The status and possible roles of propagated waves occurring during vertebrate embryogenesis are discussed. Some preliminary data for waves observed in time-lapse films of early chick (Gallus domesticus) and Medaka (Oryzias latipes, a teleost) are given. The general similarities between these phenomena and wave propagation during cellular slime mold aggregation are pointed out and it is suggeste...

Mile-a-minute weed, Persicaria perfoliata (L.) H. Gross, is an invasive annual vine of Asian origin that has developed extensive monocultures, especially in disturbed open areas in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. A host-specific Asian weevil, Rhinoncomimus latipes Korotyaev, was approved for release in North America in 2004, and weevils have been reared at the New Jersey Departmen...

Genetically modified (GM) strains now exist for many organisms, producing significant promise for agricultural production. However, if these organisms have some fitness advantage, they may also pose an environmental harm when released. High mating success of GM males relative to WT males provides such an important fitness advantage. Here, we provide documentation that GM male medaka fish modifi...

The nuclear factor dachshund (dac) is a regulator of retinal cell fate determination in Drosophila. We have cloned a Dachshund homologue of a lower vertebrate, the teleost medaka (Oryzias latipes). Sequence comparison reveals high similarity of medaka Dachshund (OlDach) to the known homologues in higher vertebrates and Drosophila. OlDach is first expressed at early somitogenesis stages in the o...

Visual motion cues are one of the most important factors for eliciting animal behaviour, including predator-prey interactions in aquatic environments. To understand the elements of motion that cause such selective predation behaviour, we used a virtual plankton systemwhere the predation behaviour in response to computer-generated prey was analysed. First, we performed motion analysis of zooplan...

The recently developed female leukophore-free (FLFII) strain of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) carries DNA markers for the identification of genotypic sex. Information regarding genotypic sex is useful for tests in which endocrine-disrupting compounds may masculinize or feminize fish. In the present study, methods were developed to automate DNA extraction and profiling for rapid determinatio...

TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Crossing over between X and Y chromosomes.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Non-disjunctional males.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....