Digital Commons Network^™

Competition For Food Between The Markhor And Domestic Goat In Chitral, Pakistan, Nasra Ashraf, Maqsood Anwar, Iftikhar Hussain, Muhammad Ali Nawaz

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The markhor (Capra falconeri) is endangered globally as well as in Pakistan. The Chitral district in Pakistan supports one of the largest populations of this species. The rural communities of the district have large holdings of livestock, which make up a significant part of their livelihood system. The domestic goat is the dominant livestock species, and a potential competitor with the markhor due to habitat overlap. The present study was conducted to examine the extent of food competition between the markhor and domestic goat in Chitral. A total of 120 pellets of the 2 species were collected during the spring …

Bailey’S Eastern Woodrat (Neotoma Floridana Baileyi): Species Conservation Assessment, Melissa J. Panella

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The primary goal in development of at-risk species conservation assessments is to compile biological and ecological information that may assist conservation practitioners in making decisions regarding the conservation of species of interest. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the Bailey’s eastern woodrat (Neotama floridana baileyi) as a Tier I at-risk species. Provided are some general management recommendations regarding Bailey’s eastern woodrats. Conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment for specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and site-specific conditions. This resource was designed to provide an overview of our current knowledge of Bailey’s eastern woodrats and may aid in …

Sylvatic Species Of Echinococcus From Rodent Intermediate Hosts In Asia And South America, Scott Lyell Gardner, Altangerel T. Dursahinhan, Gábor R. Rácz, Nyamsuren Batsaikhan, Sumiya Ganzorig, David S. Tinnin, Darmaa Damdinbazar, Charles Wood, A. Townsend Peterson, Erika Alandia, José Luís Mollericona, Jorge Salazar-Bravo

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

During a global survey of the diversity of vertebrates and their parasites including the Gobi and desert/steppe biomes ranging from south central to western Mongolia, we found metacestodes (larvae) of Echinococcus multilocularis (Leuckart 1863) in the liver of an individual vole (Microtus limnophilus Büchner 1889) collected in grassland habitat at Har Us Lake, southeast of Hovd, Mongolia. Positive identification of E. multilocularis from near Hovd was made via comparative cyst morphology, study of hooks from the rostellum derived from protoscolexes, and DNA sequencing of the COX1 mitochondrial gene extracted from tissue of the cysts frozen in the field. This …

Oral Presentation Abstracts By Day And Symposium From The 11th International Mammalogical Congress (Belfast, Northern Ireland : August 11-16, 2013), International Mammalogical Congress

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

About IMC

IMC returns to Europe after 24 years at a time when IUCN has identified 25% mammal species as at risk. As a venue to share concerns, concepts and techniques among professional mammalogists, IMC has never been more relevant. IMC11 Organising Committee hopes to welcome colleagues with diverse interests in the biology, conservation and management of mammals from throughout the world. IMC11 will encourage active participation in the Congress program by maximising time for spoken papers and posters offered by delegates.

Queen's University Belfast is the venue and are pleased to host the 11th International Mammalogical Congress on behalf …

The Identity Of Rana Margaritifera Laurenti, 1768 (Anura, Bufonidae), Esteban O. Lavilla, Ulisses Caramaschi, José A. Langone, José P. Pombal Jr., Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Rana margaritifera was described by Laurenti in 1768 and currently is associated to the genus Rhinella, under the combination Rhinella margaritifera. Currently, the R. margaritifera species group consists of 16 recognized species. Further-more, many additional species have been suggested to exist in this group which highlights the ambiguity surrounding the identity of Rhinella margaritifera and impend further description of the species in this group. After an exhaustive bibliographic review, we concluded that the recent designation of a lectotype for R. margaritifera is invalid according with Art. 73, ICZN, 1999. Herein, we designate and provide the description of a …

Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius Ludovicianus): Species Conservation Assessment, Melissa J. Panella

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The primary goal in the development of at-risk species conservation assessments is to compile biological and ecological information that may assist conservation practitioners in making decisions regarding the conservation of species of interest. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) as a Tier I at-risk species. Here, I provide some general management recommendations regarding Loggerhead Shrikes. However, conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment for specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and site-specific conditions. This resource provides available knowledge of Loggerhead Shrikes that may aid in the decision-making process or in identifying research needs …

Eastern Spotted Skunk (Spilogale Putorius) At The Ouachita Mountains Biological Station, Polk County, Arkansas, L. M. Hardy

