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Feedback In Batesian Mimetic Systems, David Kizirian Kizirian, Jose Manuel Padial, Nicole Povlikin, Isaac Overcast, Maureen A. Donnelly, Marta Quitian, Marion Segall, Arianna Kuhn, Gwyneth Campbell, Ralph Saporito

2023 Faculty Bibliography

We propose a feedback model for Batesian mimetic trophic system dynamics that integrates evolutionary and ecological processes including those not directly related to mimicry such as nutrient transfer. The proposed feedback circuit includes a previously overlooked link, specifically: selection for predation on the mimetic phenotype, which results when predators consume palatable mimics, and which perpetuates predation on the mimetic phenotype that drives mimicry. Preservation of variation throughout the feedback loop may also explain polymorphism, suboptimal mimicry, and other aspects of mimetic trophic system evolution.

New Terrestrial Cyanobacteria From The Azores Islands: Description Of Venetifunis Gen. Nov. And New Species Of Albertania, Kovacikia And Pegethrix, Ruben Luz, Rita Cordeiro, Jan Kastovsky, Jeffrey R. Johansen, Elisabete Dias, Amelia Fonseca, Vitor Vasconcelos, Vitor Goncalves

2023 Faculty Bibliography

The taxonomy of cyanobacteria has advanced quickly with the use of molecular methods in combination with well-defined morphological and ecological characters. Using this approach, many taxonomical changes have occurred in the Synechococcales and Oscillatoriales, with the description of new families, genera and species. Here we present the study of four cyanobacterial strains from the Bank of Algae and Cyanobacteria of the Azores (BACA) culture collection, all isolated from the Azores Archipelago. The strains were genetically characterized through the amplification of the 16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, as well as morphologically by light and transmission …

Reliability And Validity Of A Flume-Based Maximal Oxygen Uptake Swimming Test, Elizabeth F. Nagle, Takashi Nagai, Anne Beethe, Mita Lovalekar, Meghan S. Tuite, Meaghan E. Beckner, Jacquelyn N. Zera, Mary E. Sanders, Chris Connaboy, John P. Abt, Kim Beals, Scott M. Lephart, Robert J. Robertson, Bradley C. Nindl

2023 Faculty Bibliography

A mode-specific swimming protocol to assess maximal aerobic uptake (VO2maxsw) is vital to accurately evaluate swimming performance. A need exists for reliable and valid swimming protocols that assess VO2maxsw in a flume environment. The purpose was to assess: (a) reliability and (b) “performance” validity of a VO2maxsw flume protocol using the 457-m freestyle pool performance swim (PS) test as the criterion. Nineteen males (n = 9) and females (n = 10) (age, 28.5 ± 8.3 years.; height, 174.7 ± 8.2 cm; mass, 72.9 ± 12.5 kg; %body fat, 21.4 ± 5.9) performed two flume VO2maxsw tests (VO2maxswA and VO2maxswB) and …

Linking Predator Responses To Alkaloid Variability In Poison Frogs Language:, J P. Lawrence, Bibiana Rojas, Annelise Blanchett, Ralph Saporito, Johanna Mappes, Antoine Fouquet, Brice P. Noonan

2023 Faculty Bibliography

Many chemically-defended/aposematic species rely on diet for sequestering the toxins with which they defend themselves. This dietary acquisition can lead to variable chemical defenses across space, as the community composition of chemical sources is likely to vary across the range of (an aposematic) species. We characterized the alkaloid content of two populations of the Dyeing Poison Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius) in northeastern French Guiana. Additionally, we conducted unpalatability experiments with naive predators, Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), using whole-skin secretion cocktails to assess how a model predator would respond to the defense of individuals from each population. While there was some overlap …

Maternal Chemical Defenses Predict Ofspring Defenses In A Dendrobatid Poison Frog, Olivia L. Brooks, Jessie J. James, Ralph Saporito

2023 Faculty Bibliography

Within and among populations, alkaloid defenses of the strawberry poison frog (Oophaga pumilio) vary spatially, temporally, and with life history stage. Natural variation in defense has been implicated as a critical factor in determining the level of protection aforded against predators and pathogens. Oophaga pumilio tadpoles sequester alkaloids from nutritive eggs and are, thus, entirely dependent on their mothers for their defense. However, it remains unclear how tadpole alkaloid composition relates to that of its mother and how variation in maternally provisioned defenses might result in varying levels of protection against predators. Here, we demonstrate that natural variation in the …

