Meeting Abstract 31.4  Friday, Jan. 4  The cellular basis of pharyngeal skeleton growth and metamorphosis in frogs ROSE, C.S.*; SMITH, A.; TRACY, J.; James Madison University; James Madison University; James Madison University rosecs@jmu.edu The Meckel�s cartilage (MC), ceratohyal (CH), and branchial arch cartilages (BA) of Xenopus laevis grow isometrically in pre- and prometamorphosis, and undergo distinct shape […]

Meeting Abstract 31.6  Friday, Jan. 4  Getting a leg up: the evolution of novel abdominal appendages in sepsid flies BOWSHER, J.H.*; NIJHOUT, H.F.; NAGY, L. M.; University of Arizona; Duke University; University of Arizona jhb4@email.arizona.edu A major goal of the recent re-synthesis of developmental and evolutionary biology is to understand how evolutionary changes in the molecular processes […]

Meeting Abstract 31.5  Friday, Jan. 4  Generation of a Xenopus col2a1 reporter for cartilage-specific transgene expression KERNEY, Ryan; Dalhousie University ryankerney@gmail.com This study examines enhancer regions of the collagen 2 alpha1 (col2a1) first intron in Xenopus tropicalis that are capable of driving transgenic EGFP expression in Xenopus laevis when connected to a minimal promoter. The EGFP expressions […]

Meeting Abstract 31.3  Friday, Jan. 4  Evolutionary Divergence of Pharyngeal Arch Specification in Teleosts LE PABIC, Pierre*; SCEMAMA, Jean-Luc; STELLWAG, Edmund; East Carolina University stellwage@ecu.edu We are interested in the effects of differential gene retention on Hox paralog group 2 (Hox PG2) function following a post-genome duplication event that occurred during the incipient stages of teleost evolution. […]

Meeting Abstract 31.1  Friday, Jan. 4  Deconstructing Deuterosomes: Before a Head SWALLA, B.J.; University of Washington, Seattle bjswalla@u.washington.edu Deuterostomia consists of related phyla that display distinct adult body plans, so present an excellent group of animals to study the evolution of larval and adult body plans. Echinodermata, Hemichordata and Xenoturbellida make up the Xenoambulacraria, while the Chordata […]

Meeting Abstract 31.2  Friday, Jan. 4  A New Iniopterygian (Class Chondrichthyes) from the Mississippian Bear Gulch Limestone of Montana and New Insights into the Early Chondrichthyan Neurocranial Design. GROGAN, E.D.*; LUND, R; Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA; Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh egrogan@sju.edu The Iniopterygii are Paleozoic chondrichthyans that are poorly understood. Morphological evidence of the form code-named Iniop3 […]

Meeting Abstract 30.10  Friday, Jan. 4  Time-scale of spiny-rayed fish (Acanthomorpha, Teleostei). SANTINI, F.*; CARNEVALE, G.; ALFARO, M.A.; University of Toronto; University of Pisa; Washington State University francesco.santini@utoronto.ca With approximately 18000 described species, spiny-rayed fishes (Acanthomorpha) constitute one of the most diverse and successful vertebrate clades. Most fish “model organisms” used in studies of genomics, developmental biology […]

Meeting Abstract 30.4  Friday, Jan. 4  Systematics and evolution of Anachis and related taxa (Neogastropoda: Columbellidae) in the American tropics DEMAINTENON, Marta; Univ. of Hawaii, Hilo demainte@hawaii.edu Columbellid gastropods are one of the more diverse groups of neogastropods in the modern marine biota, comprising over 600 nominal species worldwide. In the American tropics, one group of columbellids, […]

Meeting Abstract 30.5  Friday, Jan. 4  Systematics and diversity of Arhynchobdellida (Oligochaeta: Hirudinida), with a focus on the evolutionary history of bloodfeeding terrestrial leeches BORDA , Elizabeth*; SIDDALL, Mark E.; Auburn University; American Museum of Natural History eborda@amnh.org Arhynchobdellida is characterized by the possession of muscular jaws used for feeding. Arhynchobdellid leeches are found globally in both […]

Meeting Abstract 30.2  Friday, Jan. 4  Phylogenetic relationships within Terebelliformia worms (Polychaeta, Annelida) and evolutionary implications of mitochondrial genomic data ZHONG, M.*; STRUCK, T.H.; HALANYCH, K.M.; Auburn Univ.; Univ. of Osnabr�ck. Germany; Auburn Univ. zhongmi@auburn.edu To further understand the phylogenetic potential of complete mitochondrial genomic data in Annelida (segmented worms), we are exploring evolutionary patterns of mitochondrial […]