Thomas F. Duda

TL;DR: It is proposed that these toxins isoforms show specificity for similar molecular targets (Na+ channels) in the many species preyed on by C. californicus and that individualistic utilization of specific toxin isoforms may involve control of gene expression.

TL;DR: Comparisons of genetic population structure and historical demography of several tropical Pacific Conus species show that although high dispersal rates appear to genetically homogenize broadly distributed species in the tropical Pacific, stochasticity in long-distance dispersal likely instigates genetic differentiation of geographically isolated and peripheral populations and results in discordant phylogeographic patterns among even closely related species.

TL;DR: Examination of the past 5 years of publications on Conus and conotoxins reveals that, at most, 20 research groups or individual researchers actively acquire cone snails from the field for conotoxin or other analyses, and that on average no more than 5000 animals per year are likely sacrificed collectively by Conus researchers.

TL;DR: Venomous organisms serve as wonderful systems to study the evolution and expression of genes that are directly associated with prey capture, and changes in gene expression contribute to intraspecific variation of venom composition and that gene expression patterns respond to changes in the diversity of food resources during different growth stages.

TL;DR: Results from analyses show that C. miliaris at Easter Island differs genetically from other populations, and that since population founding, gene flow has occurred predominantly from Easter Island to the west and that little migration has occurred into Easter Island.