CONTRERAS, H*; TALBOT, C; Calif. State Univ. San Bernardino: Osmoregulatory Behaviors in Pacific and California Tree Frogs: Differences in ability to find water and species� salt concentration preferences. Amphibians are frequently faced with excessive dehydration through evaporative water loss across the skin. To counteract the effects of quick dehydration, many species have developed behavioral adaptations […]

BABONIS, L. S. *; LILLYWHITE, H.B.; HATCH, K. ; TU, M. C.; University of Florida; University of Florida; Brigham Young University, Provo, UT; National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei: Drinking of Fresh Water by Sea Snakes Recent field observations at Orchid Island, Taiwan, suggest that sea snakes are more abundant at sites having near-shore sources of […]

CUNNINGHAM, Adele*; WATTS, Stephen A.; University of Alabama at Birmingham: Do oocytes of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus compete for nutrients? Adult Lytechinus variegatus were collected over a period of 28 months (three reproductive seasons; n= ~ 16 urchins per month) and H&E slides were made from gonad sections. Histology indicates that oocytes develop asynchronously […]

VEILLETTE, PA*; BREVES, JP; REARDON, DR; SPECKER, JL; University of Rhode Island; University of Rhode Island; University of Rhode Island; University of Rhode Island: COMPENSATORY HYPERTROPHY IN FLOUNDER GUT We investigated the osmoregulatory physiology of the marine teleost summer flounder (Paralicthys dentatus) that had a pathologically shortened gastrointestinal tract due to necrotizing enteritis. Evidenced by […]

Meeting Abstract 74.4  Sunday, Jan. 6  Transitions between diverse haplotypes reveal population structure between Mediterranean sepiolids and Vibrio symbionts ZAMBORSKY, DJ*; NISHIGUCHI, MK; New Mexico State University; New Mexico State University zambo@nmsu.edu Mutualisms between sepiolid squids (Cephalopoda: Sepiolidae) and species of the bacterial family Vibrionaceae exemplify one of the few marine symbioses that exhibit high specificity despite […]

Meeting Abstract 74.10  Sunday, Jan. 6  The emergence of an old disease: the cost of Leprosy infection in Nine-Banded Armadillos. STEUBER, J; BAGATTO, B.; TRUMAN, R. W. ; MOORE, F. B. G. *; Univ. of Akron; Univ. of Akron; G. W. Long Hansen�s Disease Center; Univ. of Akron moore@uakron.edu Because we rarely catch new diseases as they […]

Meeting Abstract 74.2  Sunday, Jan. 6  Statistical properties of open reading frame distributions: A broad scale comparison of genome architecture MCCOY, M. W.*; GILLOOLY, J. F.; University of Florida; University of Florida mmccoy@zoo.ufl.edu A better understanding of the size and abundance of open reading frames (ORFS) in whole genomes may shed light on the factors that control […]

Meeting Abstract 74.7  Sunday, Jan. 6  Scallop TV: Function and evolution of vision in Pectinidae SPEISER, D. I.*; JOHNSEN, S.; Duke University; Duke University dis4@duke.edu Scallops� eyes are abundant in number and positioned along the mantle at the edges of the valves. These eyes are known to form relatively high-resolution images, but the possible functions of scallop […]

Meeting Abstract 74.3  Sunday, Jan. 6  Gene Expression and the diversification of Hawaiian crickets DANLEY, Patrick D*; SHAW, Kerry L; Baylor University; Cornell University patrick_danley@baylor.edu Hawaiian crickets of the genus Laupala are a model evolutionary system in which the genetic basis of speciation may be examined. Within the past 5MY, 38 species of crickets in this genus […]

Meeting Abstract 74.5  Sunday, Jan. 6  Evolutionary adaptations to fluctuating thermal environments in natural populations of Gambusia RENEAU, Paulette C.*; BROUGHTON, Richard E.; University of Oklahoma; University of Oklahoma preneau@ou.edu Temperature influences the rates of all physiological processes and is one of the most important environmental factors affecting the behavior, physiology, and distribution of ectotherms. Gambusia spp. […]