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Thane Wibbels

Education:

  • B.S. University of Nebraska, 1978
  • M.S. University of Houston, 1982
  • Ph.D. Texas A&M University, 1988

Positions Held:

  • Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Texas at Austin, 1988-1990
  • NIH National Research Service Award Fellow, University of Texas at Austin, 1990-1992
  • Lecturer, University of Texas at Austin, 1992
  • Assistant Professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1993-1999
  • Associate Professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1999-present

Publications:

LeBlanc, AM and Wibbels T. (2009) Effects of daily water treatments on sex determination in the red-eared slider turtle. Journal of Experimental Zoology (In press, 311A: 67-72..

Dodd, K. and Wibbels, T. (2008)  Estrogen inhibits caudal progression, but stimuates proliferation of the mullerian ducts in a turtle with temperature-dependent sex determination.  Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A.. 150: 315-319.

Shaver, D. and Wibbels T. (2008) Headstarting Ridley Sea Turtles. In: Biology and Conservation of Ridley Sea Turtles. P. Plotkin (ed) John Hopkins University Press. Pages 297-323.

Wibbels, T. (2008) Sex Determination and Sex Ratio in Ridley Sea Turtles. In: Biology and Cu Conservation of Ridley Sea Turtles. P. Plotkin (ed) John Hopkins University Press. Pages 167-189..

Dodd, K, Murdock, C., and Wibbels, T. (2007) Interclutch variation in sex ratios produced at  pivotal temperature in the red-eared slider, a turtle with temperature-dependent sex          determination.  Journal of Herpetology 40:544-549.

Murdock, C. and Wibbbels, T. (2006). Dmrt1 expression in response to estrogen treatment in a reptile with temperature-dependent sex determination.  J. Exp. Zool.  306B: 134-139.

Geis, A.A. , Barichivich, W.J., Wibbels, T., Coyne, M., Landry, A.M.Jr., and Owens, D. (2005) Predicted sex  ratio of juvenile Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles captured near Steinhatchee, Florida.  Copeia 2005: 393-398.

Wibbels, T.(2005) The 25th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation.  Marine Turtle  Newsletter108:18-21.

Witzell, W., Geis, A.A., Schmid, J.R., and Wibbels, T. (2005) Sex ratio of immature Kemp’s ridley sea  turtles (Lepidochelys kempi), from Gullivan Bay, Ten Thousand Islands, south-west Florida. J.    Mar. Biol.  85, 205-208.

Wibbels, T. (2004) Conservation and Management Recommendations for Imperiled Wildlife: Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Green Sea Turtle, Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle, and Leatherback Sea Turtle. In: Alabama Wildlife, Volume 4, Imperiled Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals.  R.E. Mirachi, M. Bailey, J. T. Garner, T.M Haggerty, T.L. Best, M.E. Mettee, and P. O’Neil (Eds). Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources pp. 158-161.

Wibbels, T. (2004) Sea Turtles of Alabama: The Loggerhead Sea Turtle, The Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle, The Leatherback Sea Turtle, The Green Sea Turtle.  In: Alabama Wildlife, Volume 3, Imperiled Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals. R.E. Mirachi,  M. Bailey, T.M. Haggerty, and T.L. Best (Eds). Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources pp. 45-51.

Murdock, C. and Wibbels, T. (2003) Expression of Dmrt1 in a turtle with temperature-dependent sex determination.  Cytogenetics and Genome Research, 101:302-308.

Geis, A, Wibbels, T, Phillips, B, Hillis-Starr, Z., Meylan, A., Meylan, P., Diez, C, and Van Dam, R.  (2003)  Predicted Sex Ratio of Juvenile Hawksbill Sea Turtles Inhabiting Buck Island Reef National Monument, U.S. Virgin Islands.  Journal of Herpetology 37:400-404..

Wibbels T. (2003) Critical approaches to sex determination in sea turtle biology and conservation.  In: Biology of Sea Turtles, Volume 2. P. Lutz, J. Musik, J. Wynekan (eds),  CRC Press. pp 103-134.

Murdock, C.A. and Wibbels, T. (2003) Cloning and Expression of Aromatase in a Turtle with Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination. General and Comparative Endocrinology. 130:109-119.

Wibbels, T., Marion, K., Geis, A., Murdock, C., Nelson, D. and J. Askew. (2003)  Location and movements of juvenile sea turtle in the bay systems and coastal waters of Alabama..  In: Proceedings of the 22nd Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation J. Seminoff (ed)..  NOAA, Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-503: 242-243..

Rostal, D.C., Wibbels, T., Grumbles, J.S., Lance, V., and Spotila, J.R. (2002). Chronology of sex determination in the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). Chelonian Conservation and Biology 4:313-318.

Rowell, C.B., Watts, S.A., Wibbels, T., Hines, G.A., and Mair, G.  (2002). Androgen and estrogen metabolism during sex differentiation in mono-sex populations of the Nile tilapia, Orechormis niloticus.  General and Comparative Endocrinology 123: 151-162.