Om92, A Glp-1 Enhancer Mutation, Is An Allele Of Ekl-1, Samantha A. Stein, Olivia F. Zucaro, Harold E. Smith, Kevin F. O'Connell, Jill M. Spoerke, Eleanor M. Maine, James L. Lissemore

2022 Faculty Bibliography

Germline stem cell proliferation in C. elegans requires activation of the GLP-1/Notch receptor, which is located on the germline plasma membrane and encoded by the glp-1 gene. We previously identified several genes whose products directly or indirectly promote activity of the GLP-1 signaling pathway by finding mutations that enhance the germline phenotype of a glp-1(ts) allele, glp-1(bn18) . Here, we report phenotypic and molecular analysis of a new ekl-1 allele, ekl-1(om92) , that enhances the glp-1(bn18) phenotype. ekl-1(om92) is a 244 bp deletion predicted to generate a frameshift and premature termination codon, yielding a severely truncated protein, suggesting it is …

Gender Differences And The Influence Of Body Composition On Land And Pool-Based Assessments Of Anaerobic Power And Capacity, Jacquelyn N. Zera, Elizabeth F. Nagle, Emma Connell, Erin Curtin, Wilmina Marget, Anna P. Simonson, Takashi Nagai, John Abt, Scott Lephart

2022 Faculty Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Does The Thermal Mismatch Hypothesis Predict Disease Outcomes In Different Morphs Of A Terrestrial Salamander?, Matthew Venesky, Joseph Alan Demarchi, Cari-Ann M. Hickerson, Carl D. Anthony

2022 Faculty Bibliography

Many aspects of ectotherm physiology are temperature‐dependent. The immune system of temperate‐dwelling ectothermic host species is no exception and their immune function is often downregulated in cold temperatures. Likewise, species of ectothermic pathogens experience temperature‐mediated effects on rates of transmission and/or virulence. Although seemingly straightforward, predicting the outcomes of ectothermic host−pathogen interactions is quite challenging. A recent hypothesis termed the thermal mismatch hypothesis posits that cool‐adapted host species should be most susceptible to pathogen infection during warm temperature periods whereas warm‐adapted host species should be most susceptible to pathogens during periods of cool temperatures. We explore this hypothesis using two …

Hybridization Between The Woodland Salamanders Plethodon Cinereus And P. Electromorphus Is Not Widespread, Shawn R. Kuchta, Maggie M. Hantak, Brian P. Waldron, Cari-Ann M. Hickerson, Richard M. Lehtinen, Carl Anthony

2022 Faculty Bibliography

A recent study reported widespread hybridization between the Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) and the Northern Ravine Salamander (P. electromorphus) in northern Ohio. In this study, DNA sequence data were obtained from three nuclear loci and 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified from the sequences. They found that 48 out of 90 individuals from 13 populations were hybrids, and in some localities every individual possessed an admixed genotype. As these results contradict our observations, and because levels of hybridization impact our interpretation of past and ongoing studies, we revisited the data. First we reanalyzed the original SNPs using STRUCTURE, …

Dose-Dependent Alkaloid Sequestration And N-Methylation Of Decahydroquinoline In Poison Frogs, Adriana M. Jeckel, Sarah K. Bolton, Katherine R. Waters, Marta M. Antoniazzi, Carlos Jared, Kunihiro Matsumura, Keisuke Nishikawa, Yoshiki Morimoto5, Taran Grant, Ralph Saporito

2022 Faculty Bibliography

Sequestration of chemical defenses from dietary sources is dependent on the availability of compounds in the environment and the mechanism of sequestration. Previous experiments have shown that sequestration efficiency varies among alkaloids in poison frogs, but little is known about the underlying mechanism. The aim of this study was to quantify the extent to which alkaloid sequestration and modification are dependent on alkaloid availability and/or sequestration mechanism. To do this, we administered different doses of histrionicotoxin (HTX) 235A and decahydroquinoline (DHQ) to captive‐bred Adelphobates galactonotus and measured alkaloid quantity in muscle, kidney, liver, and feces. HTX 235A and DHQ were …

Effects Of Chronic Oral Administration Of Midazolam On Memory And Circadian Rhythms In Rats, Helen M. Murphy, Anastasiya I. Kalinina, Cyrilla H. Wideman