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

A population of the eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius) has been discovered at the Ouachita Mountains Biological Station in the Ouachita Mountains of Polk County, Arkansas. In 2010 a motion camera recorded a very brief infrared video of an animal that, after much study and conversation with other biologists, was concluded to be an eastern spotted skunk. Since that time the identification has been confirmed with at least 6 still photographs and one additional video that have been obtained from 2 other locations on the station. At least 2 or 3 individuals are present. All were photographed at night in …

Feeding Ecology Of Vimba (Vimba Vimba L., 1758) In Terms Of Size Groups And Seasons In Lake Sapanca, Northwestern Anatolia, Hacer Canan Okgerman, Cumhur Haldun Yardimci, Zeynep Dorak, Neşe Yilmaz

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The seasonal changes of diet in the guts of 298 vimbas (Vimba vimba L.) caught on a monthly basis in Lake Sapanca from August 2003 to July 2004 were analyzed. V. vimba fed on ostracods, gastropods, Dreissena polymorpha (mollusks), fish larvae, macrophytes, oligochaetes, chironomids, phytoplankton, and detritus. The gut fullness index (GFI) indicated that vimbas increased their feeding activity in summer and decreased it in winter. The correlation between GFI and temperature was significant (0.839, P < 0.01). The water temperature shift was one of the critical environmental factors affecting the feeding of vimbas in Lake Sapanca. The lowest similarity of diet composition was between the juvenile vimbas in autumn and the adult vimbas in spring (cluster analysis), while the highest similarity of diet composition was between adult individuals in autumn and winter (cluster analysis). In both size groups and in all seasons, the main food items were macrophytes, D. polymorpha, and phytoplankton (particularly bacillariophytes). Of animal food items, adult individuals fed mostly on D. polymorpha, while ostracods were consumed only by juvenile fish in spring, summer, and autumn. The benthic-omnivorous strategy of vimba is demonstrated by the high abundance of plant foods in their guts, confirming this mixed type of diet.

Chemical Defense Of An Asian Snake Reflects Local Availability Of Toxic Prey And Hatchling Diet, D. A. Hutchinson, A. H. Savitzky, G. M. Burghardt, C. Nguyen, J. Meinwald, F. C. Schroeder, A. Mori

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Species that sequester toxins from prey for their own defense against predators may exhibit population-level variation in their chemical arsenal that reflects the availability of chemically defended prey in their habitat. Rhabdophis tigrinus is an Asian snake that possesses defensive glands in the skin of its neck (nuchal glands'), which typically contain toxic bufadienolide steroids that the snakes sequester from consumed toads. In this study, we compared the chemistry of the nuchal gland fluid of R.tigrinus from toad-rich and toad-free islands in Japan and determined the effect of diet on the nuchal gland constituents. Our findings demonstrate that captive-hatched juveniles …

Seasonal Composition And Population Density Of Zooplankton In Lake Karaboğaz From The Kızılırmak Delta (Samsun, Turkey), Ertunç Gündüz, Yasemi̇n Saygi, Fatma Yildiz Demi̇rkalp, Seli̇m Süalp Çağlar, Si̇bel Atasağun, Sabri̇ Kilinç

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Zooplankton composition and abundance were investigated seasonally at 6 sites in Lake Karaboğaz in relation to some physicochemical conditions. A total of 63 taxa were identified, among them 51 species of rotifers, 8 cladocerans, and 4 copepods. Rotifera represented the predominant component (79% of the total community), followed by nauplii, cladocerans, and copepods (15%, 5%, and 1%, respectively). The average total zooplankton abundance ranged from 9603 to 22,968 ind/m^3. The maximum and the minimum densities were measured in June and August of 2009, respectively. Of the identified zooplankton, 39 taxa were species with a low frequency in the lake. Among …

Effects Of Artificial Migration Of Susceptible Individuals On Resistance And Fitness Of A Fenitrothion-Resistant Strain Of Musca Domestica (L.) Diptera, Arda Cem Kuyucu, Seli̇m Süalp Çağlar

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Migration of susceptible individuals from untreated areas to populations that have developed insecticide resistance is one of the most important processes that can significantly delay or even prevent the development of resistance against insecticides. Fitness parameters of susceptible and resistant insect populations and changes in fitness following susceptible population migration have a crucial place in this process, as they determine the permanence and spread of susceptible alleles in the absence of insecticides. In this study, we investigated changes in resistance levels and fitness characteristics after introducing individuals from the ancestral susceptible strain in an equal ratio to a housefly (Musca …

