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Vertebrate Natural History Notes From Arkansas, 2020, C. Renn Tumlison, Matt Connior, Blake Sasse, Henry Robison, Stan Trauth, S Higdon, L Baer, Z. Baer, R. Stinson, D. Carson, T. Inebnit, L. Lewis, Roger Perry, Ron Redman

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Smaller details of natural history often go undocumented to science if those details are not parts of larger studies, but small details can provide insights that lead to interesting questions about ecological relationships or environmental change. We have compiled recent important observations of distribution and reproduction of fishes and mammals. Included are new distributional records of mammals, and observations of reproduction in several mammals for which few data exist in Arkansas. A rare record of the Long-tailed weasel, a special of special concern in Arkansas, is documented from Newton Co. We also provide evidence that Seminole bats likely reproduce in …

Energy Content Of Seeds Of Texas Doveweed (Croton Texensis) From The Diet Of Mourning Doves (Zenaida Macroura) From Southeastern New Mexico, John L. Hunt, Matthew E. Grilliot, Troy L. Best, Collin S. Deen, Dixie Lozano-Lopez, Emily R. Neilson, Taytumn R. Schlegel-Ridgway

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We analyzed the energy content of seeds of Texas doveweed (Croton texensis) obtained from the crops of mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) collected from plains-mesa sand-scrub habitat in Eddy and Lea counties, New Mexico. Seeds were removed from crops and dried for 48 hours at 60°C to remove moisture and to standardize masses. Seeds were then analyzed for gross caloric value (i.e., energy content) in an oxygen bomb calorimeter. Energy content of seeds of Texas doveweed was greater than many seeds previously reported from the diet of mourning doves.

De Novo Development And Characterization Of Tetranucleotide Microsatellite Loci Markers From A Southeastern Population Of The House Finch (Haemorhous Mexicanus), Edgar E. Sanchez, J Dylan Maddox, Douglas G. Barron

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Microsatellites are short tandem repeats (e.g. TAGATAGA) of base pairs in a species’ genome. High mutation rates in these regions produce variation in the number of repeats across individuals that can be utilized to study patterns of population- and landscape-level genetics and to determine parentage genetically. In this project our objective was to develop microsatellite markers for the House Finch, Haemorhous mexicanus. This species has become one of the most well-studied species of songbirds due to its unique geographical, evolutionary, and epidemiological history. Using mist-nets we captured birds on the Arkansas Tech University campus and collected blood samples to …

Ecology Of Blanchard Springs Caverns, Ozark National Forest, Arkansas: 42 Years Later, C. J. Midden, S. K. Sasser, J. L. Grove

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Interrelationships between subterranean and epigean environments affect dispersion and distribution of cave organisms among the macro and microhabitats. This study examined the environmental impact of 42 years of tourism and development in the two lower sections of Blanchard Springs Caverns found in Stone County, Arkansas; and contributes to a better understanding of the seasonal fluctuations of the abiotic and biotic parameters.

Temperature, water quality, and fauna data were collected. A new entrance, lighting, and approximately 12,500 visitors during the 12-month study had no observable effect on cavern temperatures. Stream water quality measurements were comparable to Grove’s 1974 study. Gray bat, …

Long-Term Monitoring And Recovery Of A Population Of Alligator Snapping Turtles, Macrochelys Temminckii (Testudines: Chelydridae), From A Northeastern Arkansas Stream, S. E. Trauth, D. S. Siegel, M. L. Mccallum, D. H. Jamieson, A. Holt, J. B. Trauth, H. Hicks, J. W. Stanley, J. Elston, J. J. Kelly, J. D. Konvalina

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We conducted a mark-recapture study of Alligator Snapping Turtles, Macrochelys temminckii, on Salado Creek (Independence Co., Arkansas) during 10 trapping seasons, which spanned a 20-year period (1995–2015). We trapped a total of 163 Alligator Snapping Turtles during 416 trap nights and recorded a total of 35 recaptures during this study. Both the catch per unit effort (CPUE) and Jolly-Seber approaches demonstrated that this population benefitted from removal of harvest pressure, thus leading to an increase in abundance of Alligator Snapping Turtles in the lower ~5 km of the creek. The CPUE averaged slightly greater than 0.24 (317 trap nights) during …

