GARB, J.E.*; HAYASHI, C.Y.; University of California, Riverside; University of California, Riverside: Strong and sticky gene products: molecular evolution of spider silk genes. Spiders are unique in their ability to spin multiple types of task-specific silks. Each type of spider silk is composed of exceptionally long, repetitive protein molecules (fibroins) that are synthesized in specialized […]

BERDNIKOVS, Sergejs; University of Cincinnati: Sexual Dimorphism and Morphological Integration in Mustelid Pelvis Morphological integration, the evolutionary pattern of trait correlation due to commonality in function within a form, is an important consideration in the pelvis, which consists of several different bones, and serves several different functions. Understanding the evolution of the pelvis is complicated […]

JOHNSON, R.F.; California Academy of Sciences/Univ. of California, Santa Cruz: Phylogenetics, phylogeography and biogeography: Where and how do they meet? The increasing ease and speed at which DNA sequences (especially mtDNA) can be obtained from large numbers of individuals has revolutionized biology. One of the unexpected findings of this revolution was that intra-specific gene trees […]

BERGMANN, P.J.*; RUSSELL, A.P.; Tulane University, USA; University of Calgary, Canada: Patterns of variation in relation to tail morphology, vertebral number and tail length in lizards. The number of caudal vertebrae can be highly variable in lizards. The question of whether this variability correlates with morphometric variability in terms of tail length is investigated. We […]

CONRAD, J L; Univ of Chicago: Evolution of ‘necrosaurids’ (Reptilia, Squamata) and their utility for reconstructing ancestral character states More than 20 years of cladistic work has yielded virtually no consensus regarding the phylogenetic relationships of the anguimorph groups (Xenosauridae, Anguidae, Monstersauria, Varanidae, and Mosasauroidea). The �Necrosauridae� have been particularly problematic due to their poorly […]

BADGLEY, BD*; THOMAS, FIM; YUND, PO; University of South Florida; University of South Florida; University of New England: The effects of hydrodynamics on fertilization success in the green sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis. Among free spawning invertebrates such as sea urchins, it is often assumed that sperm and eggs are advected away from the animals in […]

SCHNEIDER, KR*; HELMUTH, BST; University of South Carolina; University of South Carolina: The effect of intertidal thermal environments on survival and growth: a comparison between an invasive and native mussel species The harsh and dynamic conditions of the rocky intertidal zone present an excellent system to examine how physiological constraints may contribute to species distribution […]

JOHNSEN, S.*; KELBER, A.; WARRANT, E.J.; SWEENEY, A.M.; WIDDER, E.A.; LEE, R.L.; HERNANDEZ-ANDRES, J.; Duke University; Lund University; Lund University; Duke University; Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution; U.S. Naval Academy; University of Granada: The color of night: twilight and nocturnal illumination and its effects on color perception Recent studies have shown that some nocturnal insect and […]

WOLCOTT, TG*; WOLCOTT, DL; KAMYKOWSKI, D; WATERS, L; NC State Univ.; NC State Univ.; NC State Univ.; NC State Univ.: Plankton mimicry: fake dinoflagellates to help understand real red tides. Our robot plankter has been redesigned to permit study of motile algae as well as zooplankton. Presently it is being trained to behave like a […]

THOMAS, F.I.M.*; BADGLEY, B.D.; YUND, P.O.; GRABOWSKI, R.C.; University of South Florida; University of South Florida; University of New England; University of South Florida: Linking field measurements of hydrodynamic conditions to the fertilization of the green sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis The immediate transport of gametes away from free spawning invertebrates is determined by hydrodynamic conditions. […]