Tree Cavities And Associated Vertebrate Fauna In A Coniferous Forest Of Dhirkot, Azad Jammu And Kashmir Part Of Pakistan, Iftikhar Hussain, Sajid Abbasi, Sarwat Naz Mirza, Maqsood Anwar, Muhammad Rais, Tariq Mahmood

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Tree cavities are a globally important structural element of forest ecosystems that host numerous cavity-dwelling vertebrates, but they have received little research in Pakistan. We investigated cavity-bearing trees, the attributes of their cavities, and their associated vertebrate fauna in a coniferous forest of Pakistan. We recorded 1140 trees in a 2-km^2 sampled area. We found 211 cavities (64% decay-formed and 36% excavated cavities) in 83 trees (41% live and 59% snags). Of the cavities found, 74% were recorded in trunks and 26% were in branches. Only 28% of the cavities showed signs of recent use by any vertebrate species. We …

Diversity Indices Of Pelagic Rotifers In Camp Balloki Water Park, Lahore, Pakistan, Abdul Qayyum Khan Sulehria, Muhammad Anwar Malik

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This work attempted to evaluate the rotifer species diversity indices of Camp Balloki Water Park and infer the state of the water according to rotifers and physicochemical parameters. The diversity indices, species richness, and evenness were assessed every month. The Shannon–Weaver index indicated that this habitat had great diversity of rotifers throughout the year. These results were supported by the Simpson dominance, diversity, and reciprocal indices. Water and plankton samples were taken monthly from January 2006 to December 2006. In total, 38 rotifer species of 20 genera and 13 families were identified. Brachionus, Lecane, and Trichocerca dominated the locality. Rotifer …

Host Specificity Of Ecuadorian Bat Flies (Diptera: Streblidae), Eric Stamper

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Diptera: Streblidae are ectoparasites of bat populations found in many locations throughout the world. These ectoparasites are generally known as bat flies. They attach themselves to the wing membranes and bodies of bats to bite and feed on their blood. Using a large sample consisting of over 2,000 bats and 6,000 bat flies, I have conducted a study of the degree of host specificity of these ectoparasites. Host specificity is a measurement of the degree to which a particular parasite is restricted to its host or hosts. Here I find evidence to support more recent findings that bat flies are …

Stable Isotope Analysis (Delta Nitrogen-15 And Delta Carbon-13) And Bioenergetic Modeling Of Spatial-Temporal Foraging Patterns And Consumption Dynamics In Brown And Rainbow Trout Populations Within Catch-And-Release Areas Of Arkansas Tailwaters, Jon M. Flinders

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I examined spatial and temporal consumption dynamics using an energy intake model and a bioenergetics model of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, and brown trout, Salmo trutta, within three catch-and-release (C-R) areas in Bull Shoals and Norfork tailwaters to determine whether trout populations were limited by food supply. I also examined the seasonal and ontogenetic shifts in the foraging patterns of brown and rainbow trout within these areas using gut content analysis (GCA) and stable isotope analysis (SIA) of C and N. I examined 605 brown trout and 768 rainbow trout for GCA and SIA at Bull Shoals, Norfork, …

Food Habits Of The Hoary Bat In An Agricultural Landscape, Mathew K. Perlik, Brock R. Mcmillan, John D. Krenz

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Information on diets is fundamental to ecological studies. Prey use by the solitary, tree-roosting hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) in agricultural landscapes is not known. We examined the stomach contents and fecal material from carcasses of hoary bats collected during a mortality study at wind turbine sites in southwestern Minnesota. We compared diet of hoary bats to availability of prey to determine whether bats were opportunistic or selective. Food of the hoary bats primarily consisted of lepidopterans (moths; 49-50 %) and coleopterans (beetles; 28-40 %). The abundance of insects in the diet of hoary bats was not proportional to the estimated …

Distribution Of Aquatic Oligochaetes (Annelida, Clitellata) Of High-Elevation Lakes In The Eastern Black Sea Range Of Turkey, Seray Yildiz, Murat Özbek, Mustafa Ruşen Ustaoğlu, Haşi̇m Sömek

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Many large and small lakes of varying depths are present in the Eastern Black Sea Range of Turkey, the nation's third most important glacial region following the Ağrı and Cilo-Sat mountain ranges. During the present study, 6 expeditions to collect aquatic oligochaetes from these lakes were conducted in July and August of 2005, 2006, and 2007; qualitative and quantitative samples were collected from 59 glacial lakes. We present and analyze the dominancy and distribution of aquatic oligochaete assemblages and their relation to environmental factors (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, electrical conductivity, salinity, turbidity, PO_4^{-3}-P, HCO_3^{-}, organic carbon, hardness, Ca^{2+}, Mg^{2+}, Si, …

