Zoology Commons^™

Evolutionary Perspectives On Animalivory, Patricia W. Freeman

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Derived from insectivorous ancestors, microchiropteran bats have diversified into a remarkable array of feeding habits. Cranial and dental characteristics mirror this diversity. Insectivorous predators of hard-shelled prey have thicker jaws, well-developed cranial crests, fewer but larger teeth, longer canines and abbreviated M3s than species that take soft items. Carnivorous bats have more elongate skulls, larger brain volumes and larger pinnae, lengthened metastylar ridges, and larger protoconids compared to insectivores. Animalivorous species have large ectoloph areas compared to frugivorous and nectarivorous species, but animalivores and frugivores have large tooth areas relative to palatal area compared to nectarivores. Frugivores sacrifice ectoloph for …

The Effects Of Temperature And Daylength On The Rosa Polyphenism In The Buckeye Butterfly, Precis Coenia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), Kelly C. Smith

Publications

In North Carolina, Precis coenia that emerge during the Summer months exhibit a ventral hindwing (VHW) with well-defined reddish-brown and brown pattern elements on a light tan background. During late Summer and early Fall, however, individuals begin to appear with poorly defined or obscured pattern elements on a dark reddish-brown background. The present study shows that the Fall (rosa) color morph can be induced by either low rearing temperatures or short daylengths. The effect of such conditions seems to be cumulative throughout the larval life, although animals are much more sensitive during the last 24 hours of larval …

Whooping Crane Sightings During Fall Migration, 1993, Steven Anschutz

Nebraska Bird Review

During the summer of 1993, an all-time record of 45 whooping-crane nests were confirmed on the breeding grounds at Wood Buffalo National Park. Suspected mortality included two nesting females. A total of 143 whooping cranes (127 adult/subadult and 16 young) arrived at Aransas between October 20 and November 22. As of December 30, five juveniles were missing and presumed dead. The only verified mortality during migration was a crane near Midland, Texas which died November 5 after apparently flying into a fence. The first dates for confirmed observations of migrating whooping cranes were August 16 in Saskatchewan, Canada, and September …

Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Fall Meeting, Halsey National Forest, September 3-5, 1993; Excerpts From The Fall Meeting, Robin Harding

Nebraska Bird Review

Excerpts from Minutes of the Fall Meeting (Robin Harding, Secretary):

Heather Whittaker reported on a Wildlife Society program called "Integrating People in Wildlife Conservation", in which she is participating. Five hundred to seven hundred wildlife biologists from all over the world will travel to Costa Rica for this program this fall [1993].

On Sunday morning, Mack Deveraux and Clark Fliege, Forest Service, presented the Master Recreation Plan for Halsey National Forest. They expressed a desire to hear NOU members' ideas and reactions to this plan.

The 1994 Annual Meeting will be held at Niobrara State Park May 2022, and the …

Masthead From Nebraska Bird Review

Nebraska Bird Review

EDITOR'S NOTE: Appreciation is expressed to Dr. R. G. Cortelyou for compiling the Christmas bird count and the index for this volume.

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the Nebraska ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official Journal, and sent to members not in arrears for dues. Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $12.50 in the United States, $15.00 in Canada and Mexico, and $17.50 for all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4.00 each, postpaid, in the United States, and $5.00 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to …

1993 Nebraska Christmas Bird Count, R. G. Cortelyou

Nebraska Bird Review

The 1993 Nebraska Christmas Bird Counts are shown in the table in a west (left) to east (right) order, but the narrative accounts are in alphabetical order. In the table those numbers which were underlined (to emphasize the unusual number’s in the reports are shown in bold, and the species for which the names were underlined (to emphasize that the species was unusual in the report are marked * before the number in the particular column. For both Eagles the total number (given first) is broken down by age immediately afterwards, and these numbers are shown in italics to …

Pine Siskins In Breeding Condition Along The North Platte River, Keith County, Nebraska, 1993, William C. Scharf, W. John Berigan, Josef Kren

Nebraska Bird Review

Johnsgard (1979) categorizes the Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus) as an erratic breeder in a number of eastern and southeastern Nebraska counties. Ducey (1988) considers this species to be a regular nester throughout the state in suitable coniferous habitat. Neither authors have listed breeding records in Keith County, although Ducey cites a record from Chase County (Bennett 1986). The Pine Siskin is known as a breeder in 12 counties in Kansas (Thompson and Ely 1992).

