August 2012 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

NRDC -- marine mammal protection attorney
by Kiekow, Taryn 13 Aug '12

13 Aug '12

Hello MARMAM colleagues, NRDC is hiring a staff attorney to work with our Marine Mammal Protection and Southern California Ecosystems Projects in the Santa Monica office. The attorney will work on both marine mammal protection (70%) and Southern California ecosystem (30%) issues. We are looking for someone with 3-5 years of litigation experience. Please feel free to pass along this job posting<https://nrdc-openhire.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.jobin…> to anyone who might be interested. We are accepting and reviewing applications on a rolling basis, so please encourage folks to apply early using our online system<https://nrdc-openhire.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.jobin…>. Thanks! Best, Taryn Taryn G. Kiekow Staff Attorney, Marine Mammal Protection Natural Resources Defense Council 1314 Second Street Santa Monica, CA 90401 Tel. (310) 434-2323 Fax (310) 434-2399 tkiekow(a)nrdc.org<mailto:tkiekow@nrdc.org> JOB ANNOUNCEMENT Staff Attorney Santa Monica Office The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is the nation's most effective environmental action organization. We use law, science and the support of 1.3 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all living things. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our staff helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act, and many of the implementing regulations; our water enforcement cases played a major role shaping current water policy throughout the country. Today, our staff of more than 430 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy and communications experts, and others, work out of offices in New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Livingston, Montana and Beijing. Position Summary: The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has an immediate opening for an attorney to work with NRDC's Marine Mammal Protection and Southern California Ecosystems Projects in our Santa Monica office. Responsibilities: The attorney will work on both marine mammal protection (70%) and Southern California ecosystem (30%) issues. This position involves: Litigating new and existing cases, administrative advocacy, campaign initiatives, legislative analysis, lobbying, and working with environmental organizations and coalitions. As part of the Marine Mammal Protection Project, the attorney will litigate cases involving endangered species, habitats and emergent threats to marine mammals; advocate for marine mammal protection before administrative agencies and government officials; and participate in cutting-edge, public campaigns for the preservation of these species. As part of the Southern California Ecosystems Project, the attorney will work to challenge proposed and existing transportation, infrastructure, and development projects that threaten wildlife habitat and open space, and to promote sustainable land use and transportation practices and policies in support of NRDC's strategic goals of fostering sustainable communities and saving wildlife and wild places. Qualifications: This position requires a J.D. with 3-5 years of legal experience, including significant litigation experience. The successful applicant will possess a superior academic background; exceptional research, writing, communication, and analytical skills; ability to understand and convey scientific material; and a high degree of professional integrity. The successful applicant will also possess outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to manage and prioritize a heavy workload while working as a member of a team. A demonstrated interest in environmental protection and/or a background in marine or environmental science is a plus. NRDC is committed to workplace diversity and inclusion. We are equal opportunity employers and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a pleasant working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and commensurate with experience. To apply, please visit www.nrdc.org/jobs<http://www.nrdc.org/jobs>. Please submit a cover letter, resume, references, transcript, and a legal writing sample that does not reflect edits by anyone other than you. No phone calls or faxes please. Please reference where you saw this posting. NRDC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For further information about NRDC, please visit www.nrdc.org<http://www.nrdc.org>

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Publication: Bottlenose dolphins exchange signature whistles when meeting at sea
by Nicola Quick 13 Aug '12

