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Articles 1 - 30 of 64
Full-Text Articles in Biology
Mycobacteriosis Of Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis) In Virginia Tributaries Of The Chesapeake Bay, Joshua S. Mcgilly
Mycobacteriosis Of Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis) In Virginia Tributaries Of The Chesapeake Bay, Joshua S. Mcgilly
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Mycobacteriosis was first documented in Chesapeake Bay striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in 1997 after fish exhibited emaciation and skin lesions. Since it was first identified, studies of mycobacteriosis in the mainstem of the Chesapeake Bay (2003-2007) and the Rappahannock River (2005-2012) have shown high disease prevalence and disease-associated mortality. Until this study, no current prevalence data existed from the Rappahannock River, and no published prevalence data existed for the James River, leaving a gap in our understanding of this disease in major Chesapeake Bay tributaries. We began gathering mycobacteriosis prevalence data from an existing survey collecting striped bass …
Efficacy Of Sediment Contaminant Remediation Of The Benthos In A Segment Of The Southern Branch Of The Elizabeth River, Colton Martin
Efficacy Of Sediment Contaminant Remediation Of The Benthos In A Segment Of The Southern Branch Of The Elizabeth River, Colton Martin
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
The bottom sediment of the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River, a tributary of Chesapeake Bay, was historically contaminated with hydrocarbons from industrial sources especially wood treatment facilities. The Elizabeth River Project selected a section of the bottom off Money Point in the Southern Branch for a sediment contaminant remediation effort. Prior to initiation of remediation efforts, a survey occurred in summer 2010 to characterize the ecological condition of the benthic communities off Money Point compared to benthic communities of a benthic region across the channel and northwest of Money Point near Blows Creek. That study characterized the benthos of …
The Role Of Backreef Soundscapes And Their Spatial Structure For Recruitment Of Tropical Marine Larvae, Emily R. Anderson
The Role Of Backreef Soundscapes And Their Spatial Structure For Recruitment Of Tropical Marine Larvae, Emily R. Anderson
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Underwater sound is a cue used by many marine larvae to orient to coastal habitats including backreef, sponge-dominated hardbottom habitat in the Florida Keys (Florida, USA) – a particularly “noisy” coastal habitat. However, the distance over which acoustic cues are attractive to settlement-stage larvae - is generally unknown. I examined this phenomenon in a region of the Florida Keys where mass sponge die-offs have diminished both underwater soundscapes and larval settlement. The absence of pronounced hardbottom-associated sound over such a large area allowed me to experimentally test in situ the response of fish and invertebrate larvae to broadcasted sounds at …
Determination Of The Presence Of Rickettsia Spp. And Borrelia Spp. Carried By Tortoise Ticks From Madagascar, Anna Phan
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Ticks were removed from three species of Malagasy tortoises, Astrochelys yniphora, A. radiata, and Pyxis arachnoides (comprising two subspecies P. a. arachnoides and P. a. oblonga), between 2012 and 2015. The ticks were presumed to be from the genus Amblyomma. Ticks were morphologically identified and then checked molecularly to confirm their classification or identify any ticks that could not be morphologically identified. Molecular identification was done via end-point PCR that amplified tick cytochrome oxidase (CO1) and tick 12S rRNA genes. Ticks were screened via a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the presence of Rickettsia spp. …
Ixodes Scapularis Src Kinase Is Required For Rickettsial Pathogen Survival In Ticks, Jeremy W. Turck
Ixodes Scapularis Src Kinase Is Required For Rickettsial Pathogen Survival In Ticks, Jeremy W. Turck
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an obligate intracellular bacterium that causes disease in humans and animals. It is the causative agent for human anaplasmosis. A. phagocytophilum uses certain strategies to infect both vertebrates and invertebrates. It uses Ixodes scapularis ticks as a vector for spreading infection to other mammal species. This bacterium has a specific path for infection through the salivary glands of its vector host. It also suppresses certain functions such as the inhibition of apoptosis and ROS production in order to increase its survival in ticks. Src kinase, a non-receptor protein-tyrosine kinase, is a major player in cell signaling. Src …
