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Marine Biology Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Marine Biology

A Hydrodynamics Assessment Of The Hammerhead Shark Cephalofoil, Matthew K. Gaylord, Eric L. Blades, Glenn Parsons Dec 2020

A Hydrodynamics Assessment Of The Hammerhead Shark Cephalofoil, Matthew K. Gaylord, Eric L. Blades, Glenn Parsons

Faculty and Student Publications

© 2020, The Author(s). Hammerhead sharks are characterized by a conspicuous lateral expansion of the head forming a structure known as a cephalofoil. Two theories regarding the function of this structure suggest that it may increase maneuverability as well as produce dynamic lift similar to a cambered airplane wing. Here we report on a family-wide computational fluid dynamics analysis of all eight hammerhead shark species and three sharks with typical head shape. Models cast of the heads of fresh and museum specimens of hammerhead and typical sharks were used to produce pressure surface maps and lift and drag polar diagrams …


Multi-Generational Effects Of ∆9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure On Gene Expression In Liver Tissue, Kayla Lovitt May 2020

Multi-Generational Effects Of ∆9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure On Gene Expression In Liver Tissue, Kayla Lovitt

Honors Theses

Cannabis is the most commonly used, cultivated, and trafficked illicit drug worldwide. Increased availability and acceptance of cannabis and cannabinoid-containing products provide the necessity for understanding how these substances influence aging. In this study, zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to concentrations of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (0.08, 0.4, 2 µM) during embryonic-larval development, the effects on aging were measured 30 months later and in the offspring of the exposed fish (F1 generation. We observed results indicating a biphasic and hormetic effect. Treatment with the lowest concentration of THC significantly increased egg production, while higher concentrations resulted in impaired …


Variability In Antibacterial Activity In The Caribbean Sponge Amphimedon Compressa, Mackenzie Reilly Jan 2020

Variability In Antibacterial Activity In The Caribbean Sponge Amphimedon Compressa, Mackenzie Reilly

Honors Theses

Coral reefs are essential ecosystems that provide an abundance of natural resources. Sponges, common reef inhabitants, produce a diversity of secondary metabolites that are known to serve as chemical defenses. Secondary metabolites often have ecological functions, such as antipredator and antibacterial activities. I studied the common Caribbean sponge species, Amphimedon compressa, which is known to be chemically defended. Samples were collected from three sites in Belize, two sites in Grand Cayman, and three sites in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. To determine whether antibacterial activity varied across broad or local geographic scales, sponge extracts were tested against four bacterial strains …