2022 Faculty Bibliography

Studies have shown the ability of benzodiazepine drugs to cause memory loss in animals and humans. Midazolam is a benzodiazepine commonly administered intravenously during surgical procedures because it reacts rapidly, causes anterograde amnesia, and has few side effects. It has also been used in palliative medicine where, among others, an oral route has been employed for chronic administration of the drug. The current study evaluated the effects of chronic orally administered midazolam on spatial working memory and procedural memory in control and experimental female rats over a threeweek experimental period utilizing the Morris water maze. Sample and test run times …

Circumscription Of Fulbrightiella Gen. Nov. And Sherwoodiella Gen. Nov., Two Novel Genera In The Calotrichaceae (Nostocales, Cyanobacteria), Naresh Kumar, Aniket Saraf, Sagarika Paul, Deeksha Mishra, Prashant Singh, Jeffrey R. Johansen

2022 Faculty Bibliography

Three novel strains in Calotrichaceae from tropical habitats were isolated and characterized with regard to their morphology, phylogenetic placement, and secondary structures of conserved domains in the 16S‐23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS). The strains fell into two clades formerly identified as Calothrix from freshwater and brackish habitats. Based on both morphology and ecology, they differed from the type species of Calothrix, C. confervicola, which is marine, has wide trichomes with short cells, and narrows abruptly to a hyaline hair. The first clade grouped species with heteropolar filaments widened at the base and narrowed gradually toward the apex but not ending …

Roholtiella Volcanica Sp. Nov., A New Species Of Cyanobacteria From Kamchatkan Volcanic Soils, Lira A. Gaysina, Jeffrey R. Johansen, Aniket Saraf, Razeda Z. Allaguvatova, Sagarika Paul, Prashant Singh

2022 Faculty Bibliography

During a study of biodiversity of cyanobacteria in Gorely volcano soils (Kamchatka Peninsula), a strain of heterocytous, a false branching cyanobacterium with gradually tapered filaments, was isolated. Prominent features of the strain were purplish-grey trichomes and firm, distinct multilayered sheaths. Based on the results obtained from the morphological, ecological, and phylogenetic analysis using the 16S rRNA and 16S–23S ITS region, 16S–23S ITS secondary structure analysis, comparison of flanking regions of BoxB and V3 helices, and the p-distance between the 16S–23S ITS region, we describe our strain K7 as a novel species of the genus Roholtiella with the name Roholtiella volcanica …

Deoxybuzonamine Isomers From The Millipede Brachycybe Lecontii (Platydesmida: Andrognathidae), Tappy H. Jones, Daniel P. Harrison, Carla Menegatti, Emily Levers, Kenneth Knott, Paul Marek, Derek A. Hennen, Matt T. Kasson, Angie M. Macias, Brian Lovett, Ralph Saporito

2022 Faculty Bibliography

Millipedes (Diplopoda) are well known for their toxic or repellent defensive secretions. Here, we describe (6aR,10aS,10bR)-8,8-dimethyldodecahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline [trans-anti-trans-deoxybuzonamine (1a)] and (rel-6aR,10aR,10bR)-8,8-dimethyldodecahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline [trans-syn-cis-deoxybuzonamine (1b)], two isomers of deoxybuzonamine found in the chemical defense secretions of the millipede Brachycybe lecontii Wood (Colobognatha, Platydesmida, Andrognathidae). The carbon–nitrogen skeleton of these compounds was determined from their MS and GC-FTIR spectra obtained from the MeOH extract of whole millipedes, along with a subsequent selective synthesis. Their structures were established from their 1D (¹H, ¹³C) and 2D NMR (COSY, NOESY, multiplicity-edited HSQC, HSQC-TOCSY, HMBC) spectra. Additionally, computational chemistry (DFT and DP4) was used to identify the relative …

Gypsum-Exclusive Plants Accumulate More Leaf S Than Non-Exclusive Species Both In And Off Gypsum, Andreu Cera, Gabriel Montserrat-Martí, Juan Pedro Ferrio, Rebecca E. Drenovsky, Sara Palacio

