SICB 2019 Annual Meeting Abstracts e261 P3-158 ABATE, PJ*; RAMSAY, CN; Mitchell College; P2-34 ABDULELAH, SA*; CRILE, KG; AWALI, S; KHALIL, HH; [email protected] BELANGER, RM; University of Detroit Mercy; Morphometric analysis of the non-indigenous bryozoan Tricellaria [email protected] inopinata An investigation of olfactory sensory neuron morphology in the Life history traits in colonial animals, such as erect cheilostome crayfish (Faxonius virilis) following atrazine exposure Bryosoa, are extremely variable as many factors contribute to both Atrazine is an herbicide that is heavily applied in agricultural areas in the growth of the colony, and the growth of individual zooids within the Midwestern United States and can run-off and seep into the colony. While photographic and tagging studies have been shown surrounding aquatic habitats. Concentrations of atrazine can reach to be successful in measuring colonial growth, these methods are less concentrations of >300 ppb. Previous research in our lab has shown 2019 29 August on user Member Access by SICB https://academic.oup.com/icb/article-abstract/59/Supplement_1/e261/5315466 from Downloaded reliable for flexible, joined, three-dimensional species. Counting that exposures to 80 ppb atrazine cause lasting deficiencies in the individual zooids in a colony or measuring zooid length is very chemoreception of food and mate odors. Due to the fact that atrazine difficult and laborious, thus making ecological studies surrounding impairs chemosensory responses, the goal of this study was to these organisms challenging. Through morphometric analyses, we determine the effect of atrazine on olfactory sensory neurons located sought to determine whether a correlation exists between a specific in the lateral antennules of crayfish. In this experiment, we used three growth metric to use as a proxy for the total number of zooids. 15-day exposures (0, 80, and 300 ppb) to atrazine. Post treatment, Tricellaria inopinata is a non-indigenous bryozoan which was lateral antennules were fixed, decalcified and cryoprotected. Medial recently introduced to the North-western Atlantic shores and has segments were then sectioned on a cryostat. Antennule sections were been an ecological and economic threat to nearshore waters. After stained with antibodies against tubulin, a protein found in neurons, identifying eight metrics to model the total number of zooids within and DAPI, a nuclear stain and imaged. Additionally, we used DiO to T. inopinata colonies, preliminary results suggest the total number of help determine the number of neurons present after treatment. Our branches and total length of major branches were significantly preliminary data suggests that atrazine exposure causes degeneration correlated with the total number of zooids. Using these findings, the of olfactory sensory neuron bundles or clusters, leading to total number of zooids of T. inopinata and other species of colonial impairments in chemosensory abilities. bryozoans can more easily be assessed, which may facilitate further ecological experiments on these three-dimensional colonial organisms. P1-284 ABELS, JR*; RICHARDSON, SS; BIRD, NC; Univ. of P1-31 ABIRI, NF*; GALLOWAY, K; PORTER, ME; Florida Northern Iowa; [email protected] Atlantic University; [email protected] Histological Anatomy and Structural Integration in Four Distinct Effect of orientation on the flexural stiffness of lionfish, Pterois Cypriniform Weberian Apparatus Morphologies volitans, dorsal spines using 3D printed models The Weberian apparatus is a novel hearing adaptation found in The red lionfish, Pterois volitans, is native to the Indo-Pacific region, otophysan fishes, a large group of freshwater fishes comprised of and has quickly proliferated along the Western Atlantic Ocean, approximately 8000 species. Cypriniform fishes, the largest Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. It has been shown to negatively otophysan order, are abundant in the freshwaters of Asia, Europe, affect the ecosystems it invades by decreasing biodiversity. Lionfish North America, and Africa. Such environmental variability has led to have 13 dorsal stings (the defense apparatus) which are comprised of modification of skeletal structures in non-auditory portions of the a spine of mineralized collagen surrounded by a dermal sheath. The apparatus (lesser so in the auditory elements), likely due to heavy spines are tapered and have anterolateral grooves that create an constraint for the maintenance of functionality (Bird and Hernandez anchor-like cross-section and store venom. We hypothesized that the 2007). Within Cypriniformes, four distinct morphologies have been cross sectional shape of the spines optimizes their ability to resist identified: Open (typical