EVANS, A.E.*; NUNEZ, B.S.; University of Texas Marine Science Institute: Control of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) by osmoregulatory hormones in the euryhaline Atlantic stingray, Dasyatis sabina Our laboratory is investigating the hormonal control of osmoregulation in the euryhaline elasmobranch Dasyatis sabina (Atlantic stingray). As demonstrated in other vertebrates, it is likely that D. […]

GALIMA, MM; LOWE, CG; KELLEY, KM; California State Univ., Long Beach; California State Univ., Long Beach; California State Univ., Long Beach: Catch-and-Release Stress and its Impacts on the Endocrine Physiology of the California Sheephead, Semicossyphus pulcher A catch-and-release policy was implemented several years ago for undersized S. pulcher with the objective of reducing impacts of […]

REYES, J.A.; SAK, K.; GALMIA, M.M.; ARMSTRONG, J.L.; KELLEY, K.M.; California State Univ., Long Beach; California State Univ., Long Beach; California State Univ., Long Beach; Orange County Sanitation District, Fountain Valley, CA; California State Univ., Long Beach: Altered Endocrine Physiology of Marine Flatfish Associated with Southern California Wasterwater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Outfalls – Stress and […]

BRITT, E.J.*; HICKS, J.W.; BENNETT, A.F.; University of California, Irvine; University of California, Irvine; University of California, Irvine: The energetic consequences of prey specialist and generalist populations of three species of garter snake (Thamnophis elegans, T. couchii and T. ordinoides). North American garter snakes (Thamnophis spp.) represent a unique study system because of their diverse […]

OTT, BD*; SECOR, SM; Univ. of Alabama; Univ. of Alabama: Postprandial Upregulation of Intestinal Morphology and Function in Python Infrequently feeding snakes such as boas, pythons, and rattlesnakes have demonstrated that their digestive tract severely downregulates during periods of fasting and rapidly upregulates after the ingestion of a meal. While fasting, small intestinal mass decreases […]

HERNANDEZ, R/A*; SECOR, S/M; ESPINOZA, R/E; California State Univ., Northridge; California State Univ., Northridge; Univ. of Alabama, Tuscaloosa: Is a dietary jack of all trades a master of none? Adaptability of gut form and function in an omnivorous lizard. Omnivory can be viewed as a jack-of-all-trades dietary strategy that allows some animals to exploit a […]

CURTIS, D.L.**; MCGAW, I.J.; University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre; University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre: Feeding and digestion in response to low salinity in the Dungeness crab, Cancer magister The Dungeness crab, Cancer magister, is classified as a weak osmoregulator. Nevertheless, this species often forages in […]

ROARK, Alison M.*; BJORNDAL, Karen A.; Univ. of Florida, Dept. of Zoology; Univ. of Florida, Dept. of Zoology: Experimentally imposed patterns of food availability and their effects on metabolic rate in Indian stick insects, Carausius morosus Changes in food availability throughout an animal�s lifetime may drastically influence physiology and life history. In this study, we […]

Meeting Abstract 50.4  Jan. 6  The spatial distribution of venom spat by cobras WESTHOFF, Guido*; BOETIG, Melissa; YOUNG, Bruce/A.; University of Bonn; Washburn University; Washburn University bruce.young@washburn.edu Venom spitting has evolved independently in multiple lineages of cobras. Within the spitting cobras this defensive behavior spans a considerable range; some species expulse strong streams of venom capable of […]

Meeting Abstract 50.2  Jan. 6  The erectile cheek-spine apparatus in the bristlenose catfish Ancistrus (Loricariidae, Siluriformes), and its relation to the formation of a secondary skull roof GEERINCKX, T.*; GENBRUGGE, A.; ADRIAENS, D.; Ghent University tom.geerinckx@ugent.be In the neotropical catfish family Loricariidae the opercle has been decoupled from the lower jaw, and has also lost its function […]