 Geis, A., Wibbels, T., Marquez-M, R, Garduno-D, M, Burchfield, P, and Pena-V, J.(in press) Predicted sex ratios of hatchling Kemp=s ridleys produced in egg corrals during the 1998, 1999, and 2000 nesting seaons.  Proceedings of the 21st Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Symposium. NOAA  Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC.

 Kalb, H, and Wibbels, T (compilers) (2001).  Proceeding of the 19th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Conservation and Biology.  U.S. Department of Commerce. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-SEFC-443, 291 pages.

Wibbels, T., Owens, D., and Limpus, C.  (2000) Sexing juvenile sea turtles: Is there an accurate and practical method?  Chelonian Conservation and Biology 3: 756-760.

Wibbels, T. (2000). Diagnosing the sex of sea turtles in foraging habitats.  In: Research and Management Techniques for the Conservation of Sea Turtles.  K. Eckert, K. Bjorndal, and A. Abreu, M. Donnelly (eds), IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group Publication No. 4.

Fleming, A., Wibbels, T., Skipper, J., and Crews, D. (1999).  Developmental expression of steroidogenic factor 1 mRNA in the red-eared slider turtle, a species with temperature-dependent sex determination.  General and Comparative Endocrinology 116: 336-346.

Rowell, C.B., Mair, G.C., Hines, G., Wibbels, T., and Watts, S.  (2000).  Characterization of androstenedione and 17 B-estradiol metabolism during the proposed critical period of sex differentiation in the tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus.  In: Proceedings of the 6th International Symposium on the Reproductive Physiology of Fish.  B. Norberg, O.S. Kjesbu, G.L. Taranger,, E. Anderson, and S.O. Stefansson (eds).  Berga Press, Norway.

Wibbels, T., and LeBouef, R. (2000) Development and evaluation of a sexing technique for hatchling sea turtles.  Proceedings of the 18th International Sea Turtle Symposium.  Feb. 1998, Mazatalan, Mexico.   NOAA, Technical Publications NMFS-SEFSC-436, 292-293.

Hanson, J., Wibbels, T., and Martin, R.E.  (2000) Use of miniature temperature data loggers to estimate sex ratios of hatchling loggerhead sea turtles.  Proceedings of the 18th International Sea Turtle Symposium.  Feb. 1998, Mazatalan, Mexico.   NOAA, Technical Publications NMFS-SEFSC-436, pp 136-138.

Wibbels, T., Hillis-Starr, Z-M., and Phillips, B. (1999) Female-biased sex ratios of hatchling hawksbill sea turtles from a Caribbean nesting beach.  Journal of Herpetology 33: 142-144.

Wibbels, T., Wilson, C., and Crews, D.  (1999) Mullerian duct development and regression in a turtle with temperature-dependent sex determination.  Journal of Herpetology 33:149-152.

Wibbel, T., Cowan, J., and LeBoeuf, R. (1998)  Temperature-dependent sex determination in the red-eared slider turtle,Trachemys scripta. Journal of Experimental Zoology. 281: 409-416.

Wibbels, T., Rostal, D., and Byles, R.  (1998) High pivotal temperature in the sex determination of the olive ridley sea turtle from Playa Nancite, Costa Rica. Copeia   1998: 1086-1088.

Hanson, J., Wibbels, T., and Martin, R. E.  (1998) Predicted female bias in hatchling sex ratios of loggerhead sea turtles from a Florida nesting beach.  Canadian Journal of Zoology 76:1850-1851.

Wibbels, T., Hanson, J, Balazs, G., Hillis-Starr, Z-M., Phillips, B. (1998) Blood sampling techniques for hatchling cheloniid sea turtles. Herpetological Review 29: 218-220.

Bergeron, J.M., Gahr, M., Horan, K., Wibbels, T., and Crews.  (1998) Cloning and in situ hybridization in the developing gonads of the red-eared slider turtle, a species with temperature-dependent sex determination.  Development, Growth, and Differentiation  40: 243-254.

Hanson, J. and Wibbels, T.  (1998) Examination of steroid hormone levels in hatchlings sea turtle blood and chorioallantoic fluid.  Proceeding of the 17th Annual Sea Turtle Symposium.  Feb. 1997, Orlando, FL.  NOAA, Technical Publications NMFS-SEFSC (in press).

Hines, G.A., , Boots, L.R.,  Wibbels, T., and Watts, S.A.. (1998) Steroid levels and steroid metabolism in relation to early gonadal development in the tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (Teleostei: Cyprinoidei). General and Comparative Endocrinology 114: 235-248.

Wibbels, T. and LeBoeuf, R.  (1998) Development of a mullerian-inhibiting hormone sexing technique in sea turtles.  Proceedings of the 17th Annual Sea Turtle Symposium.  Feb. 1997, Orlando, FL.  NOAA, Technical Publications NMFS-SEFSC (in press).