Ecology Of The Squirrel Treefrog (Hyla Squirella) In Southern Arkansas, M. B. Connior, T. Fulmer, C. T. Mcallister, S. E. Trauth, C. R. Bursey

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We conducted an ecological study of the Squirrel Treefrog, Hyla squirella near El Dorado, Union Co., Arkansas from May-Oct. 2013. We extended the known distribution by ~2 km and documented the first breeding occurring on 28 May and the first transformation of juveniles on 27 Aug. Three endoparasites were documented: Opalina sp., Nyctotherus cordiformis, and Physaloptera sp. larvae. We also provide information on endoparasites of Florida H. squirella as well as a summary of helminths of this frog.

Home Ranges And Movements Of Adult Deer On Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, Gregory G. Humphreys, Thomas A. Nelson

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We radio-tracked 27 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) weekly for one year on Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, to investigate their seasonal home ranges and movements between hunted areas and refuges on this military base. This work resulted in2,123 separate radiolocations, of which 85% (1,799) were suitable for use in home range analyses. We used the McPAAL computer package to estimate home range using the Harmonic Mean and minimum convex polygon (MCP) methods. Harmonic mean estimates were based on 95% contour lines. Home range size differed between the sexes and methods. Male home ranges were larger than those of females (t= 3.32, P<0.01; harmonic mean) (t=2.07, P<0.05; MCP). Average home range sizes for males and females based on the harmonic mean method were estimated to be 483 ha and 181 ha, respectively, whereas home range estimates for males and females using the MCP method were 636 ha and 289 ha, respectively. The average home range size for all deer was 259 ha (harmonic mean) and 379 ha (MCP). We found no evidence that females restricted their home ranges during the fawning period. However, females' home ranges expanded during the breeding season, perhaps to find mates. Few deer moved to refuge areas that were off-limits to hunters during the hunting season.

One-Year Study Of The Species Diversity And Relative Abundance Of Snakes And Lizards In The Jack Mountain Region Of Hot Springs County, Arkansas, Vincent A. Cobb, Jeff A. Summerhill

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Ultrastructure Of Cepedietta Virginiensis (Protista: Haptophrynidae), From The Gall Bladder Of The Pickerel Frog, Rana Palustris, In Arkansas, Chris T. Mcallister, Stanley E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Measuring Shrubland Vegetational Structure Using Avian Habitats As An Example, Douglas A. James

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Vegetational sampling of avian habitats stresses the use of methods primarily designed for forest birds. This paper describes a technique for sampling vegetational structure in uneven patchy habitats such as shrublands. Using the method, avian habitats in old field shrublands of northwestern Arkansas were analyzed.

Status Of The Ozark Hellbender, Cryptobranchus Bishopi (Urodela: Cryptobranchidae), In The Spring River, Fulton County, Arkansas, Stanley E. Trauth, J. D. Wilhide, Patrick Daniel

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We conducted a tag and release study of the Ozark hellbender along a 26 km stretch of the Spring River from mid-July through mid-November, 1991, to determine current population levels. Salamanders were collected by hand with the aid of scuba diving equipment. Thirteen visits(36 dive hrs.) to10 selected access sites yielded 20 animals. Compared to previously published data of the early 1980's which indicated large, striving populations of C. bishopi(in some cases, > 300 individuals) in the Spring River, our study found perilously low numbers of salamanders. This drastic decline may be attributed to over collection of specimens for scientific or …

Past And Present Distribution Of The Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Picoides Borealis And Its Habitat In The Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas, Joseph C. Neal, Warren G. Montague

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Within the past 15 years, at least 41 and probably more active cavity tree clusters (or colonies) of Red cockaded Woodpeckers (Picoides borealis) have existed in remnant, mature shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) woodlands in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas. These clusters were located on both private timberlands and in the Ouachita National Forest. Fewer than half of this number were still active in early 1991, and none remained on private timberlands. The species is presently restricted to the xeric, western margins of the Ouachitas in Scott and Polk counties within the confines of the Ouachita National Forest where it receives …

Distribution, Scutellation, And Reproduction In The Queen Snake, Regina Septemvittata (Serpentes: Colubridae), From Arkansas, Stanley E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The queen snake, Regina septemvittata, has a disjunct portion of its distribution in Arkansas. This rare, crayfish-eating species is best known from only a few isolated populations from several major streams that flow out of the Boston Mountains of the Ozark Plateau. A field study of this species was conducted during the summer of 1990, and only 4 specimens were documented. Gravid females were collected in July; sperm production was also noted in July. Parturition presumably takes place in August or early September. This species may qualify as threatened or endangered in Arkansas.

