MCCOY, Krista A*; AMICK, Alison M; University of Florida; University of Florida: Metamorphosis and reproductive growth and development Plasticity in size at and time to metamorphosis in amphibians is well documented. For example, tadpoles developing in temporary ponds will quickly metamorphose in response to decreasing water levels resulting in small size at metamorphosis. Thus, strong […]

EDWARDS, T.M.*; MOORE, B.C.; GUILLETTE, L.J.; Environmental Health Sciences/Univ. of FL; University of Florida; University of Florida: Metamorphic Sex Change: Evolutionary Insight for Endocrine Disruption Studies Metamorphosis is marked by developmental bipotentiality. Classical metamorphosis allows an individual to express more than one phenotype in its lifetime, without a change in genotype. Consider Lythrypnus dalli, the […]

MILLER, MF*; OKADA, R; ITO, Y; DE GROEF, B; YAMAMOTO, K; DENVER, RJ; KIKUYAMA, S; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Waseda University, Tokyo ; Waseda University, Tokyo ; Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven; Waseda University, Tokyo ; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Waseda University, Tokyo : Involvement of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) type 2 receptor […]

CRESPI, Erica J*; DENVER, Robert J; Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor: Conserved and novel functions of leptin in the South African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) Leptin, the protein product of the obese (ob) gene, is a type-I cytokine hormone secreted by fat that is integral to food intake regulation and influences almost every physiological system […]

GALIS, F.*; VAN DOOREN, T.J.M.; METZ , J.A.J.; WITKAM , A.; WIJNAENDTS, L.C.D.; Leiden University, The Netherlands; idem; idem; idem; Free University Medical Centre, Amsterdam: The coordinated patterning of the embryonic axes and the conservation of the seven cervical vertebrae The number of cervical vertebrae is extremely conserved in mammals. Yet, studies on fetal deaths […]

BROWN, FD*; SWALLA, BJ; University of Washington; University of Washington: Germ Cells and Vasa Expression in Ascidians Several evolutionary transitions between solitary and colonial lifestyles have been identified in the tunicates. These transitions are accompanied by dramatic morphological, developmental, and reproductive changes. We are studying whether stem cells involved in blastogenesis (asexual reproduction) of a […]

LIVINGSTON, BT*; HARMON, M; University of South Florida; University of South Florida: Development of the skeletogenic mesoderm in the Ophiuroid Ophiocoma wendtii Both sea urchin and brittle star species give rise to embryos and larvae with well developed skeletal spicules, while sea cucumber and sea star embryos have reduced or absent larval skeletons. The uncertain […]

GIRIBET, G.*; EDGECOMBE, G.D.; KRISTENSEN, R.M.; MARTINDALE, M.Q.; SEAVER, E.C.; SORENSEN, M.V.; ROUSE, G.W.; WHEELER, W.C.; Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University; The Australian Museum; Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen; Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii; Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii; University of Copenhagen; South Australian Museum; American Museum of Natural History: Assembling the […]

CASE, J.E.*; MARSHALL, C.D.; Texas A&M University @ Galveston; Texas A&M University @ Galveston: Using Morphology to Predict Feeding Behavior: A Preliminary Study of Juvenile Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) Feeding Red snapper are an important commercial species in the Gulf of Mexico. However, their biology and feeding mechanics are virtually unknown. The goals of this […]

VAN WASSENBERGH, S*; HERREL, A; ADRIAENS, D; AERTS, P; University of Antwerp; University of Antwerp; Ghent University; University of Antwerp: Terrestrial feeding in the eel catfish, Channallabes apus The air-breathing catfish Channallabes apus lives in the muddy swamps of tropical Africa. Stomach contents revealed that this species selectively feeds on (mostly terrestrial) Coleoptera. Although it […]