Wibbels, T. and Hillis, Z.M. (1997). Estimation of hatchling sex ratios from Buck Island Reef National Monument.  Proceedings of the 16th Annual Sea Turtle Symposium.  R. Byles and Y. Fernandez (eds). Feb. 1996, Hilton Head South, S.C. NOAA, Technical Publications NMFS-SEFSC. pp. 145-146.

Wibbels, T. and Crews, D. (1995) Steroid-induced sex determination at temperatures producing mixed sex ratios in a turtle with TSD.  General and Comparative Endocrinology 100: 53-60.

Wibbels, T. and Crews, D.  (1994) Putative aromatase inhibitor induces male sex determination in an all female unisexual lizard and in a turtle with TSD.  Journal of Endocrinology 141: 295-299.

Wibbels, T., Bull, J.J., and Crews, D. (1994) Temperature-dependent sex determination: a mechanistic approach.  Journal of Experimental Zoology 270: 71-78.

Crews, D., Bergeron, J.M., Bull, J.J., Flores, D., Tousignant, A., Skipper, J.K., and Wibbels, T. (1994) Temperature-dependent sex determination in reptiles: proximate mechanisms, ultimate outcomes, and practical applications.  Developmental Genetics 15: 297-312.

Crews, D., Tousignant, A., and Wibbels, T. (1994) Some considerations for inducing reproduction in captive reptiles. In: Captive Management and Conservation of Reptiles.   J.B. Murphy, K. Adler, and J.T. Colins (Eds).  Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Ithaca, NY.  Pages 133-145.


Wibbels, T., Gideon, P., Bull, J.J. and Crews, D. (1993) Estrogen- and temperature-induced medullary cord regression during gonadal differentiation in a turtle. Differentiation 53:149-154.

Wibbels, T., Balazs, G., Owens, D.W., and Amoss, M.S., Jr.  (1993) Sex ratio of immature green sea  turtles inhabiting the Hawaiian Archipelago.  Journal of Herpetology 27:327-329.

Wibbels, T., Bull, J.J., and Crews, D. (1992) Steroid hormone-induced male sex determination in an amniotic vertebrate. Journal of Experimental Zoology 262:454-457.

Wibbels, T., and Crews, D. (1992). Specificity of steroid hormone-induced sex determination in a turtle.  Journal of Endocrinology  133: 121-129.

Wibbels, T. (1992) Kemp's ridley sea turtles. Science 257:465 (letter to the editor).

Wibbels, T., Owens, D.W., Licht, P., Limpus, C.J., Reed, P.C., and Amoss, M.S., Jr. (1992). Serum dynamics of gonadotropin and gonadal steroid concentrations associated with ovulation and egg production in sea turtles.  General and Comparative Endocrinology 87:71-78.

Wibbels, T., Bull, J.J., and Crews, D. (1991) Chronology and morphology of temperature-dependent sex determination. Journal of Experimental Zoology 260: 371-381.

Wibbels, T. Killebrew, F., and Crews, D. (1991) Sex determination in Cagle's map turtle: Evolutionary, developmental, and conservational implications. Canadian Journal of Zoology 69: 2693-2696.

Wibbels, T., Martin, R.E., Owens, D., and Amoss, M.S.  (1992) Female-biased sex ratio of immature loggerhead sea turtles inhabiting the Atlantic coastal waters of Florida. Canadian Journal of Zoology 69: 2973-2977.

Wibbels, T., Bull J.J, and Crews, D. (1991) Synergism of temperature and estradiol: A common pathway in turtle sex determination? Journal of Experimental Zoology 260: 130-134.

Wibbels, T, Owens, D.W., and Rostal, D. (1991) Soft plastra of adult male sea turtles: An apparent secondary sexual characteristic. Herpetological Review 22: 47-49.

Crews, D., Bull, J.J., Wibbels, T. (1991). Estrogen and sex reversal in turtles: A dose-dependent phenomenon. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 81: 357-364.

Wibbels, T., Owens, D., Limpus, C.J., and Amoss, M.S. (1990) Seasonal changes in serum gonadal steroids associated with migration, mating, and nesting in loggerhead sea turtles. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 79:154-164.

Wibbels, T. (1990) Panel review of Kemp's Ridley Headstart Program.  Marine Turtle Newsletter, 51: 26-27.

Wibbels, T. (1989) Shrimp trawl-induced mortality of sea turtles during short duration trawling. Marine Turtle Newsletter, 47: 3-5.

Wibbels, T.R., Morris, Y.A., Owens, D.W., Dienberg, G.A., Noell, J., Amoss, M., Leong, J.K., King, R., and  Marquez M., R. (1989). Predicted sex ratios from the international Kemp's ridley headstart program. In: Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Biology, Conservation and Management. Charles Caillouet and Andre Landry (eds). Sea Grant Publication, pp 77-81.