Meeting Abstract 103.2  Saturday, Jan. 7  Characterizing sensory nerve fiber responses to pectoral fin ray bending WILLIAMS IV, R.*; NEUBARTH, N. L.; HALE, M. E.; Univ. of Chicago; Univ. of Chicago; Univ. of Chicago rwilliams@uchicago.edu While the roles of fins in actinopterygian locomotion have been studied in depth, little is known of how they receive sensory feedback […]

Meeting Abstract 102.3  Saturday, Jan. 7  Phylogenetic implications of the morphology of the braincase of caecilian amphibians (Gymnophiona) MADDIN, HC*; RUSSELL, AP; ANDERSON, JS; University of Calgary; University of Calgary; University of Calgary hcmaddin@ucalgary.ca Currently, phylogenetic analyses of characters drawn from the morphology of caecilians lack resolution, as well as complementarity, with results of phylogenetic analyses that […]

Meeting Abstract 102.1  Saturday, Jan. 7  Molecular and Morphological Variation in the Barnacle Predator Nemertopsis bivitatta (Nemertea, Hoplonemertea) CAPLINS, S. A.; NORENBURG, J. L.; TURBEVILLE, J. M.*; Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA; National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC; Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA jmturbeville@vcu.edu The nemertean Nemertopsis bivitatta is a suctorial barnacle feeder abundant in hard-bottom […]

Meeting Abstract 102.2  Saturday, Jan. 7  Evolution of albinism in a captive population of cavefish GROSS, Joshua B.*; WILKENS, Horst; University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Zoological Institute and Zoological Museum, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany grossja@ucmail.uc.edu One of the most common traits shared among cave-dwelling animals is the loss of pigmentation. This form of phenotypic regression […]

Meeting Abstract 102.4  Saturday, Jan. 7  Evolution and integration of weapons in horned lizards (Phrynosoma) BERGMANN, P.J.*; BERK, C.P.; Clark University; University of Arizona pbergmann@clarku.edu Many animals posses weapons for defense, prey procurement, and competition for resources. Many of these structures, including horns, antlers, spines, and venom glands exhibit positive allometry, being disproportionately larger and more effective […]

Meeting Abstract 102.6  Saturday, Jan. 7  Are the plastral scutes and plastral lobes of turtle shells modules? A geometric morphometric perspective ANGIELCZYK, K. D.*; MELSTROM, K. M.; Field Museum of Natural History; Univ. of Michigan kangielczyk@fieldmuseum.org The turtle plastron (ventral shell) is covered by a series of keratinous scutes. Each scute is derived from one tissue condensation; […]

Meeting Abstract 101.1  Saturday, Jan. 7  Phylogenetic clustering of commercially exploited fish species CHANG, J*; ROY, K; EASTMAN, JM; SMITH, SA; SANTINI, F; BAUM, JK; HASTINGS, PA; SIDLAUSKAS, BL; ALFARO, ME; Univ. of California, Los Angeles; Univ. of California, San Diego; Univ. of Idaho, Moscow; Brown Univ., Providence, RI; Univ. of California, Los Angeles; Univ. of California, […]

Meeting Abstract 101.5  Saturday, Jan. 7  Increased Energy Promotes Size-Based Niche Availability in Marine Mollusks MCCLAIN, Craig R.; National Evolutionary Synthesis Center cmcclain@nescent.org Variation in chemical energy, i.e food, availability is posited to lead to variation in body size. However, examinations of the relationship are rare and primarily limited to amniotes and zooplankton. Moreover, the relationship between […]

Meeting Abstract 101.2  Saturday, Jan. 7  FOSSILS, MOLECULAR PHYLOGENIES, AND MODELS OF TRAIT EVOLUTION SLATER, G.J.*; HARMON, L.J.; ALFARO, M.E.; Univ. of California, Los Angeles; Univ. Idaho; Univ. of California, Los Angeles gslater@ucla.edu Evolutionary biologists are increasingly interested in assessing the fit of evolutionary models to phylogenetic comparative data. By identifying the best-fitting model of trait evolution, […]

Meeting Abstract 101.3  Saturday, Jan. 7  Early evolution of elevated growth and metabolic rates in archosaurs WERNING, S*; IRMIS, RB; NESBITT, SJ; SMITH, ND; TURNER, AH; PADIAN, K; Univ of California, Berkeley; Univ of Utah; Univ of Washington; The Field Museum; Stony Brook Univ; Univ of California, Berkeley swerning@berkeley.edu Birds exhibit much higher growth and metabolic rates […]