13 Aug '12

Dear all, The following paper appeared online earlier in the year, but we are pleased to announce it is now available with a full citation. Nicola J. Quick and Vincent M. Janik (2012). Bottlenose dolphins exchange signature whistles when meeting at sea. Proc. R. Soc. B 279; 2539-2545 ABSTRACT: The bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, is one of very few animals that, through vocal learning, can invent novel acoustic signals and copy whistles of conspecifics. Furthermore, receivers can extract identity information from the invented part of whistles. In captivity, dolphins use such signature whistles while separated from the rest of their group. However, little is known about how they use them at sea. If signature whistles are the main vehicle to transmit identity information, then dolphins should exchange these whistles in contexts where groups or individuals join. We used passive acoustic localization during focal boat follows to observe signature whistle use in the wild. We found that stereotypic whistle exchanges occurred primarily when groups of dolphins met and joined at sea. A sequence analysis verified that most of the whistles used during joins were signature whistles. Whistle matching or copying was not observed in any of the joins. The data show that signature whistle exchanges are a significant part of a greeting sequence that allows dolphins to identify conspecifics when encountering them in the wild. A pdf copy of the work can be obtained from the lead author at njq(a)smru.co.uk Best Regards Nicola Quick Dr Nicola Quick Senior Research Scientist Scottish Oceans Institute SMRU Ltd New Technology Centre North Haugh St Andrews Fife KY16 9SR Scotland email: njq(a)smru.co.uk http://biology.st-andrews.ac.uk/staffProfile.aspx?sunID=njq Tel: +44 (0)1334 479100 Fax: +44 (0)1334 477878 www.smru.co.uk http://soi.st-andrews.ac.uk/  Please consider whether you really need a hard copy of this email before printing it - thank you. NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIALITY: This message, and any attachments, are intended solely for the addressee and may contain privileged or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. If you believe that you have received this email in error, please contact the sender immediately and destroy this email. Although we have taken steps to ensure that this email and any attachments are free from any virus, we advise that, in keeping with good computing practice, the recipient should ensure they are actually virus free. SMRU LIMITED is a limited company registered in Scotland, Registered Number: 296937. Registered Office: 5 Atholl Crescent, Edinburgh EH3 8EJ.

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New publication - Ecological speciation in killer whales
by Andy Foote 13 Aug '12

13 Aug '12

Dear colleagues, A special issue of Evolutionary Ecology Research edited by Andrew Hendry and based on work presented at the Niche Theory and Speciation workshop held in Hungary almost one year ago is now available to access online ahead of final publication: http://www.evolutionary-ecology.com/forthcoming.html The special issue includes the following review paper in addition to other contributions from the likes of Dan Bolnick, Ole Seehausen, and Patrick Nosil, and should be of interest to those working on evolution and speciation. Please contact me if you have any difficulty accessing the article. Foote, A.D. (2012) Investigating ecological speciation in non-model organisms: a case study on killer whale ecotypes. Evolutionary Ecology Research (http://www.evolutionary-ecology.com/issues/forthcoming/ar2727.pdf) ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Studies of ecological speciation have been dominated by a few model biological systems. There are comparably few studies on non-model organisms that have been able to robustly infer ecological speciation as the underlying mechanism of evolutionary divergence. QUESTION: What are the pitfalls in studying ecological speciation in non-model organisms that lead to this bias? and what alternative approaches might redress the balance? ORGANISM: Genetically differentiated types of the killer whale (*Orcinus orca*) exhibiting differences in prey preference, habitat use, morphology and behavior. METHODS: I review the literature on killer whale evolutionary ecology to highlight the difficulty of identifying whether there are causal links between variation in phenotype, ecology and reproductive isolation in this non-model organism. RESULTS: I suggest that there is currently insufficient evidence to suggest that adaptive phenotype traits linked to ecological variation underlie reproductive isolation between sympatric killer whale types. This does not mean that ecological speciation has not occurred, but rather that it is hard to conclusively prove. The constraints on studying non-model organisms means that this is the likely outcome in studies of species that experimental approaches and comparative studies among multiple taxon pairs cannot easily be applied to. New genomic approaches that first identify genes under selection and then link alleles to phenotypic differences and reproductive isolation may increase the success of robustly inferring ecological speciation in non-model organisms. Best regards, Andy -- *Dr Andrew Foote* *Centre for GeoGenetics* The Natural History Museum of Denmark Øster Voldgade 5 - 7 1350 Copenhagen K

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New Publication: Fine-scale genetic population structure in a mobile marine mammal: inshore bottlenose dolphins in Moreton Bay, Australia
by Ina Ansmann 12 Aug '12