Spatial And Temporal Variations In The Species Composition And Abundance Of Benthic Molluscs Along 4 Rocky Shores Of Karachi, Solaha Rahman, Sohail Barkati

Turkish Journal of Zoology

A total of 97 species of macromolluscs were collected from 4 rocky beaches (Manora, Buleji, Nathiagali, and Cape Monze) along the Karachi coast from December 1993 to December 1995. More species were recorded from Buleji (68) and Manora (63) than from Nathiagali (55) and Cape Monze (57). Gastropods dominated at all 4 of the sites studied. Four species were commonly abundant at all 4 sites: Turbo coronatus, Nerita albicilla, Morula granulata, and Cerithium rubus. The average number of species decreased with an increase in the tidal heights at Manora, Buleji, and Nathiagali, whereas this was greater in the high tidal …

The Land Snail Fauna Of Mut District (Mersin Province, Turkey), Ümi̇t Kebapçi, Mehmet Zeki̇ Yildirim, İskender Gülle, Mustafa Öztop, Duygu Ceren Çağlan

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The land snail fauna of the Mut District was surveyed during the spring (April-May) of 2008. A total of 31 species and subspecies-9 (29%) of them endemics-belonging to 26 genera and 14 families were determined from 41 localities. Dominant families were Enidae, Orculidae, and Hygromiidae. Humidity, vegetation, and habitat type were the determinants of species richness in the study area. Species composition, according to cluster and multivariate analyses, was also found to be affected by the altitude factor.

Additional Notes On The Spider Fauna Of Turkey (Araneae), Kadi̇r Buğaç Kunt, Rahşen Saltanat Kaya, Recep Sulhi̇ Özkütük, Tarik Danişman, Ersen Aydin Yağmur, Mert Elveri̇ci̇

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This paper presents the results of recent field surveys and provides new data on the spider fauna of Turkey. The following 9 taxa are new records for Turkey: Larinia chloris (Audouin, 1826); Macrothele sp.; Arctosa tbilisiensis Mcheidze, 1946; Pisaura consocia (O. P.-Cambridge, 1872); Prodidomus redikorzevi Spassky, 1940; Macaroeris flavicomis (Simon, 1884); Scytodes velutina Heineken & Lowe, 1832; Achaeridion conigerum (Simon, 1914); and Phoroncidia paradoxa (Lucas, 1846). New locality data are provided for the following previously but rarely recorded species: Spermophora senoculata (Dugès, 1836); Ariadna insidiatrix Audouin, 1826; and Segestria senoculata (Linnaeus, 1758). Taxonomic, zoogeographical, and ecological data are given for …

A Preliminary Study On The Length-Weight Relationship Of Sacura Boulengeri (Heemstra, 1973) From Indian Waters, Kinattumkara Bineesh, Sebastine Manju, Kallivalappil Akhilesh, Gopalakrishna Pillai

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Sacura boulengeri (Heemstra, 1973) is a rare serranid fish (Subfamily: Anthiinae) having very disjunct distribution in the western Indian Ocean. The rarity of the species is evident from earlier reports and, so far, no related studies on the species have been published except on taxonomy and distributional records. In the present investigation, the length-weight relationship of Sacura boulengeri was estimated to be W = 0.0777 × L2.690 (with 95% confidence intervals for b and r2). An analysis of the stomach contents revealed that sergestid shrimps and copepods were the major food items of the diet.

Spatial Ecology Of The Trans-Pecos Rat Snake (Bogertophis Subocularis) In The Chihuahuan Desert Of Trans-Pecos Texas, Arturo Rocha

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Trans-Pecos Rat Snake (Bogertophis subocularis) is a medium to large rat snake that occurs from south-central New Mexico, south-central Texas, down into the north-central and northeastern states of Mexico. There is paucity in the ecology of B. subocularis to date. Some North American colubrid snakes, such as Thamnophis sirtalis, are the most represented species in thermal ecology and life history studies in all reptiles. There is nothing known on the winter ecological aspects of this species, and very little information regarding its overall ecology. The goal of this study is to determine home range, movement patterns, habitats and utilization …

Externally-Expressed Fluorescence Across Sexes, Life Stages, And Species Of Spiders, Erin Brandt

Dissertations and Theses

Although all spiders possess fluorophores in their hemolymph, the expression of external fluorescence is much more restricted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in externally-expressed fluorescence between sexes, life stages, and species of spiders. To approach this question, we developed novel instrumentation to capture fluorescence with photographs of our specimens. We paired these fluorescence measurements with spectrometer measurements to attempt to determine the role that fluorescence plays in the overall coloration in spiders. The study was divided into four sections. First, we examined how fluorescence varies in sexes and life stages in Misumena vatia, an ambush predator …

