BLACKBURN, D.C.; Harvard University: The effect of miniaturization on skeletal morphology within the African frog family Arthroleptidae Miniaturization�the evolution of extremely small body size�has broad implications for many aspects of vertebrate evolution. Its dramatic effects include novel morphologies, increased morphological variation, and changes in proportions and anatomical organization. Within the frog family Arthroleptidae, which is […]

CLAESON*, Kerin M.*; LUNDBERG, John G.; Amherst College, Amherst, MA; Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA; *University of Texas, Austin: Micro Catfish Micro CATscans Tendencies toward extremely small body size occurred several times during the course of teleost evolution. The catfishes (Siluriformes) are a group of fishes in which miniaturization occurred multiple times. We present […]

MILLER, G.*; ANGIELCZYK, K.D.; California Academy of Sciences; California Academy of Sciences: Geometric Morphometric Analysis of Shell Kinesis in Emydine Turtles To provide context for an ongoing study of plastron (lower shell) shape variation in the emydine turtle Emys marmorata, we examined plastron shape in six other emydine species (E. blandingii, E. orbicularis, Clemmys guttata, […]

HANKEN, J.*; GROSS, J.B.; Harvard University; Harvard University: Fate maps evolve, too: neural crest derivation of the bony skull in frogs, revealed by transgenic labeling We utilize a novel transgenic labeling system to assess the contribution of cranial neural crest to the bony adult skull in the clawed frog, Xenopus laevis. This system is suitable […]

GROSS, J.B.*; HANKEN, J.; Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University; Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University: Embryonic origin of adult cranial cartilages in Xenopus: A view from the crest. Characterizing the embryonic origin of the adult skull in frogs has long been problematic. This is due largely to the technical difficulty of following embryonic cells […]

BELANGER, RM*; MCDOWELL, KE; MOORE, PA; ZIELINSKI, BS; Bowling Green State University; University of Windsor; Bowling Green State University; University of Windsor: Reproductive significance and sensory hair morphology of the major chelae of male crayfish Orconectes rusticus It has been shown that the major chelae of crayfish have both mechano- and chemosensory abilities (Bauer and […]

NEWCOMB, J.M.**; KATZ, P.S.; Georgia State University, Atlanta; Georgia State University, Atlanta: Patterns of neural evolution in nudibranch molluscs: functional divergence of homologous neurons embedded in a common neural network We are examining the evolution of central pattern generators (CPGs) by comparing the functions of homologues of two identified neurons, Swim Interneuron 1 (Si1) and […]

VON DER OHE, C.G.*; DARIAN-SMITH, C; HELLER, H.C.; Stanford University; Stanford University; Stanford University: Neural Plasticity in Hibernation Hibernators provide a uniquely informative system for studying neural structural plasticity because these animals exhibit an extreme spectrum of neural activity, virtually ceasing electrical activity as body temperature drops during torpor. We investigated whether changes in neural […]

TURNER, A.C.*; DASARI, S.; COOPER, R.L.; LaFayette High School, Lexington; Univ. of KY, Lexington; Univ. of KY, Lexington: Influence of the Dopamine and Serotonergic System on Physiology, Development and Behavior of Drosophila melanogaster The dopamine and serotonergic system in the nervous tissue is known to play a vital role in development and behavior in simple […]

HOCHBERG, R; Univ. of Massachusetts, Lowell: Immunohistochemisty and 3-D cerebral architecture in species of Asplanchna (Rotifera) The structure of the rotifer nervous system has been historically depicted as a simple network of neurons that innervate equally simplistic sensory and motor organ systems. Until recently, very little was known about the nature of these connections or […]