EDWARDS, D.D.; Univ. of Evansville: In Search of Fluctuating Asymmetry: No Evidence among Midges Parasitized by Mites Studies involving a variety of host-parasite systems have reported a positive relationship between parasitism and fluctuating asymmetry (FA). Hosts with higher levels of FA may be more susceptible to parasitism. Alternatively, parasites can increase FA of hosts through […]

BEECHING, Simon C.; RYAN, Wendy L.; SCHOFIELD, David; ANSWINI, Albert; Marine Science Consortium; Marine Science Consortium; Marine Science Consortium; Marine Science Consortium: Group size, group composition, and behavioral correlates in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) near Chincoteague Inlet, Virginia, USA The behavioral biology of bottlenose dolphins is characterized by a complex of stereo-typed behavior performed within […]

RABATSKY, A. M.; University of Louisiana at Lafayette: Caudal luring and defensive tail display in the dusky pigmy rattlesnake, Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, with comments on ontogenies and evolution Snakes utilize their tails for many uses including foraging and defense. In this study, I investigated caudal luring and defensive tail display in the dusky pigmy rattlesnake, […]

WARD, A.B.*; BRAINERD, E.L.; Univ. of Massachusetts: Patterns of vertebral column evolution in actinopterygian fishes Eel-like body forms have evolved multiple times within actinopterygian fishes. The goal of this study is to determine how the axial skeleton of elongated fishes differs from that of closely related, non-elongate species. Elongation of the body axis can occur […]

SHAPIRO, M.D.; MARKS, M.E.; PEICHEL, C.L.; SCHLUTER, D.; KINGSLEY, D.M.; Stanford University, CA; Stanford University, CA; Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA; University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Stanford University, CA: Genetic basis of pelvic reduction in sticklebacks Reduction and loss of the appendicular skeleton occur frequently in the evolution of vertebrates, yet we know very […]

SHEARMAN, R. M.; University of Chicago: Endochondral bone growth of the pectoral girdle in Rana pipiens Our knowledge of endochondral bone development is largely derived from histological analyses of long bones in mammals and birds. This study explores bone growth in the anuran pectoral girdle, a structure built from dermal, endochondral, and cartilaginous elements. To […]

GALIS, F; VAN DER SLUIJS, I; NUSSBAUMER, M; VAN DOOREN, TJM; Leiden Univ.; Leiden Univ.; Nat. Hist. Mus. Bern; Leiden Univ.: Do large dogs die young? Body size and longevity in animals are in general positively related in interspecies comparisons. Paradoxically, intraspecific comparisons in mammals have often led to the opposite conclusion, large individuals die […]

ZELDITCH, M.L.; Univ. of Michigan: Canalizing skull shape: balancing the generation and compensation of variance Over the course of development, variance in skull shape decreases, suggesting that shape is canalized. Although that pattern has been described for three rodents, the processes responsible are still mysterious, partly because the generality of the trend is uncertain and […]

ARTHUR, W; University of Sunderland: Beyond constraints and spandrels: the effect of development on the direction of evolution Is evo-devo heretical? In other words, does it have anything to say about the factors that determine the directions that evolution takes, which might challenge the supremacy of natural selection? Here I examine these questions and take […]

WITTEN, P. E.; HUYSSEUNE, A.; HALL, B. K.; nstitute of Marine Research at the University of Kiel (Germany); Biology Department, Ghent University (Belgium); Department of Biology, Dalhousie University (Halifax): Acellular bone and mononucleated osteoclasts in advanced teleosts: New characters or adaptations resulting from heterochrony? The lack of osteocytes (acellular bone) and bone resorption by mononucleated […]