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Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Factors That Influence Small Mammal Long Bone Morphology: An Analysis Of The Femora, Tibiae, And Humeri Of The Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus Carolinensis), Tyler Everette Blake Jan 2024

Factors That Influence Small Mammal Long Bone Morphology: An Analysis Of The Femora, Tibiae, And Humeri Of The Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus Carolinensis), Tyler Everette Blake

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The goal of this study is to examine the effect of urbanization and latitude on bone morphology, specifically limb length and bone density among gray squirrels endemic to the eastern United States. This study’s hypotheses are as follows: gray squirrels occupying lower latitudes will have larger body sizes and longer limbs relative to body size than those at higher latitudes following Bergmann’s and Allen’s rules. Further, squirrels in urban habitats will have greater bone density than those in rural habitats. Results show moderate correlation between body mass and respective proxies and latitude following Bergmann’s rule. Weak correlations were found between …


An Exceptionally Small New Polycotylid Plesiosaur (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) With Raptorial Eyes From The Western Interior Seaway Of North America, Robert O’Brien Clark Jan 2021

An Exceptionally Small New Polycotylid Plesiosaur (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) With Raptorial Eyes From The Western Interior Seaway Of North America, Robert O’Brien Clark

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Polycotylidae is a family of plesiosaurian marine reptiles that evolved during the Early Cretaceous and radiated into multiple genera during the Late Cretaceous, achieving a worldwide distribution. Derived polycotylids of the subclade Polycotylinae have a gracile and elongated rostrum, homodont dentition, an extended mandibular symphysis, and foreshortened temporal fenestrae. In this thesis, I describe a small and highly derived new polycotylid taxon based on three specimens from the Campanian of the Western Interior Seaway in North America. A high number of maxillary teeth, fused neural arches, propodials with well-defined facets, and heavily remodeled cortical bone indicate the specimens are adults, …


The Life History Of Faxonius Rusticus (Girard, 1852) In Sunfish Creek, Monroe County, Ohio, Kyle Mcgill Jan 2018

The Life History Of Faxonius Rusticus (Girard, 1852) In Sunfish Creek, Monroe County, Ohio, Kyle Mcgill

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Crayfish are among the most imperiled faunal groups globally. The continued spread of invasive species is a major impact to crayfish. Invasive species, much like the native species, are often understudied. As declines continue, invasive species spread, and new species are discovered; additional life history studies are as important as ever for crayfish conservation. Life history data was collected for rusty crayfish (Faxonius rusticus) from October 2017 to September 2018 in Sunfish Creek, Monroe County, Ohio. Faxonius rusticus are native to the Ohio River drainage around Cincinnati, Ohio but have extensively expanded their range over the past 30 years. Sunfish …


Filling In The Gaps In Phenology And Life History Of The Cumberland Plateau Salamander (Plethodon Kentucki), Robert C. Bowers Jan 2013

Filling In The Gaps In Phenology And Life History Of The Cumberland Plateau Salamander (Plethodon Kentucki), Robert C. Bowers

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Cumberland Plateau Salamander, Plethodon kentucki, is a member of the Plethodon glutinosus complex comprising 16 sibling species, which are best differentiated by range. Few studies have been conducted to gain information on the natural history of P. kentucki. To alleviate this, two sites at Beech Fork State Park in Wayne County, West Virginia were used to study the salamander’s general life history with emphasis on reproduction, phenology, and population size. At each site, three 20m x 20m sample plots were arranged based on viability of the habitat for P. kentucki. Ground searches of all cover objects …


Dietary Preference Of The Queensnake (Regina Septemvittata), Timothy J. Brust Jan 2013

Dietary Preference Of The Queensnake (Regina Septemvittata), Timothy J. Brust

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Queensnake (Regina septemvittata) is a small secretive water snake found throughout the eastern United States. Once common, their numbers have declined to the extent that they are now threatened throughout most of their range, largely the result of pollutant-based reduction in prey species. These snakes are assumed to eat molted crayfish exclusively. For some common crayfish species, molting happens only twice a summer during a two- week period. It has not been documented if Queensnakes eat anything besides crayfish on a regular basis. The purpose of this study was to determine the prey preference of Queensnakes with particular focus …


A Study Of The Morphology Of Tatenectes Laramiensis, A Cryptocleidoid Plesiosaur From The Sundance Formation (Wyoming, Usa), Hallie P. Street Jan 2009

A Study Of The Morphology Of Tatenectes Laramiensis, A Cryptocleidoid Plesiosaur From The Sundance Formation (Wyoming, Usa), Hallie P. Street

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Tatenectes laramiensis is a cryptocleidoid plesiosaur from the Late Jurassic Sundance Formation. This study primarily concerns a partial skeleton comprised of dorsal vertebrae, ribs, gastralia, and pelvic girdle. Even though the skeleton is incomplete, it is hypothesized that the preserved fossils are sufficient to indicate the overall body shape and also the preferred habitat of Tatenectes. Possibly the most notable of the novel characters is the pachyostotic state of the gastralia. In relation to the ribs and overall size of Tatenectes, in comparison to the gastralia in related taxa, these gastralia are disproportionately robust. The combination of these morphologies suggests …


The Use Of Isoelectric Focusing To Assess The Genetic Diversity Of The Cyprinid Fishes: Rhinichthys Cataractae And Rhinichthys Atratulus In West Virginia, Fauzia Alam Miah Jan 1998

The Use Of Isoelectric Focusing To Assess The Genetic Diversity Of The Cyprinid Fishes: Rhinichthys Cataractae And Rhinichthys Atratulus In West Virginia, Fauzia Alam Miah

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In this study, isoelectric focusing is used to separate proteins of Rhinichthys cataractae and R. atratulus and conventional staining is used to identify alleles of six genes. The objective of this work is to determine whether these methods can effectively assay isozymes that may be used to establish the relationship between anthropogenic stress and genetic diversity. Alleles for LDH-A, LDH-B, EST-A, EST-B, EST-C, and EST-D loci were identified for two species of fish, R. atratulus and R. cataractae. Both fish species are known to be sensitive to anthropogenic stress and known to be widely distributed in stressed environments. Alleles …