Methods

We caught and banded Pine Siskins at Cedar Point Biological Station near Lake Keystone, Keith County, Nebraska (41° 13' N, 101° 38' W) …

Whole Issue Nebraska Bird Review (December 1993) 61(4),

Nebraska Bird Review

Table of Contents

Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Fall Meeting, Sept. 3-5, 1993 …………….142

Whooping Crane Sightings During Fall Migration, 1993……………. 143

Pine siskins in Breeding Condition Along the North Platte River, Keith County, Nebraska, 1993 …………….144

Nebraska Christmas Bird Count for 1993……………. 145

Index to Volume 61…………….150

EDITOR'S NOTE: Appreciation is expressed to Dr. R. G. Cortelyou for compiling the Christmas bird count and the index for this volume.

Sorex Merriami In Nebraska, Patricia W. Freeman, Jay D. Druecker, Scott Tvrz

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

We report the capture of a second specimen of Merriam’s shrew (Sorex merriami) from the northwestern comer of Nebraska from dry grassland of sage and rabbitbrush. The first specimen, captured in 1965, is a more eastern record in what today is Sandhills prairie.

The Mayfly Newsletter, Peter M. Grant

The Mayfly Newsletter

The Mayfly Newsletter is the official newsletter of the Permanent Committee of the International Conferences on Ephemeroptera.

Flowering Phenology Along The Uwm Field Station Boardwalk In The Cedarburg Bog, Kate Redmond, James A. Reinartz, Scott Critchley

Field Station Bulletins

Flowering phenology of 254 plant species was studied over eight growing seasons between 1984 and 1993. Most of the phonological observations were made along the Field Station's boardwalk in the Cedarburg Bog. We report on the flowering phenology of 189 species for which there was sufficient data for an accurate description. Correlations of flowering phenology with weather data are also summarized.

Whooping Crane Sightings During Spring Migration, 1993, Steven Anschutz

Nebraska Bird Review

A total of 136 whooping cranes began the migration from Aransas National wildlife Refuge in the spring of 1993, and all the cranes had left by April 26. The migration proceeded rapidly, with no major storms within the flyway. The first dates for confirmed observations of migrating cranes were April 2 in the U.S. and April 5 in Canada. The last sighting date was June 2 in Saskatchewan, Canada. Sightings were reported from Texas (1), Oklahoma (1), Kansas (7), Nebraska (8), South Dakota (3), North Dakota (2), and Saskatchewan, Canada (22). The longest stopover time was a juvenile, migrating alone, …

Bald Eagles Nest At North Platte National Wildlife Refuge, Brad Mckinney

Nebraska Bird Review

The refuge, located in Scotts Bluff County, played host during the summer of 1993 to one of only two bald-eagle nests in Nebraska, and three eaglets were reared to flight stage. A successful nest on the Middle Loup River in 1992 was the first bald-eagle nest to fledge in Nebraska in over 100 years. [See NBR 60 (2): 59. June 1992.]

The nest was discovered on April 2 while I was inspecting an abandoned heron/cormorant rookery. A startled adult bald eagle leaped out of one of the larger nests and began making several treetop-level passes and snapping its beak over …

Corrections In Nebraska Bird Review 61(2) September 1993.

Nebraska Bird Review

Whopping Cranes. The location of the five birds reported by Loren Blake was 5 miles east and 4½ miles north from Brunswick in Antelope Co., not northeast of Creighton in Knox Co.

--Loren Blake, HC 63, Box 18, Chambers, NE 68725 --Eldon Marsh, Box 365, Brunswick, NE 68720

Yellow-headed Blackbirds. The flocks seen by Lee Morris in the Benedict area were in York Co., not Knox Co. [Editor’s error].

Masthead From Nebraska Bird Review (September 1993) 61(3)

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., and its official Journal, and sent to members not in arrears for dues Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $12.50 in the United States, $15.00 in Canada and Mexico, and $17.50 for all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4.00 each, postpaid in the United States, and $5.00 elsewhere. Send orders for back issue to Mary H. Pritchard, NOU Librarian, W-436 Nebraska Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in NOU (on a calendar year basis …

"Notes On Bird Sightings In Nebraska," From Nebraska Bird Review (September 1993)

Nebraska Bird Review

Notes on Bird Sighting in Nebraska

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks. On Wednesday, May 26, 1993, at 7:00 a.m., we saw two of these birds at our house in rural Lancaster Co., south of Denton, NE (S 26 T-9-N R-5-E). The ducks flew across part of the pond and perched in a dead cedar for about ten minutes before flying off in a southwesterly direction. The distinctive coloration, including black underparts, gray head, bright beak, and pink legs were readily visible. As the birds were flying, the large white areas on the tops of the wings were also clearly discernible.