of Cyprinidae), Anterior Shield (typical of bending. For this study, we quantified lionfish spine flexural stiffness Gyrinocheilidae, Catostomidae, and Botiidae), Single-Capsule (EI), which takes into account both shape (I) and material (E), at (typical of Cobitidae), and Double-Capsule (typical of varying locations of lateral point load. Due to the anchor-like Nemacheilidae and Balitoridae). Little information exists detailing cross-section, we predicted that EI of the spine will increase when the construction and integration of these morphologies at the tissue the lateral point load is applied at the anteromedian ridge, where I level. We used HBQ quad-stained paraffin histology and will be the largest. We generated a digital 3D model of the 12th whole-mount clearing and staining to document and analyze the hard dorsal spine of a P. volitans and printed magnified (11.46x) resin and soft tissue of the Weberian apparatus in species representing six models. We applied point loads at two locations on the spine models genera (Danio, Gyrinocheilus, Ambastia, Pangio, Schistura, and and compared them to models of I-beams. I-beams are frequently Sewellia) that characterize all morphologies. We found minimal used in construction because of their high I, which increases EI changes to the Weberian ossicles, swim bladder, and otic sensory relative to a solid beam. Similarly, lionfish spines have a large structures across morphologies (typically relative changes in size, not portion of their cross-section area located away from the neutral axis shape). Several differences in the non-auditory structures were found allowing for high I and EI with less material. Mechanical testing of among the species of the same morphotype, such as size and shape of lionfish spines is essential to understand the form and function of lateral openings in the swim bladder capsule, and communication unique shapes found in nature. zones between right and left capsules. These results reveal unrecognized variability in the integration of the Weberian apparatus across different morphotypes. January 3-7, 2019, Tampa, FL 1 SICB 2019 Annual Meeting Abstracts e262 P1-293 ABRAHAM, JO*; STAVER, AC; Yale University; P1-224 ADAMS, CIM*; JEUNEN, GJ; KNAPP, M; Univ. of Otago, [email protected] New Zealand; [email protected] Drought-Response Strategies of Savanna Herbivores Can haplotypes be recovered from environmental DNA? Climate models have predicted increases in the frequency and Understanding population dynamics is imperative for conservation severity of drought globally, with potential impacts on diverse and management purposes. Recent development of the non-invasive systems, including African savannas. Among other things, droughts environmental DNA (eDNA) technique allows for extracting pose a concern for the conservation of the large mammal organismal DNA from environmental samples such as water or soil. communities therein, and as such, understanding the behaviors that While successful in obtaining biodiversity data, few studies have mammalian herbivores utilize to mitigate drought effects is vital. To proven the ability to obtain haplotype diversity. In this study, we aim 2019 29 August on user Member Access by SICB https://academic.oup.com/icb/article-abstract/59/Supplement_1/e261/5315466 from Downloaded evaluate herbivores responses to drought, we examined herbivore to develop an eDNA approach for describing haplotypic variation in diet composition and landscape use in Kruger National Park, South marine species of commercial and conservation interest, Pāua Africa, during and after a severe but heterogeneous drought that (Haliotis iris) and the New Zealand fur seal (NZFS) (Arctocephalus occurred from 2014 to 2016. We found that mixed feeders responded forsteri). We are developing a controlled laboratory experiment to to drought by increasing their consumption of C3 trees, shrubs, and obtain multiple haplotypes in varying ratios from water. Water will forbs, while grazers and megaherbivores moved away from severely be spiked with differing ratios of Pāua and NZFS PCR products at a droughted areas towards drought refugia. Results suggest that, while concentration of 100 copies/µL, and eDNA methodology will be used herbivores can respond to drought behaviorally, their responses may to extract the DNA. Once samples are sequenced, we will develop a be partially constrained by their body size and feeding ecology. bioinformatics pipeline to retrieve population genetic data of these Grazers may be at particular risk, since frequent and severe droughts target species. Relative sequence abundance will be compared to may not always generate drought refugia, especially in smaller and/or initial haplotypic ratios. The relationship between haplotype fenced