Assessment Of Factors Influencing Migratory Landbird Use Of Forested Stopover Sites Along The Delmarva Peninsula During Autumn Migration, J. Andrew Arnold
Assessment Of Factors Influencing Migratory Landbird Use Of Forested Stopover Sites Along The Delmarva Peninsula During Autumn Migration, J. Andrew Arnold
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Autumn migration is a time when billions of birds move from breeding grounds in North America to wintering grounds in Central and South America, with many individuals relying on stopover habitats en route for resting and refueling purposes. These stopover sites are critical to the survival of the hundreds of species of migratory landbirds that migrate annually, and thus identifying important stopover sites is a high priority for conserving such taxa. The Delmarva Peninsula; a coastal region of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia along the mid-Atlantic flyway; consists of forested habitats with ample food and shelter that likely serves as quality …
Global Conservation Status Of Croaker And Drum (Family: Sciaenidae) And Role Of The Maw Trade, Claire E. Gorman
Global Conservation Status Of Croaker And Drum (Family: Sciaenidae) And Role Of The Maw Trade, Claire E. Gorman
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Understanding threats and drivers of extinction risk is critical to conserving marine biodiversity. Although marine bony fishes are some of the most diverse and abundant vertebrates in the world, overexploitation is the major threat to these taxa. Species in the family Sciaenidae are important marine resources in many parts of the world, supporting small- and large-scale fisheries for consumption and the international maw (dried swimbladder) trade. Sciaenids exhibit a diverse array of life history characteristics, such as high fecundity, large body size, formation of spawning aggregations, and longevity. Some characteristics increase their susceptibility to anthropogenic stressors. Despite being ecologically and …
Pthr1/Sox9 And Idh1/Idh2 Relative Expression In Primary Chondrocyte And Chondrosarcoma Cells Under The Synergistic Influence Of Inducible Hypoxia And Extracellular Acidosis, Kostika Vangjeli
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Cartilage cells (Chondrocytes) grow in rather unique environmental conditions in the human body. Cartilage is avascular tissue and lacks innervation. Its main source of nutrients is derived from the synovial fluid and/or perichondrium. Consequently, these cells must survive and thrive under hypoxic and acidic stressors. Published data suggests that there are a multitude of genes affected from either one of these two stressors or both. However, these factors are frequently overlooked in cartilage research, and results are reported in either normoxia/pH=7.0 conditions, or they only account for one of the conditions. The scope of this study is to examine how …
Diet Analysis Of Stranded Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In Virginia, Kristen Marie Volker
Diet Analysis Of Stranded Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In Virginia, Kristen Marie Volker
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
This study describes the diet of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) stranded in Virginia via stomach content analysis and considers factors such as proportion of numerical abundance and reconstructed mass, frequency of occurrence, average reconstructed prey size, prey diversity and quantity, and otolith degradation code. Fish size was estimated via regression equations established from local fish collected during the study that derive wet weight directly from otolith length or width. Squid size is estimated from previously published equations. Soniferous fishes dominated the diet, especially Atlantic croaker, spot, and seatrout spp., adding evidence to the theory that bottlenose dolphins passively …
Role Of Ixodes Scapularis Sphingomyelinase-Like Protein (Issmase) In Tick Pathogen Interactions, Pravesh Regmi
Role Of Ixodes Scapularis Sphingomyelinase-Like Protein (Issmase) In Tick Pathogen Interactions, Pravesh Regmi
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Arthropod-borne diseases are one of the major concerns throughout the world. Ixodes scapularis (hard tick) is one of the major vectors that is involved in arthropod-borne disease transmission. Langat virus (LGTV) is a model pathogen that is very similar to other medically important flaviviruses such as Tick-Borne Encephalitis virus (TBEV) and Powassan virus (POWV). Sphingomyelinase-like protein (IsSMase, a Sphingomyelinase D or SMase D, a venomous protein ortholog of spiders) is an enzyme present in ticks that helps to catalyze the hydrolysis of the sphingomyelin (cell membrane lipid) into phosphocholine and ceramide. The objective of our study is to delineate the …
Global Conservation Status And Threat Patterns Of The World’S Most Prominent Forage Fishes (Teleostei, Clupeiformes), Tiffany L. Birge