12 Aug '12

Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my co-authors, I am happy to announce the publication of our research in Molecular Ecology: Fine-scale genetic population structure in a mobile marine mammal: inshore bottlenose dolphins in Moreton Bay, Australia INA C. ANSMANN, GUIDO J . PARRA, JANET M. LANYON and JENNIFER M. SEDDON Highly mobile marine species in areas with no obvious geographic barriers are expected to show low levels of genetic differentiation. However, small-scale variation in habitat may lead to resource polymorphisms and drive local differentiation by adaptive divergence. Using nuclear microsatellite genotyping at 20 loci, and mitochondrial control region sequencing, we investigated fine-scale population structuring of inshore bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) inhabiting a range of habitats in and around Moreton Bay, Australia. Bayesian structure analysis identified two genetic clusters within Moreton Bay, with evidence of admixture between them (FST = 0.05, P = 0.001). There was only weak isolation by distance but one cluster of dolphins was more likely to be found in shallow southern areas and the other in the deeper waters of the central northern bay. In further analysis removing admixed individuals, southern dolphins appeared genetically restricted with lower levels of variation (AR = 3.252, p = 0.003) and high mean relatedness (r = 0.239) between individuals. In contrast, northern dolphins were more diverse (AR = 4.850, p = 0.009) and were mixing with a group of dolphins outside the bay (microsatellite-based STRUCTURE analysis), which appears to have historically been distinct from the bay dolphins (mtDNA ΦST = 0.272, P < 0.001). This study demonstrates the ability of genetic techniques to expose fine-scale patterns of population structure and explore their origins and mechanisms. A complex variety of inter-related factors including local habitat variation, differential resource use, social behaviour and learning, and anthropogenic disturbances are likely to have played a role in driving fine-scale population structure among bottlenose dolphins in Moreton Bay. The early view pdf can be accessed online at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2012.05722.x/abstract or via email requests to: i.ansmann(a)uq.edu.au<mailto:i.ansmann@uq.edu.au> Best regards, Ina Ansmann Ina Ansmann, PhD Marine Vertebrate Ecology Research Group School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia Phone: (+61) 7 3365 8382 Mobile: (+61) 4 0853 2478 Email: i.ansmann(a)uq.edu.au<mailto:i.ansmann@uq.edu.au>

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Requesting Books, Journals, and Reprints on Marine Mammals
by Sclymene＠aol.com 12 Aug '12

