title: Comparative analysis of early ontogeny in Bursatella leachii and Aplysia californica.
abstract: Opisthobranch molluscs exhibit fascinating body plans associated with the evolution of shell loss in multiple lineages. Sea hares in particular are interesting because Aplysia californica is a well-studied model organism that offers a large suite of genetic tools. Bursatella leachii is a related tropical sea hare that lacks a shell as an adult and therefore lends itself to comparative analysis with A. californica. We have established an enhanced culturing procedure for B. leachii in husbandry that enabled the study of shell formation and loss in this lineage with respect to A. californica life staging.
authors.affiliation: School of Natural Sciences, University of California , Merced, CA , USA ; Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, TX , USA ; Department of Genetics, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center , Houston, TX , USA.
authors.forename: Zer
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Vue
authors.affiliation: School of Natural Sciences, University of California , Merced, CA , USA ; Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University , University Park, PA , USA.
authors.forename: Bishoy S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kamel
authors.affiliation: Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries, University of Miami , Miami, FL , USA.
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Capo
authors.affiliation: Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries, University of Miami , Miami, FL , USA.
authors.forename: Ana T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Bardales
authors.affiliation: School of Natural Sciences, University of California , Merced, CA , USA ; Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University , University Park, PA , USA.
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Medina
keywords: Aquaculture; Biomineralization; Larvae; Sea hares; Shell loss