Global Conservation Status And Threat Patterns Of The World’S Most Prominent Forage Fishes (Teleostei, Clupeiformes), Tiffany L. Birge
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Conserving biodiversity is one of the greatest ethical responsibilities and challenges humans face. Understanding the conservation status of taxonomic groups provides a systematic way to prioritize efforts to combat biodiversity loss. The 405 species within the order Clupeiformes are the herrings, shads, sardines, anchovies, menhadens and relatives that include many of the most important marine forage fishes. These small, schooling fishes are economically, ecologically and culturally significant globally. Despite their contribution to global fisheries and our increasing reliance on these fishes for food and industrial commodities, they are generally poorly known with limited information regarding basic biology and population trends. …
In Hot Water: Thermal Acclimation Is Insufficient To Save Corals In The Anthropocene, Harmony Alise Martell
In Hot Water: Thermal Acclimation Is Insufficient To Save Corals In The Anthropocene, Harmony Alise Martell
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Scleractinian corals are animal partners in exquisite symbioses with a suite of algal, microbial, fungal and viral associates comprising miniature ecosystems collectively referred to as a holobiont. In recent decades, ocean warming has jeopardized the delicate balance of the very symbioses that have enabled coral survival. Thermal stress causes a reduction of algal symbionts, a phenomenon referred to as ‘coral bleaching’ that represents dysbiosis in the holobiont and often leads to mortality. Current thermal acclimation theory states variation and gradual increases in temperature can ameliorate thermal stress. Indeed, there is evidence some coral species have some capacity to acclimatize to …
Cryptic Herbivorous Invertebrates Restructure The Composition Of Degraded Coral Reef Communities In The Florida Keys, Florida, Usa, Angelo Jason Spadaro
Cryptic Herbivorous Invertebrates Restructure The Composition Of Degraded Coral Reef Communities In The Florida Keys, Florida, Usa, Angelo Jason Spadaro
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Coral reefs have been on a trajectory of decline for nearly a century due to a variety of factors that have contributed to the shift in these communities away from dominance by reef-building corals, with commensurate changes on community composition and function. Florida’s reefs are a compelling example of a degraded system that has undergone a phase shift, and thus offered an excellent model system for my study of the effects of grazing by cryptic herbivores on community composition and their potential restoration value. I had four major objectives: (1) determine the suitability of Maguimithrax spinosissimus for manipulating grazing intensity …
Local Adaptation Signatures In Thermal Performance Of The Temperate Coral Astrangia Poculata, Hannah Elise Aichelman
Local Adaptation Signatures In Thermal Performance Of The Temperate Coral Astrangia Poculata, Hannah Elise Aichelman
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
The Northern Star Coral (Astrangia poculata) is an understudied temperate scleractinian coral that provides unique opportunities to understand the roles of phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation in coral physiological tolerance limits. Astrangia poculata inhabits hard bottom ecosystems from the northwestern Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico and withstands an annual temperature range up to 20°C. Additionally, A. poculata is facultatively symbiotic and co-occurs in both symbiotic (“brown”) and aposymbiotic (“white”) states. Here, brown and white A. poculata were collected from Virginia (VA) and Rhode Island (RI), USA and exposed to heat (18-32°C) and cold (18-6°C) temperature assays during …
Zika Modulates Arthropod Histone Methylation In Mosquito Cells, Telvin Lee Harrell
Zika Modulates Arthropod Histone Methylation In Mosquito Cells, Telvin Lee Harrell
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Epigenetics is the heritable series of covalent modifications that affect chromatin structure, gene expression, and protein function. Methylation is one such epigenetic modification that involves the addition of chemical modifying entities, such as methyl groups, on nucleic acids or proteins. Recent studies have reported that Zika virus (ZIKV) modulates methylation of human and viral RNA important for its replication in vertebrate cells. However, little is known whether ZIKV exerts methylation in arthropod vectors. In this study, I show that ZIKV modulates S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) synthase, an enzyme involved in the production of SAMe, and histone methylation for its survival in …
