERTS, S.P.*; WANG, X.; GREEN, D.S.; DE BELLE, J.S.; Univ. of Nevada Las Vegas; Univ. of Nevada Las Vegas; Univ. of Nevada Las Vegas; Univ. of Nevada Las Vegas: Stress-Induced Disruption of Brain Development and Learning Ability In Drosophila Environmental stress exposure (nutritive, chemical, electromagnetic and thermal) has been shown to disrupt CNS development in […]

SATTLER, A.L.*; FOSTER, R.L.; HANNAFORD, S.; Univ. of Puget Sound; Univ. of Puget Sound; Univ. of Puget Sound: Odor conditioning success differs between nurse and forager bumblebees Classical conditioning of the proboscis extension reflex (PER) is a common laboratory paradigm for studying mechanisms of learning in insects, but has only recently been applied to odor […]

SANE, SP; DIEUDONNE, A; WILLIS, MA; DANIEL, TL; University of Washington; University of Washington; Case Western Reserve University; University of Washington: Mechanical forces on the antennae of a flying insects Insect antennae are equipped with two sets of mechanosensory fields in their basal segments.One set, the Bohm’s bristles, are arranged as bristle fields on the […]

BUCKLEY, C.A.*; SCHNEIDER, J.E.; CUNDALL, D.; Lehigh University: How Syrian hamsters fill their cheek pouches: Co-opted masticatory motor patterns and the role of the retractor muscle The rodent cheek pouch is an evolutionary novelty that allows quick transport of large amounts of food to a safe environment for storage and consumption. Hamsters are unusual in […]

RAMENOFSKY, M; AGATSUMA, R; RAMFAR, T; University of Washington; University of Washington; University of Washington: Environmental Conditions Influence Migratory Behavior of Captive Birds Migration is the annual movement between locations for breeding (spring) and nonbreeding (autumn). Whereas a great deal of attention has been paid to various aspects of migration � evolution, orientation, navigation, physiology […]

GIGNAC, P.M.*; PRIETO-MARQUEZ, A.; ERICKSON, G.M.; JOSHI, S.H.; Florida State University, Tallahassee; Florida State University, Tallahassee; Florida State University, Tallahassee; Florida State University, Tallahassee: Testing the utility of osteological correlates purported to reflect gender in non-avian dinosaurs Gender in non-avian theropod dinosaurs has been inferred using attributes in the pelvic girdles and tail skeleton that […]