In Situ Infrared Videography Of Sand Scorpion Nighttime Surface Activity, Douglas D. Gaffin

Euscorpius

Sand scorpions make burrows from which they emerge at night to seek mates and prey. Previous ecological studies have documented scorpion activities on the sand surface. Few studies, however, have videotaped scorpion movements in the context of understanding their sensory neurobiology. Our objective is to understand which signals guide scorpions as they emerge from and return to their burrows. Candidate stimuli include chemical trails, footsteps, celestial patterns, geomagnetic cues, humidity and/or temperature gradients, distinctive scents from the burrow, seismic echolocation, memory, or landmark orientation. We videotaped scorpions to learn whether they return to their burrows by the same path they …

Effects Of Gypsy Moth Outbreaks On North American Woodpeckers, Walter D. Koenig, Eric L. Walters, Andrew M. Liebhold

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

We examined the effects of the introduced gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) on seven species of North American woodpeckers by matching spatially explicit data on gypsy moth outbreaks with data on breeding and wintering populations. In general, we detected modest effects during outbreaks: during the breeding season one species, the Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus), increased over pre-outbreak levels, while during the winter one species, the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius), increased and one, the Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens), decreased from pre-outbreak levels. Responses following outbreaks were similarly variable, and in general we were unsuccessful …

A Comparison Of Adrenal In Toad-Eating And Nontoad-Eating Snakes, Shabnam Mohammadi

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Toads are chemically defended by bufadienolides, a class of cardiotonic steroids lethal to most predators, including many snakes. Bufadienolides bind to Na+K +-ATPase, inhibiting their ability to transport ions. In cardiocytes, this inhibition cause arrhythmia and severely increased contraction strength, which, if prolonged, lead to death. However, several snakes are resistant to bufadienolides and consume toads with no ill effects. Adrenal glands produce hormones that are important for the maintenance of Na+K +ATPase, and may therefore play an important role in countering the negative effects of bufadienolides. Indeed, the toad-eating specialist Heterodon platirhinos has been known to possess enlarged, and …

Determination Of Esterase Enzyme Polymorphism In House Fly (Musca Domestica L.) Populations In Turkey, Vatan Taşkin, Belgi̇n Göçmen Taşkin, Köksal Küçükakyüz, Meral Kence

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The objective of this study was to determine esterase enzyme polymorphism in 16 natural Musca domestica L. populations from the Aegean and Mediterranean regions of Turkey by using the native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) technique. The high level of genetic variation among populations and species make esterase enzymes an important tool for analyzing genetic differentiation and evolutionary relationships in insects. In the present study, 22 \alpha-esterase bands were detected by using \alpha-naphthylacetate as a substrate. The frequencies of these bands were variable within and among populations. Neither regional nor population specific esterase bands were detected. The origin of speciation of …

Occurrence Of Blarina Brevicauda In Arkansas And Notes On The Distribution Of Blarina Carolinensis And Cryptotis Parva, R. S. Pfau, D. Blake Sasse, M. B. Connior, I. F. Guenther

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We provide an update on the species and distribution of shrews occurring in Arkansas. Shrews were collected within Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Wildlife Management Areas and along the Buffalo National River. We also searched mammal collections at several institutional museums to provide additional locality records for Cryptotis parva. Specimens of Blarina were identified to species by DNA sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Previously, Blarina hylophaga was believed to occur in the northwest corner of Arkansas and B. carolinensis throughout the rest of the state. However, our genetic analysis revealed that it is B. brevicauda that occupies the …

Seasonal Activity, Population Characteristics, And Age Estimation In The Aquatic Salamander, Siren Intermedia Nettingi (Goin), J. A. Sawyer, S. E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We conducted a study of the Western Lesser Siren (Siren intermedia nettinigi), at a locality termed the Airport Road site in Jonesboro (Craighead County, AR) from November 2004 until March 2007. This site consisted of a network of roadside ditches in cultivated lawns in an industrial park. Even though sirens are known to occur frequently in ditches, most studies of the genus Siren have taken place in natural wetlands. We compiled mark-recapture data at the Airport Road site for each season to determine if the seasonal activity pattern for sirens in northeast Arkansas varied from activity data previously published from …

New Records And Notes On The Natural History Of Vertebrates From Arkansas, M. B. Connior, R. Tumlison, H. W. Robison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.