Identifying Marine Key Biodiversity Areas In The Greater Caribbean Region, Michael S. Harvey
Identifying Marine Key Biodiversity Areas In The Greater Caribbean Region, Michael S. Harvey
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Anthropocene biodiversity extinction rates are increasing, suggesting a possible sixth global mass extinction event. Biological conservation planners are consequently seeking ways to more effectively protect species at national, regional and global scales. In 2010, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) issued a number of conservation goals (Aichi Targets), including the establishment of protected areas (PA) in terrestrial, freshwater and marine areas of eminent conservation concern by 2020 to reduce and eventually eliminate species’ extinctions, as well as preserve hotspots of biodiversity and dynamic ecosystems. While well-established, adequately enforced PAs increase the likelihood of preserving species and habitats most at risk …
Potential Interaction Analysis Of Offshore Wind Energy Areas And Breeding Avian Species On The Us Mid-Atlantic Coast, Jeri Lynn Wisman
Potential Interaction Analysis Of Offshore Wind Energy Areas And Breeding Avian Species On The Us Mid-Atlantic Coast, Jeri Lynn Wisman
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Due to increasing US interest in developing wind energy sites in offshore waters, we synthesized existing data on colonial breeding seabird populations with the potential risk of interacting with lease areas in the mid-Atlantic. Previous efforts by BOEM and NOAA have predicted avian density using at-sea survey data; we seek to complement this work by focusing specifically on birds during the critical and energetically demanding breeding life history stage. We combined colony size and location for each species along the mid-Atlantic coast with buffers around the colonies that correlate with the species’ foraging range. We integrated population size, vulnerability to …
Differential Gene Expression In Response To Hypoxia And Acidosis In Chest Wall Deformities And Chondrosarcoma, Jamie L. Durbin
Differential Gene Expression In Response To Hypoxia And Acidosis In Chest Wall Deformities And Chondrosarcoma, Jamie L. Durbin
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
The importance of understanding how costal cartilage chondrocytes respond to stimuli such as oxidative stress and low pH has been largely overlooked in studies involving tissue culturing due to major differences between oxygen and pH levels during incubation and the natural environment of hyaline cartilage. Hyaline cartilage is avascular and naturally hypoxic which subsequently leads to increased glycolytic metabolism and ultimately causes a decrease in extracellular pH. To examine how healthy costal cartilage responds to these extreme growth conditions, we examined responses in three hyaline cartilage diseases. Our ability to identify the disease mechanisms responsible for pectus excavatum, pectus carinatum, …
Molecular Candidates For Blocking The Transmission Of Vector-Borne Diseases, Ashish Naresh Vora
Molecular Candidates For Blocking The Transmission Of Vector-Borne Diseases, Ashish Naresh Vora
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) require urgent attention as they have a high mortality rate, with 700,000 people dying in a year as of 2017. So far, extremely few reliable vaccination strategies and solutions have emerged. Transmission blocking vaccines are one among many solutions available to manage the control of VBDs. These require identification of both vector and pathogen molecules that play important roles in the transmission, dissemination and establishment of VBDs. Our strategy is to characterize these candidates that play important roles in vector-host-pathogen interactions. This manuscript presents two such studies identifying the participation of two arthropod molecules in vector-host-pathogen interactions. …
Lack Of Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity In Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis), Jessica Shannon Miller
Lack Of Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity In Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis), Jessica Shannon Miller
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Mycobacteriosis is a fatal disease in fishes caused by acid-fast bacteria in the genus Mycobacterium. This disease impacts aquaculture, aquariums, and wild fishes. Unfortunately, there are currently no non-lethal diagnostic tests for mycobacterial infection in fishes. Type IV delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses in vivo and in vitro are currently used for the non-lethal detection of mycobacterial infections in humans and in animals; however, there is little information available on DTH responses in fishes. In this work, we examine in vivo DTH response in Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis), an important U.S. Eastern seaboard fish species, experimentally …