12 Aug '12

Requesting Books, Journals, and Reprints on Marine Mammals Requesting Books, Journals, and Reprints on Marine Mammals Requesting Books, Journals, and Reprints on Marine Mammals To: marmam(a)lists.uvic.ca MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_108f.6e6e1847.3d59802d_boundary" X-Mailer: Thunderbird - Mac OS X sub 308 X-AOL-IP: 64.12.7.133 X-Originating-IP: [64.12.7.133] --part1_108f.6e6e1847.3d59802d_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Language: en Requesting Books, Journals, and Reprints on Marine Mammals =C2=A1VIVA Vaquita! is collecting hardcopy marine mammal literature that ma= y not=20 be used much anymore. We will distribute it to colleagues who can most=20 effectively put it to use. We can scan literature and replace paper copies= =20 with PDF copies. Money raised from this effort will be used directly in= =20 research, conservation, and public awareness efforts directed at the vaquit= a ( Phocoena sinus), seen by many as the World=E2=80=99s most endangered marine= mammal=20 species. We are currently working towards obtaining funding for a 2013=20 expedition to the Northern Gulf and your donations could help! =C2=A1VIVA Vaquita! <http://www.vivavaquita.org> is a collaboration of conc= erned=20 researchers and educators from three 501(3)c nonprofit organizations: Cetos= =20 Research Organization, Save The Whales, and the American Cetacean Society. = =20 Ultimately, with our partner organizations, we aim to help save the=20 vaquita from extinction. Donations are tax-deductible. If you have any books or other literature= =20 that you might be willing to donate or sell to us for reasonable prices,=20 please contact us. We can pay for postage, and may even be able to arrang= e=20 pick up. Thank you. ********************************************************************* Thomas A. Jefferson, Ph.D. =C2=A1VIVA Vaquita! =20 13037 Yerba Valley Way =20 Lakeside, CA 92040 =20 Mobile phone (858) 945-4240 =20 Email: sclymene(a)aol.com Web: http://www.vivavaquita.org ********************************************************************* --part1_108f.6e6e1847.3d59802d_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Language: en <HTML><HTML> Requesting Books, Journals, and Reprints on Marine Mammals =C2=A1VIVA Vaquita! is collecting hardcopy marine mammal literature that ma= y not be used much anymore.  We will distribute it to colleagues who = can most effectively put it to use. We can scan literature and replace pape= r copies with PDF copies.  Money raised from this effort will be used= directly in research, conservation, and public awareness efforts directed = at the vaquita (Phocoena sinus), seen by many as the World= =E2=80=99s most endangered marine mammal species.  We are currently w= orking towards obtaining funding for a 2013 expedition to the Northern Gulf= and your donations could help! =C2=A1VIVA Vaquita! <http://www.vivavaquita.org> is a = collaboration of concerned researchers and educators from three 501(3)c non= profit organizations: Cetos Research Organization, Save The Whales, and the= American Cetacean Society.  Ultimately, with our partner organizatio= ns, we aim to help save the vaquita from extinction. Donations are tax-deductible.  If you have any books or other literat= ure that you might be willing to donate or sell to us for reasonable prices= , please contact us.  We can pay for postage, and may even be able to= arrange pick up. Thank you. ********************************************************************* Thomas A. Jefferson, Ph.D. =C2=A1VIVA Vaquita!           =                =     13037 Yerba Valley Way          &nb= sp;         Lakeside, CA 92040           &= nbsp;             Mobile phone (858) 945-4240        &nbsp= ;           Email: sclymene(a)aol.com Web: http://www.vivavaquita.org ********************************************************************* </HTML> --part1_108f.6e6e1847.3d59802d_boundary--

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New publication: Experimental evidence of action imitation in killer whales (Orcinus orca)
by "José Francisco Zamorano Abramson" 12 Aug '12

12 Aug '12

Dear colleagues: we are pleased to announce the recent publication of the following paper: Abramson, Z. J., Hernández-Lloreda, MV, Call, J. y Colmenares F. (2012). Experimental evidence of action imitation in killer whales (Orcinus orca). Animal Cognition. DOI: 10.1007/s10071-012-0546-2 The article has just been published and is available as 'Online First' on SpringerLink: http://www.springerlink.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&id=doi:10.1007/s10071… Please feel free to contact me with any questions about this article. Best regards, José Z. Abramson. Abstract Comparative experimental studies of imitative learning have focused mainly on primates and birds. However, cetaceans are promising candidates to display imitative learning as they have evolved in socioecological settings that have selected for large brains, complex sociality, and coordinated predatory tactics. Here we tested imitative learning in killer whales, Orcinus orca. We used a ‘do-as-other-does’ paradigm in which 3 subjects witnessed a conspecific demonstrator’s performance that included 15 familiar and 4 novel behaviours. The three subjects (1) learned the copy command signal ‘Do that’ very quickly, that is, 20 trials on average; (2) copied 100 % of the demonstrator’s familiar and novel actions; (3) achieved full matches in the first attempt for 8–13 familiar behaviours (out of 15) and for the 2 novel behaviours (out of 2) in one subject; and (4) took no longer than 8 trials to accurately copy any familiar behaviour, and no longer than 16 trials to copy any novel behaviour. This study provides experimental evidence for body imitation, including production imitation, in killer whales that is comparable to that observed in dolphins tested under similar conditions. These findings suggest that imitative learning may underpin some of the group-specific traditions reported in killer whales in the field. Keywords: Social learning – Imitation – ‘Do-as-other-does’ test – Animal culture –Killer whales José F. Zamorano-Abramson. PhD. Departamento de Psicobiología Facultad de Psicología Universidad Complutense de Madrid Campus de Somosaguas 28223 Madrid, Spain e-mail: zabramson(a)psi.ucm.es