2021 Faculty Bibliography

Gypsum-exclusive species (gypsophiles), are restricted to gypseous soils in natural environments. However, it is unclear why gypsophiles display greater affinity to gyspeous soils than other soils. These plants are edaphic endemics, growing in alkaline soils with high Ca and S. Gypsophiles tend to show higher foliar Ca and S, lower K and, sometimes, higher Mg than non-exclusive gypsum species, named gypsovags. Our aim was to test if the unique leaf elemental signature of gypsophiles could be the result of special nutritional requirements linked to their specificity to gypseous soils. These nutritional requirements could hamper the completion of their life cycle …

Impact Of Activity Monitoring On Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, And Body Weight During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jacob E. Barkley, Gregory Farnell, Brianna Boyko, Brooke Turner, Ryan Wiet

2021 Faculty Bibliography

Decreases in individuals' physical activity and increases in sedentary behavior and bodyweight have been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study assessed the ability of physical activity monitoring, which may promote physical activity and discourage sedentary behavior, to mitigate these negative outcomes. An evaluation of university samples ( N = 404, 40.5 ± 15.4 years) of self-reported physical activity, sedentary behavior, and bodyweight prior to the closure of campus due to the pandemic in March of 2020 and again at the time of the survey administration (May-June 2020) during pandemic-related restrictions was performed. Participants also reported whether they did …

Total Synthesis Of Decahydroquinoline Poison Frog Alkaloids Ent-Cis-195a And Cis-211a, Takuya Okada, Naizhen Wu, Katsuki Takashima, Jungoh Ishimura, Hiroyuki Morita, Takuya Ito, Takeshi Kodama, Yuhei Yamasaki, Shin-Ichi Akanuma, Yoshiyuki Kubo, Ken-Ichi Hosoya, Hiroshi Tsuneki, Tsutomu Wada, Toshiyasu Sasaoka, Takahiro Shimizu, Hideki Sakai, Linda P. Dwoskin, Syed R. Hussaini, Ralph Saporito, Naoki Toyooka

2021 Faculty Bibliography

The total synthesis of two decahydroquinoline poison frog alkaloids ent-cis-195A and cis-211A were achieved in 16 steps (38% overall yield) and 19 steps (31% overall yield), respectively, starting from known compound 1. Both alkaloids were synthesized from the common key intermediate 11 in a divergent fashion, and the absolute stereochemistry of natural cis-211A was determined to be 2R, 4aR, 5R, 6S, and 8aS. Interestingly, the absolute configuration of the parent decahydroquinoline nuclei of cis-211A was the mirror image of that of cis-195A, although both alkaloids were isolated from the same poison frog species, Oophaga (Dendrobates) pumilio, from Panama.

A New Species Of Cryptic Cyanobacteria Isolated From The Epidermis Of A Bottlenose Dolphin And As A Bioaerosol, Amber O. Brown, Caitlin S. Romanis, Petr Dvorak, Amanda J. Foss, Quincy A. Gibson, Chelsea D. Villaneuva, Wendy N. Durden, Anyssa D. Garvey, Phillip Jenkins, Petr Hasler, Jeffrey R. Johansen, Brett A. Neilan, Dale A. Casamatta

2021 Faculty Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Repeatability Of Foraging Behavior Following A Simulated Predation Attempt Depends On Color Morph, Sex, And Foraging Metric In Red-Backed Salamanders (Plethodon Cinereus), Brian P. Waldron*, Marissa C. Ganzfried*, Cari-Ann M. Hickerson, Carl D. Anthony

2021 Faculty Bibliography

Behavioral repeatability greatly affects the capacity of an individual to respond to varying environments. When multiple behaviors within individuals are repeatable and correlated across time or across contexts, it is termed a behavioral syndrome. However, not all behaviors exhibit the same level of repeatability, and relatively few studies have examined repeatability in amphibians. We examined the repeatability of foraging behavior in the Eastern Red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus), a color-polymorphic terrestrial salamander, following a simulated predation attempt. We tested several hypotheses: (1) Simulated predation would negatively affect foraging, increasing latency to feed and decreasing the number of prey items eaten in …

New Piperidine Alkaloids From Fire Ants Are Not Sequestered By The Green And Black Poison Frog ( Dendrobates Auratus ), Ian Davison, Ralph Saporito, Lisa M. Shulte, Kyle Summers