---Dave …

Whole Issue Nebraska Bird Review (September 1993) 61(3)

Nebraska Bird Review

Table of Contents

The Spring 1993 Occurrence Report……………….94

Table for Spring 1993 Occurrence Report……………….96

Continuation of Spring 1993 Occurrence Report……………….136

Notes on Bird Sightings in Nebraska……………….136

Corrections in NBR Vol. 61 (2) 1993……………….138

Bald Eagles Nest at North Platte National Wildlife Refuge……………….138

Whooping Crane Sighting during Spring Migrations, 1993……………….139

The Spring 1993 Occurrence Report, R.G. Cortelyou

Nebraska Bird Review

Three hundred one species, plus the possibility that the Traill's Flycatchers reported by Mrs. Ott in Cuming and Lancaster counties included both Alder and Willow Flycatchers, and that the Empidonax sp. included species not specificallv reported, were reported from 41 counties.

...

Dixon, one species, shown as a note in the Dakota column. Jan and Richard Johnson had a Black-throated Sparrow at their feeder in Wakefield from Ja 2 to early March.

Dodge, 31 species, Larry Einemann, reporter, one date reported: My 30. These are shown in the Cuming Co. column as "d".

Douglas, includes Sarpy, which see.

Deuel, 89 …

"Taxonomy" From Biology Of The Heteroeromyidae, Daniel F. Williams, Hugh H. Genoways, Janet K. Braun

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Herein the taxonomy of the family is reviewed and diagnoses of Recent species and accounts of all currently recognized Recent species and subspecies are provided. The objective is to present a current taxonomy for the family rather than a systematic review. Unfortunately, there have been no comprehensive reviews for most genera for 80 years or more and the current taxonomy of many species clearly is unsatisfactory, as is the understanding of the relationships between most of the described fossil and Recent taxa.

Preface To Biology Of The Heteromyidae, Hugh H. Genoways, James H. Brown

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

What is the family Heteromyidae? It is the group ofexclusively New World rodents that includes the kangaroo rats, pocket mice, and kangaroo mice ofthe desert, grasslands, and shrublands of western North America as well as the spiny and pouched rats of the subtropical shrublands and tropical deciduous and evergreen forests of North America, Central America, and northernmost South America. It is a large family, with six genera and 316 species.

Flat Water Mammals, Patricia W. Freeman, Russell A. Benedict

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Nebraska's diverse habitats are home for an equally diverse collection of mammals, some of which appear to be expanding their ranges as the habitat changes, especially along the Platte River Valley.

Evaluation Of The Gross Anatomy Seasonal Changes Function And Histology Of The Perineal Gland In The Hispid Cotton Rat, Sigmodon Hispidus, Julie Anne Winchell

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The perinea! gland in the hispid cotton rat, Sigmodon hispidus, is a seasonally cyclic, subcutaneously located organ which is associated with the reproductive system. On gross dissection, the gland possesses a strong attachment to the penis with only loose fascia! connections to the rectum and surrounding muscle and skin. Histologic exam confirms this connection to the reproductive tract and shows the organ to be a compound tubuloacinar gland with a projection leading into the penis. The cyclic hypertrophy and regression of the gland closely parallels that of the testes and seminal vesicles indicating that this cyclicity may be under …

Pheromonal Composition Of Two Species Of African Amblyomma Ticks: Similarities, Differences And Possible Species Specific Components, Thomas Lem Price Jr.

