KIDD, M.R.; KOCHER, T.D.; Hubbard Center for Genome Studies, University of New Hampshire: The Evolution of Male Bower Form Within Three Genera of Lake Malawi Cichlids The 500-1000 cichlid species endemic to Lake Malawi constitute one of the most rapid and extensive adaptive radiations of vertebrates known. Unfortunately, the phylogenetic analysis necessary to understand the […]

CARLIN, Joel L.; Whitman College: Phylogenetic relationships among groupers (Percoidei: Serranidae: Epinephelinae) I assessed variability among species of epinephelin and other serranid fishes at both the cytochrome b mitochondrial gene and the noncoding nuclear intron, LDHA6. Although both mtDNA and nuclear gene trees were concordant in some issues, the two datasets were significantly incongruent and […]

MAHON, Andrew R.; CARPENTER, Kent E.; BERRA, Tim M.; Old Dominion University, Dept. of Biological Sciences; Old Dominion University, Dept. of Biological Sciences; The Ohio State University, Dept. of Evololution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology: Phylogenetic placement of the nurseryfish (Perciformes: Kurtidae) among the suborders of the Perciformes using the nuclear recombinase activating gene I (RAG-1). […]

KOEPFLI, K.-P.K.*; JENKS, S.; ZAHIRPOUR, T.; WAYNE, R.K.; Univ. of California, Los Angeles; The Sage Colleges; Univ. of California, Los Angeles; Univ. of California, Los Angeles: Molecular Systematics of a Relictual Lineage: The Hyaenidae (Mammalia: Carnivora) The mammalian carnivore family Hyaenidae consists of four extant species that are classified into four monotypic genera and two […]

BABBITT, Courtney C.; PATEL, Nipam H.; University of Chicago; University of California, Berkeley: Developmental Systematics: ontogeny and phylogeny in the Malacostraca (Crustacea). Within the wealth of comparative embryological and developmental data being produced by the evodevo community there may be a large source of untapped phylogenetic information. The central aim of this study is to […]

HOLLIDAY, Jill A.; Florida State University: Character evolution in Carnivora: specialization, stasis, and directional bias In mammalian carnivores, hypercarnivory is a meat-specialist dietary niche characterized morphologically by relative elongation of the carnassial blade, relative reduction of the post-carnassial dentition, and relative shortening of the rostrum. Hypercarnivory has evolved numerous times within the order Carnivora, including […]

PEATTIE, A M; FEARING, R S; FULL, R J; Univ. of Calif. Berkeley; Univ. of Calif. Berkeley; Univ. of Calif. Berkeley: Using a simple beam model to predict morphological variation in adhesive gecko hairs Geckos possess some of the strongest, most versatile adhesives in the animal kingdom. These ‘dry’ adhesives – arrays of microscopic, epidermally-derived […]

ROSS, C.F.*; METZGER, K.A.; Stony Brook University, New York; Stony Brook University, New York: Strain gradients and optimality criteria in vertebrate skulls Vertebrate crania house many different functional systems, suggesting that they are unlikely to be optimally designed for resisting feeding forces, but will instead compromise optimality in the feeding system when requirements of other […]

SMITH, A. M.; PAWLICKI, J. M.; PEASE, L. B.; PIERCE, C. M.; STARTZ, T. P.; Ithaca College: Glue or slime: molluscan glue proteins that control gel mechanics A wide variety of molluscs secrete adhesive gels that create powerful attachments. The primary structural difference between these gels and the slimy mucus that these molluscs typically secrete […]

AUTUMN, K.*; HANSEN, W.R.; Lewis & Clark College, Portland OR: Gecko setae: a self-cleaning adhesive nanostructure The adhesive nanostructure on the gecko foot sets the benchmark for the smart adhesives of the future. No other adhesive requires near-zero attachment force, is directional, detaches easily, leaves no residue, and works underwater, in a vacuum, and on […]