2021 Faculty Bibliography

Neotropical poison frogs possess alkaloid-based antipredator defenses which they sequester from a diet of arthropods such as oribatid mites and myrmicine ants. Alkaloid sequestration is still poorly understood and although several studies have examined its uptake, most experiments directly feed alkaloids to the frogs. Here, we examined the alkaloid uptake system in the poison frog species Dendrobates auratus by feeding it an alkaloid-containing prey item, the red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta (Formicidae, Myrmicinae). Captive bred frogs were either fed live ants or fruit flies dusted with powdered ants for 4 months. Using GC–MS, we confirm that S. invicta contain …

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When Will Taxonomic Saturation Be Achieved? A Case Study In Nunduva And Kyrtuthrix (Rivulariaceae, Cyanobacteria)1, Jeffrey R. Johansen, Laura Gonzalez-Resendiz, Viviana Escobar-Sanchez, Claudia Segal-Kischinevzky, Jose Martınez-Yerena, Joaquin Hernandez-Sanchez, Gariela Hernandez-Perez, Hilda Leon-Tejera

2021 Faculty Bibliography

A number of heterocytous, mat-forming, tapering cyanobacteria in Rivulariaceae have recently been observed in both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts in the rocky intertidal and supratidal zones. These belong to the genera Nunduva, Kyrtuthrix, and Phyllonema and have been the subject of several recent studies. Herein, two new species of Nunduva (N. komarkovae and N. sanagustinensis) and two new species of Kyrtuthrix (K. munecosensis and K. totonaca) are characterized and described from the coasts of Mexico. Genetic separation based on the 16S-23S ITS region was pronounced (>10% in all comparisons). Morphological differences between all existing species in these two …

Trichotorquatus Gen. Nov. - A New Genus Of Soil Cyanobacteria Discovered From American Drylands, Nicole Pietrasiak, Sharon Reeve, Karina Osorio-Santos, David A. Lipson, Jeffrey R. Johansen

2021 Faculty Bibliography

Cyanobacteria are crucial ecosystem components in dryland soils. Advances in describing a–level taxonomy are needed to understand what drives their abundance and distribution. We describe Trichotorquatus gen. nov. (Oculatellaceae, Synechococcales, Cyanobacteria) based on four new species isolated from dryland soils including the coastal sage scrub near San Diego, California (USA), the Mojave and Colorado Deserts with sites at Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve, California (USA), and the Atacama Desert (Chile). The genus is morphologically characterized by having thin trichomes (<4.5 lm wide), cells both shorter and longer than wide, rarely occurring single and double false branching, necridia appearing singly or in rows, and sheaths with a distinctive collar-like fraying and widening mid-filament, the feature for which the genus is named. The genus is morphologically nearly identical with Leptolyngbya sensu stricto but is phylogenetically quite distant from that genus. It is consequently a cryptic genus that will likely be differentiated in future studies based on 16S rRNA sequence data. The type species, T. maritimus sp. nov. is morphologically distinct from the other three species, T. coquimbo sp. nov., T. andrei sp. nov. and T. ladouxae sp. nov. However, these latter three species are morphologically very close and are considered by the authors to be cryptic species. All species are separated phylogenetically based on sequence of the 16S-23S ITS region. Three distinct ribosomal operons were recovered from the genus, lending difficulty to recognizing further diversity in this morphologically cryptic genus.

Ecological Features Of Cyanobacteria And Algae Communities Of The Littoral Of The Meromictic Lake Shira (Khakassia Republic, Russia), Lira Gaysina, A I. Fazlutdinova, O N. Mukhina, L F. Akhmadeyeva, D Yu Rogozin, A O. Bul’Khin, N V. Sukhanova, Jeffrey R. Johansen

2020 Faculty Bibliography

During the study of cyanobacteria and algae from littoral of the meromictic Lake Shira (Republic of Khakas- sia, Russia) forty-eight taxa were identified: Cyanobacteria – 7, Chlorophyta – 5, and Bacillariophyta – 36 species. Cyanobacteria were represented by cosmopolitan taxa Leptolyngbya voronichiniana, cf. Trichocoleus hospitus and widely distributed in the freshwater ecosystems species Phormidium cf. paulsenianum, Pseudophormidium cf. golenkinianum, P. pauciramosum, Leptolyngbya perforans, and L. subtilissima. Among green algae typical freshwater taxa Chloroidium saccharophilum, Desmodesmus abundans, Oocystis lacustris, Chlorella sp., Stigeoclonium sp. were detected. Among Bacillariophyta the most frequent species were Amphora ovalis, Cymbella affinis, Encyonema silesiacum, Eunotia fallax, Gomphonella …