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Two species of bont ticks, Amblyomma hebraeum and Amblyomma variegatum, common to Africa have been studied to compare types and quantities of compounds known or believed to serve as components of the attraction-aggregation-attachment pheromone (AAAP). A complex of attraction, aggregation and attachment pheromones are used by these ticks to detect hosts, mates and perhaps minimize interspecific breeding. Solvent extraction of pheromone emitting ticks followed by Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry revealed little difference in the composition of the AAAP in these two species. However, subtle differences in the relative makeup of the pheromonal blend are noted, suggesting that such differences …

The Effect Of 6-Methoxybenzoxazolinone On Reproductive Condition In The Hispid Cotton Rat, Sigmodon Hispidus, Vera Lee Adams

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

A non-estrogenic hormone, 6-methoxybenzoxazolinone (6-MBOA), found in young growing grasses, has been shown to be a reproductive initiator in several herbivorous rodents. However, the mechanism by which 6-MBOA initiates reproduction has not been determined. Many believe that 6-MBOA represents a reliable cue that the vegetative growing season has begun, but it is unknown whether this hormone is a primary cueing mechanism or if it works in conjunction with other environmental factors. Therefore, a controlled laboratory experiment was conducted using male and female Sigmodon hispidus, the hispid cotton rat, to determine whether different dosages of 6-MBOA (4μg, 40 …

On The Relative Importance Of Floral Color, Shape, And Nectar Rewards In Attracting Pollinators To Mimulus, Steven D. Sutherland, Robert K. Vickery Jr.

Great Basin Naturalist

Pollinator preferences were observed for the six species of section Erythranthe of the genus Mimulus using greenhouse-grown plants placed in a meadow in the Red Butte Canyon Natural Area, Salt Lake County, Utah. The principal pollinators were hummingbirds and bumble bees. Hummingbirds preferred the species with the most reflexed tubular flowers regardless of color, whereas bumblebees preferred pink. lavender, or yellow flowers to red flowers regardless of shape. Results for the six species were confirmed by observations of F₂ hybrid recombinant plants selected such that flower color could be held constant and flower shape varied and vice versa.

First Record Of A Ross' Gull For Nebraska, Stephen J. Dinsmore, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

On 17 December, 1992, we observed a Ross' Gull in second-winter plumage at Sutherland Reservoir, Lincoln County. We studied the bird in detail from 7:35-10.00 a.m. and again from 11:15 a.m.-1:00 p.m. CST as it fed with several Bonaparte's Gulls at the outlet between the cooling pond and the reservoir. The Ross' Gull remained at this location through 28 December and was seen by many birders from around the Midwest.

During all of our observations, the small size, dark underwings, and wedge-shaped tail set this bird apart from the Bonaparte's Gulls. At first, we overlooked the tail shape and tentatively …

Lesser Black-Backed Gull At Sutherland Reservoir, Stephen J. Dinsmore, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

At 8:45 a.m. CST on 17 December, 1992, we observed a Lesser Blackbacked Gull at Sutherland Reservoir in Lincoln County. The bird was first seen resting on the water in the company of Herring and Ringbilled Gulls. Compared to these species, this bird had a very distinct dark charcoal-gray mantle and upperwings, which were at least a shade darker than the mantle color of a Herring Gull, though definitely not black. When, during a brief period, the bird was compared directly to an adult California Gull, it had a noticeably darker mantle, was slightly larger, and had more obvious dark-brown …

Fall 1992 Occurrence Report (July 1-December 31)

Nebraska Bird Review

The total number of species observed in 30 counties of Nebraska during this period was 280. During the past ten years (1983-1992), the number of species for the same reporting period has ranged from 262 in 1983 to 296 in 1987, with the average at 284. Several variables can affect these numbers, including number of observers, frequency of observations, weather conditions for the period, and number of counties included. In 1991 and 1992, the reports by Richard C. Rosche have extended observations to counties in the northwest sector of Nebraska. No reports were obtained from counties in the northern half …

Masthead From Nebraska Bird Reveiew (June 1993) 61(2)

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official Journal, and sent to members not in arrears for dues. Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $12.50 in the United States, $15.00 in Canada and Mexico, and $17.50 for all other countries, payable in advance. single copies are $4.00 each, postpaid, in the United states, and $5.00 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Mary H. Pritchard, NOU Librarian, W-436 Nebraska Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in NOU (on a calendar year basis …

"Notes On Bird Sightings In Nebraska," From Nebraska Bird Review (June 1993) 61(2).

Nebraska Bird Review

Black-throated sparrow. Jan and Richard Johnson first saw this bird on their farm 6 miles north of Wayne (Dixon County) on January 2, 1993. It was still coming to the feeders regularly early in February. Photo by B. J. Rose.

Whooping Cranes. I have enclosed two photos of Whooping Cranes. They were discovered about five miles northeast of Creighton (Knox County) the afternoon of Easter Sunday, April 11, 1993. They were standing in a flooded area in a corn field. During the following days, they also frequented two other wet areas less than a mile from the corn …