Biology And Impacts Of Leech Infestation In Largemouth Bass (Micropterus Salmoides) In Back Bay, Virginia, Amanda Nicole Pomposini
Biology And Impacts Of Leech Infestation In Largemouth Bass (Micropterus Salmoides) In Back Bay, Virginia, Amanda Nicole Pomposini
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Back Bay is an oligohaline coastal bay in Southeast Virginia, USA. The Oregon Inlet along the Outer Banks of North Carolina is the only significant salinity source to the Bay via the Pamlico and Currituck Sounds of North Carolina. Today Back Bay is considered a brackish ecosystem with salinity of 2004, leeches have been observed in the oral cavities of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) in Back Bay. Leeches (Myzobdella lugubris) have previously been documented in the oral cavities of largemouth bass in the Currituck Sound. In 2009, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) …
Tracing The Genetic Footprints Of The Redbelly Yellowtail Fusilier, Caesio Cuning, Across Multiple Spatial And Evolutionary Scales, Amanda Susanne Ackiss
Tracing The Genetic Footprints Of The Redbelly Yellowtail Fusilier, Caesio Cuning, Across Multiple Spatial And Evolutionary Scales, Amanda Susanne Ackiss
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Overfishing is one of the most pervasive threats to coral reef ecosystems, and management of these multi-species resources is hampered by limited species-specific population level information. The reefs in the western tropical Pacific Ocean, including the Coral Triangle, are the most bio-diverse in the world. Home to more than 400 million people, this region contains some of the most threatened coral reef ecosystems. Presented here is the first comprehensive analysis of the genetic structure of Caesio cuning, planktivorous fish inhabiting reefs in the Coral Triangle and western Pacific Ocean. Data from both classical Sanger and next-generation sequencing were analyzed …
Marine Reserves Promote Coral Reef Resilience By Mitigating Human Impacts Through The Restoration Of Parrotfish Populations, Increasing Their Reproductive Output And Seeding Neighboring Overfished Reefs, Brian L. Stockwell
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Coral reefs are some of the most productive ecosystems on the planet, providing fisheries resources for over a billion people with billions of dollars in revenue from tourism for developing nations. Coral reefs are under threat from overfishing and water pollution, resulting in less productive algae dominated reefs. Marine reserves are widely expected to promote the resilience of reefs by protecting and increasing the abundance of herbivorous fishes that can graze on algae, therefore directly or indirectly preventing coral to algal phase shifts. However, the ability of marine reserves to mitigate human impacts, restore herbivorous fish populations and seed nearby …
The Chondrocyte Channelome: A Novel Ion Channel Candidate In The Pathogenesis Of Pectus Deformities, Anthony J. Asmar
The Chondrocyte Channelome: A Novel Ion Channel Candidate In The Pathogenesis Of Pectus Deformities, Anthony J. Asmar
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Costal cartilage is a type of rod-like hyaline cartilage connecting the ribs to the sternum. The chest wall deformities pectus excavatum (PE) and pectus carinatum (PC) involve displacement of the sternum causing a depression or protrusion of the chest. There is little knowledge about costal cartilage and pectus deformities with much of its understanding based on assumptions from articular cartilage. Chondrocytes are subjected to a constantly changing environment with fluctuations in pH and osmolarity. Ion channels detect these changes and in turn regulate proliferation, differentiation, and extracellular matrix production. Using ion channel qPCR arrays, we produced expression profiles for normal, …
Determining Critical Internesting And Foraging Habitats For The Conservation Of Sea Turtles In Gabon, Africa Using Satellite Tracking And Stable Isotope Analysis, Tiffany M. Dawson
Determining Critical Internesting And Foraging Habitats For The Conservation Of Sea Turtles In Gabon, Africa Using Satellite Tracking And Stable Isotope Analysis, Tiffany M. Dawson
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Understanding the horizontal and vertical habitat of olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea), a threatened species, is critical for determining regions of protection that may effectively reduce bycatch, the largest threat to this species. Satellite transmitters were used to determine the movement and dive behavior of 21 female olive ridley turtles tagged in Pongara National Park, Gabon during the 2012, 2013, and 2015 nesting seasons. A switching state space model was used to filter the tracking data and categorize the internesting and post-nesting movements. Gridded utilization distribution (UD) home range analysis of tracking data revealed that the entire core habitat …