Two New Oculatella (Oculatellaceae, Cyanobacteria) Species In Soil Crusts From Tropical Semi–Arid Uplands Of México, Itzel Becerra–Absalón, Jeffrey R. Johansen, Karina Osorio–Santos, Gustavo Montejavo

2020 Faculty Bibliography

Two isolates of Oculatella from biological soil crusts in the arid and semi–arid tropical upland region of México were characterized using a polyphasic approach which included morphology, ecology, 16S rRNA and 16S–23S ITS phylogenetic analysis, percent identity of 16S rRNA gene sequence, percent dissimilarity of 16S–23S ITS sequence, and secondary structure of conserved ITS domains. The two species shared the generic synapomorphy of a reddish granule at the tip of mature apical cells, and possessed a single ribosomal

operon with both tRNA genes (tRNAIle and tRNAAla) based upon our analysis and the analysis of the other spe- cies in the …

Phylogeny And Taxonomy Of Synechococcus–Like Cyanobacteria, Jiri Komarek, Jeffrey R. Johansen, Jan Smarda, Otakar Strunecký

2020 Faculty Bibliography

Unicellular cyanobacteria constitute a substantial, ecologically important part of freshwater and marine microflora. Solitary, elongated cyanobacterial cells without apparent slime envelopes and dividing in a single plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis were traditionally classified into the genus Synechococcus. The type species originates from a freshwater benthic habitat while a number of other Synechococcus–like species were described from diverse environments. Morphologically similar, unicellular populations of “Synechococcus” belong to the most abundant oxygen evolving prokaryotes inhabiting freshwater and oceanic picoplanktic communities. Other species from extreme thermal habitats were described from temperatures over 70 °C. Recent molecular analyses, particularly the 16S rRNA …

Support For The Habitat Amount Hypothesis From A Global Synthesis Of Species Density Studies, James I. Watling, Rebecca Fang

2020 Faculty Bibliography

Decades of research suggest that species richness depends on spatial characteristics of habitat patches, especially their size and isolation. In contrast, the habitat amount hypothesis predicts that (1) species richness in plots of fixed size (species density) is more strongly and positively related to the amount of habitat around the plot than to patch size or isolation; (2) habitat amount better predicts species density than patch size and isolation combined, (3) there is no effect of habitat fragmentation per se on species density and (4) patch size and isolation effects do not become stronger with declining habitat amount. Data on …

A Method For Removing Eggs Or Embryos From Preserved, Gravid Snakes That Minimizes Damage To Museum Specimens, Christopher Sheil, Luke J. Welton

2020 Faculty Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Robert Gordon Jaeger, Caitlin R. Gabor, Carl D. Anthony

2020 Faculty Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Female Salamanders Experience Higher Parasitism Compared To Males: A Cost Of Female Reproduction?, Matthew D. Venesky, Joseph Alan Demarchi, Rachel Marbach, Keva Periyar, Cari-Ann M. Hickerson, Carl D. Anthony

2020 Faculty Bibliography

Males tend to experience higher rates of parasitism compared to females, a phenomenon associated with ecological factors, the fact that males engage in risky behaviors, and because testosterone is known to be immunosuppressive. However, females could experience higher rates of parasitism if energy is allocated from costly immune responses towards producing eggs. We used pooled data sets from laboratory experiments to investigate sex-specific differences in salamander (Plethodon cinereus) resistance to the emerging fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (‘‘Bd’’). Contrary to our predictions, we found that female salamanders had a higher prevalence of infection (~56%) and carried a higher Bd infection burden …

A Spatiotemporal Assessment Of Dietary Partitioning Between Color Morphs Of A Terrestrial Salamander, Maggie M. Hantak, Kyle M. Brooks, Cari-Ann M. Hickerson, Carl D. Anthony, Shawn R. Kuchta

2020 Faculty Bibliography

When color pattern variation is co-adapted with other biological features, distinct color morphs may be separated along divergent niche axes, and data on niche partitioning can provide insight into how distinct color morphs are maintained over spatiotemporal scales. The Eastern Red-backed Salamander, Plethodon cinereus, contains two common color morphs (striped and unstriped) that differ along several trait axes in addition to coloration. Previous studies from a single population have suggested that dietary composition represents an important axis of ecological differentiation between morphs of P. cinereus. To determine if morphs partition prey resources over space and time, we collected stomach contents …