FAULKES, Z.; University of Texas – Pan American: Do shovel-nosed lobsters shovel with their noses? Aquatic digging is a poorly understood form of locomotion that typically involves moving through sand. Sand is a granular material with complex physical properties: for example, granular materials can switch between solid-like and liquid-like properties. Because the physics of granular […]

DE SCHEPPER*, N**; ADRIAENS, D; DE KEGEL, B; Ghent University, Belgium; Ghent University, Belgium; Ghent University, Belgium: Cranial morphological specializations related to burrowing: a case study of head- and tail-first burrowing Pisodonophis boro. The order Anguilliformes forms a natural group of eel-like species. Life styles of these representatives cover the entire spectrum from non-burrowing to […]

WOODS, W. A. Jr.*; FUSILLO, S. J. ; TRIMMER, B. A. ; Tufts University; Tufts University; Tufts University: Caterpillar Calisthenics: Dynamics of a Slow, Stretchy Muscle During Strain Cycling and Simulated Natural Crawling Caterpillars are soft-bodied terrestrial climbers that accomplish a wide variety of complex movements with several hundred muscles and a relatively simple central […]

HUGGINS, KA*; NAVARA, KJ; HILL, GE; MENDONCA, MT; Auburn University: Long Term Performance Detriment In Songbirds With Extensive Carotenoid-Based Plumage Coloration: Are Carotenoids Toxic? Although there is extensive literature addressing the beneficial effects of carotenoids as antioxidants and immune enhancers, there are also studies that indicate that high doses of carotenoids may actually have a […]

MENDON�A, M T*; WARD, C K; Auburn Univ: Latitudinal variation in stress responsiveness in anurans: preliminary evidence Tropical vertebrates generally exhibit a different suite of life history traits from their temperate counterparts. Additionally, there are physiological traits that also exhibit a latitudinal cline. For example, tropical birds and mammals have long been documented as having […]

BAZE, Monica*; HAYES, Jack P. ; WEBER, Lee A.; University of Nevada, Reno; University of Nevada, Reno; University of Nevada, Reno: Gene Expression of House Mice Acclimated to Chronic Hypoxia Chronic hypoxia is a significant physiological challenge to mammals in high altitude environments (2500 m or more). To accommodate the decrease in O2 partial pressure, […]

JOYNER-MATOS, J.*; CHAPMAN, L. J.; JULIAN, D.; Univ. of Florida, Gainesville; McGill Univ., Montreal; Univ. of Florida, Gainesville: Elevated dissolved oxygen level influences fingernail clam (Sphaerium sp.) stress protein expression and population distribution in a Ugandan papyrus swamp Abiotic factors can affect species distribution by stressing organisms to their physiological limits. In a population distributed […]

PETES, L.E.*; WEBB, M.A.H.; MENGE, B.A.; Oregon State Univ.; Bozeman Fish Technology Center; Oregon State Univ.: Differential accumulation of carotenoids in mussel gonadal tissue: a potential response to oxidative stress Field identification of mussel sex based on gonadal pigmentation is a common practice in marine ecology, based on the theory that males have white gonads, […]

ELF, P.K.*; ROBERT, K.; THOMPSON, M.; FIVIZZANI, A.; University of Minnesota Crookston; University of Sydney; University of Sydney; University of North Dakota: Temperature-dependent sex determination in a viviparous lizard: what role do hormones play? The Australian skink, Eulamprus tympanum, is a viviparous reptile that exhibits temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). In this system the pregnant female […]

LEBLANC, A.M.**; ROSTAL, D.C.; WIBBELS, T.; Univ. of Alabama, Birmingham; Georgia Southern Univ.; Univ. of Alabama, Birmingham: Predicting loggerhead sex ratios: confounding effects of temperature variation and thermosensitive period Temperature-dependent sex determination was studied in loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) nesting on Wassaw (2000-2004) and Blackbeard Island (2001-2004) NWRs in Georgia. Sex ratios were estimated […]