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Postdoctoral associate position in marine mammal acoustics
by Melissa Soldevilla 10 Aug '12

10 Aug '12

The University of Miami is committed to educating and nurturing students, creating knowledge, and providing service to our community and beyond. We are leaders in the area of education, scholarship, intercollegiate athletics and service. Come join our team! The Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) of the University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, invites applicants for a Postdoctoral Associate position in Marine Biology and Fisheries. This position is situated at the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center Protected Resources and Biodiversity Division located in Miami, FL. We seek a postdoctoral researcher to join our group and oversee a project on the impacts of shipping noise and ship-strike mitigation on North Atlantic right whales along the southeast US Atlantic coast. The incumbent will collect and analyze passive acoustic monitoring data, characterize ship noise in right whale calving and migratory habitats and use passive acoustic monitoring tools to improve strategies for ship-strike mitigation. Applicants must have a Ph.D. in Oceanography, Biology or related field and experience in passive acoustic monitoring methodologies and processing large datasets and the computer skills necessary for analysis of spatio-temporal patterns of right whale occurrence and noise characterization from acoustic data. In addition, preferred applicants will have some field experience participating in vessel-based studies of marine mammals. Apply on line at: www.miami.edu/careers <http://www.miami.edu/careers> position# 045304. Curriculum Vitae and the contact information for 3 people who can provide letters of recommendation are required. The University of Miami offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental benefits, tuition remission, vacation, paid holidays and much more. The University of Miami is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Melissa Soldevilla, PhD Research Fishery Biologist Southeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA 75 Virginia Beach Drive Miami, FL 33149 melissa.soldevilla(a)noaa.gov 305-361-4238

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New paper - Toothed whale depredation mitigation device
by Njaratiana Rabearisoa 10 Aug '12

10 Aug '12

Dear all, We are pleased to announce the publication of the following article in JEMBE (Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology): Rabearisoa, N., Bach, P., Tixier, P. and Guinet, C., 2012. Pelagic longline fishing trials to shape a mitigation device of the depredation by toothed whales. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 432–433, 55–63. *Abstract* Depredation is defined as the damage or removal of fish from fishing gear by predators, and is a crucial issue leading to negative impacts on both animals involved in depredation and fisheries. Depredation in longline pelagic fisheries targeting swordfish (/Xiphias gladius/) and tuna (/Thunnus/ spp.) involves short-finned pilot whales (/Globicephala macrorhynchus/), false killer whales (/Pseudorca crassidens/) and some pelagic sharks. Since no long-term solution could be found to date, we investigated fishing gear improvement by deploying a technology designed to physically protect the hooked fish by hiding it to predators: the DMD (depredation mitigation device). Two types of DMDs were designed: “spiders” and “socks”. The efficiency of “spiders” was tested in November 2007 during a fishing trial of 26 longline fishing operations when 12,480 hooks and 1970 devices were set. The efficiency of “socks” was tested in October 2008 during a fishing trial of 32 longline fishing operations when 13,220 hooks and 339 devices were set. 117 and 24 fish were hooked on branchlines equipped with spiders and socks, respectively and among those devices, 87.3% versus 69.2% were correctly triggered and 80% versus 15% of the fish were correctly protected. A low entanglement rate of the spiders with the fishing gear was found (3.6%), but a higher one was associated to the socks (17.8%). Operational constraints to routinely deploy “spiders” were examined. The number of sets impacted by shark depredation was significantly greater than the number of sets involving toothed whale depredation. However, when depredation occurred, the proportion of fish damaged by toothed whales was significantly greater. While more trials should be carried out to deeply verify the efficiency of DMDs, we remain convinced that considerations of fishing gear technologies might be more actively investigated to propose innovative measures to mitigate toothed whale depredation in pelagic longlining. For this type of gear, innovative technology is an important issue of the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) framework. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022098112002675 Pdf request can be made to njaratiana.rabearisoa(a)gmail.com Cheers, Njaratiana -- <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Njaratiana RABEARISOA PhD student IRD - UR 212 "Ecosystèmes marins exploités" SEMIR 16 rue Claude Chappe ZAC 2000 97420 Le Port La Réunion Tel : +262 55 15 63 Fax : +262 55 15 20 Site web : http://www.umr-eme.org/ http://www.la-reunion.ird.fr/ <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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Vacancy Announcement--Sea Otter Project Leader (USGS)
by Karen L Oakley 09 Aug '12

