Meeting Abstract P2.131  Saturday, Jan. 5  Kinematics and functional morphology of feeding in the Northern clingfish MICHEL, K.B.; University of Antwerp krijn.michel@ua.ac.be The northern clingfish Gobiesox maeandricus uses the lower jaw to pry limpets from the substrate. This study investigated the unique morphology and kinematics of the clingfish feeding apparatus and the structural elements involved when feeding […]

Meeting Abstract P2.68  Saturday, Jan. 5  Jumpstarting STEM Careers BALUCH, DP; TRAYNOR, K; CEASE, AJ*; COLOUMBE, M; STOUT, V; SWEAZEA, K; Arizona State University; Arizona State University; University of Sydney; Arizona State University; Arizona State University; Arizona State University arianne.cease@sydney.edu.au A successful career in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) requires not only great classroom education and research […]

Meeting Abstract P2.220  Saturday, Jan. 5  Isolation of toxin-degrading bacteria from the gut of an herbivorous rodent STENGEL, A.*; KOHL, K.D.; DEARING, M.D.; University of Utah; University of Utah; University of Utah ashley.stengel@comcast.net For decades, it has been suggested that gut microbes facilitate ingestion of toxic diets by herbivores through microbial degradation of plant secondary compounds. We […]

Meeting Abstract P2.149  Saturday, Jan. 5  Is the upward migration of Pisaster ochraceus larvae motivated by the presence of food at the halocline or the salinity they are acclimated to? BASHEVKIN, S*; DRIVER, P; GEORGE, S; Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts; Georgia Southern University, Statesboro; Georgia Southern University, Statesboro georges@georgiasouthern.edu Salinity fluctuations are expected to become increasingly frequent […]

Meeting Abstract P2.213  Saturday, Jan. 5  Is Paranthropus monophyletic? Incorporating modular relationships in a cladistic analysis CORBIN, K.M.*; ALEMSEGED, Z.; Univ. of California, San Diego; California Academy of Sciences kcorbin@ucsd.edu The three species of “robust” australopithecine, east African Paranthropus aethiopicus and P. boisei and south African P. robustus, have extremely derived masticatory systems for heavy chewing. Various […]

Meeting Abstract P2.96  Saturday, Jan. 5  Investigation of the Island Rule in Anurans: A Comparative Study of Hyla cinerea and Anaxyrus fowleri BOWER, C.D.**; BARRILE, G.M.; DOWNS, L.K.; KLINGER, J.M.; MOORE, J.T.; Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg cdb84667@huskies.bloomu.edu Studies of body size evolution disagree on evolutionary and ecological mechanisms of body size in island populations. The Island Rule hypothesis […]

Meeting Abstract P2.173  Saturday, Jan. 5  Investigating the presence of a venous sphincter in the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) diaphragm UNSER, A.J.*; DEAROLF, J.L; RICHMOND, J.P.; Hendrix College, Conway, AR; Univ. of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL unseraj@hendrix.edu Adaptations of deep diving marine mammals include a sphincter around the vena cava where it passes through the diaphragm, which […]

Meeting Abstract P2.95  Saturday, Jan. 5  Inter-colony fusion in the invasive colonial tunicate Didemnum vexillum VANDER LINDEN, A.*; CLANCY, D.; COHEN, C.S.; Romberg Tiburon Center, San Francisco State University, CA; Romberg Tiburon Center, San Francisco State University, CA; Romberg Tiburon Center, San Francisco State University, CA avanderl@uw.edu The colonial tunicate Didemnum vexillum has aggressively invaded coastal marine […]

Meeting Abstract P2.63  Saturday, Jan. 5  Inspiring future scientists in primary school, using place-based inquiry SWITZER, C.M.; Harvard University cswitzer@fas.harvard.edu Many obstacles stand in the way of students’ science learning in K12 education. Some obstacles, such as school culture and pervasive attitudes that “science is not cool” are difficult to address. Less than half of public-school students […]

Meeting Abstract P2.210  Saturday, Jan. 5  Insights from a preliminary phylogeny of the Sharpnose Pufferfishes (genus Canthigaster) STUMP, E.*; ROCHA, L.; ROCHA, C.; CARPENTER, K.; Old Dominion University; California Academy of Sciences; California Academy of Sciences; Old Dominion University estum002@odu.edu The genus Canthigaster, popularly known as the Tobies or Sharpnose Pufferfishes, currently consists of 35 globally distributed […]