Abiotic Factors Contributing To The Survival Of Three Tick Species In Southeastern Virginia, Amblyomma Americanum (Lone Star Tick), Dermacentor Variabilis (American Dog Tick), And Amblyomma Maculatum (Gulf Coast Tick), Lindsey A. Bidder
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Amblyomma americanum, Amblyomma maculatum, and Dermacentor variabilis are hard-bodied ticks in the Hampton Roads area of southeastern Virginia. This study consisted of two field projects focused on these tick species. To estimate the off-host survival of local tick species, a capture-mark-recapture (CMR) study was performed. An environmental survival study was performed to quantify the ability of these three tick species to survive in situ. Four field sites were used in the Hampton Roads region covering a variety of habitat types and vegetation; specifically two drier, upland field sites and two flood-prone sites. CMR was conducted from May through …
Coarse Root Biomass And Architecture: Applications Of Ground Penetrating Radar, John Claude Bain
Coarse Root Biomass And Architecture: Applications Of Ground Penetrating Radar, John Claude Bain
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
The effectiveness of ground penetrating radar (GPR) to identify and quantify coarse roots was tested in a mixed-oak forest in Southeastern Virginia using experimental pits and locally excavated root segments. GPR was found to be highly dependent on low soil moisture levels as it is unable to differentiate root structures if they possess similar moisture content as their surrounding soil. Likewise, GPR was unable to identify simulated dead roots. This does not alter the effectiveness of GPR to measure living coarse root biomass, but does present the potential for underestimation of carbon storage in coarse root structures, as a dead …
Hotspots, Extinction Risk And Conservation Priorities Of Greater Caribbean And Gulf Of Mexico Marine Bony Shorefishes, Christi Linardich
Hotspots, Extinction Risk And Conservation Priorities Of Greater Caribbean And Gulf Of Mexico Marine Bony Shorefishes, Christi Linardich
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Understanding the status of species is important for allocation of resources to redress biodiversity loss. Regional organizations tasked with managing threats to the 1,360 marine bony shorefishes of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico would benefit from a delineation of conservation priorities. However, prior to this study, conservation status was known for only one quarter of these shorefishes. Extinction risk assessment under IUCN Red List Criteria is a widely-used, objective method to communicate species-specific conservation needs. Data were collated on each species’ distribution, population, habitats and threats and experts at three Red List workshops assigned a global level extinction risk …
Regional Extinction Risk And Conservation Priorities For Persian Gulf Marine Bony Fishes, Jack Ryan Buchanan
Regional Extinction Risk And Conservation Priorities For Persian Gulf Marine Bony Fishes, Jack Ryan Buchanan
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Around the world, protected areas are the primary conservation measure used to combat biodiversity loss; however, these are often established without comprehensive species-specific information, leading to placement in areas that often do not address the processes that threaten biodiversity. To address this, International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List assessments are being utilized to determine species-specific threats and population status at the global and sub-global levels. This study examines the regional extinction risk for all known marine bony fishes of the Persian Gulf. About 8.3% of the 471 marine bony fishes assessed are at elevated risk of regional extinction. …
Anti-Predator Responses Of Squid Throughout Ontogeny, Carly Anne York
Anti-Predator Responses Of Squid Throughout Ontogeny, Carly Anne York
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Multiple sensory modalities and a complex array of escape behaviors have evolved as components of anti-predator responses in squids. The goals of this study include: (1) examine the role of the lateral line analogue and vision in successful predator evasion; (2) measure kinematics of escape jetting; (3) document how chromatic patterning, posturing and inking in squid change in response to predators; and (4) investigate escape jet hydrodynamics of squid. Given that squids undergo considerable morphological, ecological, and behavioral changes throughout ontogeny, the goals above were all investigated across different life history stages. To test the respective roles of vision and …