SCHMIDT-OTT, U.: Evolution of Hox3 in flies The members of the evolutionarily conserved Hox-gene-complex, termed Hox genes, are required for specifying segmental identity during embryogenesis in various animal phyla. The Hox3 genes of winged insects have lost this ancestral function and are required for the development of extra-embryonic epithelia, which do not contribute to any […]

WILLIAMS, T.A.; NULSEN, C.; NAGY, L.M.: A complex role for Distal-less in the development of branched crustacean limbs The developing leg of Drosophila is initially patterned by subdivision of the leg into proximal and distal domains by the activity of the homeodomain proteins Extradenticle (Exd) and Distal-less (Dll). These early domains of gene expression are […]

DOWIS, Hawkins; DICKSON, Kathryn: Swimming kinematics of the eastern Pacific bonito (Sarda chiliensis): Testing hypotheses about the evolution of thunniform locomotion Tunas are believed to be among the fastest and most efficient swimmers due to their fusiform body shape, �stiff-bodied� thunniform mode of locomotion, and ability to elevate the temperature of their slow-twitch, aerobic (red) […]

DAWSON*, Beth; SNEARY, Michael: Morphology of the Cochlear Duct and Saccule of Amphisbaenians The morphology of the auditory sensor, the basilar papilla, has been studied in many species of lizards and snakes and is known to be highly variant at the family level among lizards, while showing little diversity among all the families of snakes. […]

CROTWELL, P.L.*; MABEE, P.M.: Gdf5 expression in late-stage zebrafish (Danio rerio) median fins The genetic mechanisms underlying formation of joints in tetrapod vertebrates may have developed from those involved in segmentation of basal vertebrate fin skeletons. To collect preliminary data addressing this hypothesis, expression patterns of Growth and Differentiation Factor 5 (Gdf5), a gene known […]

JACKSON, Kate: Evolution of the snake venom-delivery system Venom-delivery systems are thought to have evolved at least three times among the advanced snakes (Colubroidea). The specifics of how this series of morphological changes took place are poorly understood. Studies of the developmental morphology of venom-delivery systems have the potential to shed new light on this […]

SEDLMAYR, J C: Encephalic Blood Vessels and Evolution of the Archosaur Braincase As the vertebrate braincase houses the brain, cranial nerves, etc., it can provide critical information central to our understanding of vertebrate cephalic and physiological evolution. However, study of bony remains and endocasts is complicated by encephalic vasculature, a system of physiologically important vessels […]

GRUBICH, Justin R.: Ecomorphological convergence of pharyngeal durophagy in marine teleost fishes This study investigates the ecomorphology of pharyngeal molluscivory in three families of marine teleosts: the Sciaenidae, the Haemulidae, and the Carangidae. Bone and muscle mass regressions of the oral and pharyngeal jaws were generated to compare differences between durophagous (hard prey eating) and […]

ARONOWSKY, A.: Trends in clade-level morphology: a geometric morphometric study of the Naticidae (Mollusca: Caenogastropoda) Naticidae is a taxonomically diverse clade of marine caenogastropods that is notoriously conservative in shell morphology. Ten taxa from four clades were examined using geometric morphometrics. Thirteen landmarks were identified in apertural view, with the coiling axis used as a […]

MOORE, A.M.F.; SPAGNA, J.C.; THOR, D.; LAWRENCE, B.A.: Molecular Structure and Material Properties in Tarantula Silk One of the deepest divergences in spider evolution is between the mygalomorphs (which include tarantulas) and the araneomorphs. Whereas the araneomorphs are characterized by a variety of silk types and web-building, the mygalomorphs tend to have only one type […]