09 Aug '12

This vacancy will be posted on USAJOBS starting August 13. PAC-2012-0482 for the MP/status announcement (current federal employees with status) PAC-2012-0483 for the DEU/non-status announcement (all others) Research Wildlife Biologist/Ecologist, GS-0486/0408-13 Type of Appointment: Permanent Duty location: Anchorage, Alaska Open date: 8-13-2012 Closing date: Midnight, EASTERN time on Friday, 8-31-2012 USAJOBS may be accessed at http://www.usajobs.gov/ If applicants have questions about the USAJOBS website, they may contact: Beverly Ledbetter USGS, Human Resources 916-278-9399 or pacsac2(a)usgs.gov If applicants have questions about the position, they can contact me. Note: US Citizens only. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Karen Oakley U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center Marine & Freshwater Ecology, Branch Chief 4210 University Dr. Anchorage, AK 99508 907-786-7076 907-786-7150 fax koakley(a)usgs.gov +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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New paper - MRI in California sea lions with domoic acid toxicosis
by MONTIE, ERIC 09 Aug '12

09 Aug '12

Dear Colleagues, The following paper has just been published in Harmful Algae. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.hal.2012.07.004 Montie, E.W., Wheeler, E., Pussini, N., Battey, T.W.K., Van Bonn, W., Gulland, F. Magnetic resonance imaging reveals that brain atrophy is more severe in older California sea lions with domoic acid toxicosis. Harmful Algae (2012), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.hal.2012.07.004 ABSTRACT In 1998, domoic acid (DA) toxicosis was first documented in marine mammals, when more than 400 California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) were determined to have been exposed to DA through contaminated prey that was linked to a bloom of toxin-producing diatoms. Over the last fifteen years, these blooms have increased in frequency and distribution, and DA toxicosis has become a more complex disease. Evidence with laboratory animals show that DA can cause epilepsy, may affect brain development, and may have synergistic effects with some pollutants. Detecting these effects in marine mammals requires quantitative methods to evaluate brain morphology in live animals. In this study, our goal was to employ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the morphologic effects of DA toxicosis on the brain in live, wild California sea lions admitted to a rehabilitation center. We performed MRIs and volumetrics of brain structures of 53 sea lions that exhibited clinical signs of acute or chronic DA intoxication. We found that the volumes of the hippocampi and parahippocampal gyri of sea lions with chronic DA toxicosis were less than the volumes of these structures in non-DA intoxicated animals. In addition, adult sea lions with chronic DA toxicosis had more structural damage to the brain than younger animals. This pattern may be explained by one or more of the following possibilities: (i) repetitive, sublethal exposure; (ii) increased susceptibility of adults to DA compared to younger animals; and/or (iii) initial exposure to the toxin followed by the progressive effects of ongoing seizure activity. Of these three possibilities, increased susceptibility and progressive effects of ongoing seizure activity most likely explain why atrophy of the hippocampus and thinning of the parahippocampal gyrus is most severe in adults. Sincerely, Eric Montie Eric W. Montie Assistant Professor of Biology Department of Natural Sciences University of South Carolina Beaufort One University Boulevard Bluffton, SC 29909 Office Phone: (843) 208-8107 Fax: (843) 208-8294 Email: emontie(a)uscb.edu

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