Aggressive Interactions Between Male Cotton Mice (Peromyscus Gossypinus) And Male Texas Mice (P. Attwateri), John A. Peppers, David W. Royal, Gary A. Heidt

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Sex Ratios In Bobcat Populations, C. Renn Tumlison, V. Rick Mcdaniel

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Reported sex ratios in bobcat populations have suggested great variation ranging from strong male bias to strong female bias. Explanations offered for these observations have included factors of mobility, activity, behavior, inaccurate data collection, hunting pressure, and population density. Ratios are probably most representative during the winter, when females are no longer under constraints of parental care. Sex determination should be made by experienced observers and preferably through internal examination. The most productive direction for interpretation of validated ratios appears to be in terms of population density, hunting pressure, and the timing of harvest.

Comparison Of The Symbiotic Fauna Of The Family Plethodontidae In The Ouachita Mountains Of Western Arkansas, Douglas A. Winter, Wojciech M. Zawada, Arthur A. Johnson

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

During the spring of 1985, 101 salamanders representing six host species (29 Plethodon ouachitae, 25 P. caddoensis, 6 P. fourchensis, 23 P. serratus, 13 Desmognathus brimleyorum, and 5 P. glutinosus glutinosus) were collected from six localities in three counties in Arkansas (Polk, Scott, and Montgomery) and examined for symbionts. With the exception of Hannemania dunni, all symbionts recovered from the first five species listed constitute new host records, and the endoparasitic fauna in all species establish new locality records. Examinations revealed one or more species of parasites in 82% of the hosts. Eight species of symbionts (3 nematode, 1 trematode, …

Seasonal Abundance, Movement And Diversity Of Fishes In An Ozark Stream, Michael R. Dewey

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Seasonal fluctuations in fish abundance in Mud Creek occurred throughout the year at all sampling stations. At the two upper stations abundance was high and unstable during winter and early spring and decreased after heavy rainfall in mid-April. Abundance was low throughout the summer months, increasing in the fall due to large numbers of young-of-the-year. However, a different seasonal cycle occurred at the lower station which included deeper pools. Numbers were low and stable throughout the winter and early spring but high and unstable during the summer. Bigeye shiners (Notropis boops) and bluntnose minnows (Pimephales notatus) were the most mobile …

Pre-Impoundment Limnological Study Of The Strawberry River In Northeastern Arkansas, Henry W. Robison, George L. Harp

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

A study of pre-impoundment limnological characteristics of the Strawberry River was made from August, 1967 to June, 1968. Two collecting stations were established, one upstream which would not be inundated and a lower station which would be inundated when impoundment was complete. The Strawberry River was characterized by high alkalinity and pH, low carbon dioxide and turbidity, and adequate oxygen values. Plankton was characterized by limited numbers of Staurastrum, Gomphonema, and Rotatoria. Pool-riffle communities were ill-defined. Chironomidae, Oligochaeta and Ephemeroptera were dominant pool macroinvertebrates among 13 taxa collected. Of the 20 taxa collected in riffles Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera, Simuliidae and Chironomidae …

The Labiatae Of Arkansas, James M. Lang

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Spider Populations Of Ground Stratum In Arkansas Pasture And Adjacent Cultivated Field, W. H. Whitcomb, Harriet Exline, Maxine Hite

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Of 64 species of spiders taken from the ground stratum of an Arkansas pasture and adjoining cotton field, only 26 were common to both. Twenty-two were collected only in the cotton field; 16, only in the pasture. Many of the 18 species of lycosids were taken in greater numbers in the cultivated field, especially Pardosa milvina and Lycosa helluo. Eight species of lycosids were found only in the cotton field; two, only in the pasture. Only Schizocosa avida, of the better represented lycosids, appeared to show no preference. Similar relationships are given for dictynids, erigonids, linyphiids, oxyopids, gnaphosids, clubionids, thomisids, …