R e s e a r c h | The American Horseshoe Crab
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Research |
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We are interested in both endogenous and exogenous (environmental) control of behavior in Limulus. For many years Limulus has been thought of as being primarily nocturnal based in part on field studies and on the excellent work of Bob Barlow and his colleagues showing clear circadian control of electroretinograms (ERGs) in this species. In these studies the eyes of Limulus exhibit very large (>100,000X) increases in sensitivity. Importantly, these changes were shown to be controlled by a circadian clock located in the brain. However, our recent studies (Chabot et al., 2004, 2008) have shown that locomotor activity is rarely confined to the night. We have also shown that this species exhibits robust circatidal activity rhythms that are endogenously controlled. We are investigating the control of behaviors in both the laboratory, where we can control stimuli, and in the field, where behavior can be expressed more naturally in response the entire suite of available cues. Please see below for specific results. Lab Work
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