REU: Radular Variability in the Herbivorous Gastropods Lacuna

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The genus Lacuna is an herbivorous gastropod that uses its radula (a ribbon-like structure covered with variably-shaped "teeth") to scrape algae. This genus displays an unusual level of morphological variability in radular teeth, and Dr. Dianna Padilla proposes an exploratory research project aimed at establishing the causes of this variability. During a year of research planning, Dr. Padilla will use enzyme electrophoresis to establish species identities and evolutionary relationships. Controlled growth experiments using different food types will reveal the degree to which radular morphology varies within a brood, and the degree to which the physical nature of food items produces different radular variations. The proposed research will find a wide audience among developmental and evolutionary biologists, systematists, and ecologists. The various possible sources of morphological variation are factors in diverse research areas, but only a few studies such as Dr. Padilla's actually assess their relative contributions.