Meeting Abstract 56.5  Jan. 6  &beta-catenin mediated binary specification in the spiral-cleaving polychaete Platynereis dumerilii SCHNEIDER, Stephan Q.*; BOWERMAN, Bruce; Univ. of Oregon, Eugene; Univ. of Oregon, Eugene schneider@molbio.uoregon.edu &beta-catenin functions in the canonical Wnt-signaling pathway by activating target gene expression in the nucleus. Early roles for &beta-catenin signaling are surprisingly different among animal phyla. To gain […]

Meeting Abstract 55.2  Jan. 6  UV-based dewlap color correlates with bite force in the Brown Anole, Norops sagrei. STEFFEN, John E*; MCBRAYER, Lance D; Auburn University; Georgia Southern University steffje@auburn.edu Weapon strength should be conveyed in correlated visual signals if they confer advantage to visual signal senders and receivers. This should especially be true in species that […]

Meeting Abstract 55.6  Jan. 6  Ornamental colors signal sex, health, and breeding status in king penguins, Aptenodytes patagonicus NOLAN, PM*; NICOLAUS, M; BAJZAK, C; COQUEL, A-S; JOUVENTIN, P; The Citadel; C.E.F.E.-CNRS; C.E.F.E.-CNRS; C.E.F.E.-CNRS; C.E.F.E.-CNRS paul.nolan@citadel.edu We investigated the relationship between colored integumentary ornaments and health, sex, and time of breeding in the king penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus. Ornamental […]

Meeting Abstract 55.1  Jan. 6  Linking badge morphology, performance, and field behavior in the ornate tree lizard, Urosaurus ornatus. MCELROY, E*; MEYERS, J; IRSCHICK, D; Ohio U.; U. Mass. Amherst; U. Mass. Amherst em386403@ohiou.edu Sexual badges honestly signal performance and fighting ability. However, few studies have tested whether this relationship translates into field behavior, which is key […]

Meeting Abstract 55.5  Jan. 6  How hummingbirds choose their fights: the role of iridescent coloration in aggressive interactions. MEADOWS, M. G.*; MCGRAW, K. J.; Arizona State University, Tempe melissa.meadows@asu.edu Pigmentary feather color in birds has been widely studied as an honest signal of individual quality that can used by conspecifics in mate choice and other social interactions. […]

Meeting Abstract 55.4  Jan. 6  Hormones, sexual signals, and performance of green anole lizards (Anolis carolinensis) HUSAK, J. F.*; IRSCHICK, D. J.; MEYERS, J. J.; MOORE, I. T.; Virginia Tech; Univ. of Massachusetts; Univ. of Massachusetts; Virginia Tech husak@vt.edu The functional capacities of structures used as weapons during male contests for access to females have been shown […]

Meeting Abstract 55.3  Jan. 6  Display behavior, sexual signal size, and performance in Anolis sagrei WOOD, Jessica A.*; MEYERS, Jay; IRSCHICK, Duncan J.; Tulane University; University of Massachusetts, Amherst; University of Massachusetts, Amherst jwood@tulane.edu The theory of honest signaling posits several predictions; (1) There will be variation in quality among males, particularly within a polygynous mating system, […]

Meeting Abstract 54.3  Jan. 6  The evolution of high-performance tail muscles in snakes MOON, B.R.*; TULLIS, A; University of Louisiana at Lafayette ; University of Puget Sound BradMoon@louisiana.edu Rattling by rattlesnakes is one of the fastest vertebrate movements and involves some of the highest contraction frequencies sustained by vertebrate muscle. Specifically, the shaker muscles in the tails […]

Meeting Abstract 54.4  Jan. 6  Scaling of aerobic metabolic processes in muscle: the effect of fiber size and diffusion KINSEY, S.T.; Univ. of North Carolina Wilmington kinseys@uncw.edu Studies of the scaling of metabolism with body mass typically focus on rates of oxygen consumption. We have investigated the scaling of an aerobic metabolic process, the rate of post-contractile […]

Meeting Abstract 54.1  Jan. 6  Morphological adaptations in large muscle fibers secondarily evolved for aerobic locomotor function HARDY, KM*; KINSEY, ST; UNCW; UNCW kmh6265@uncw.edu Swimming muscles of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, undergo extreme hypertrophic cell growth during post-metamorphic development, reaching dimensions that far exceed normal cells. The low cell surface area:volume and long intracellular diffusion distances […]