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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.

Ecology And Community Relationships Of The River Cooter, Pseudemys Concinna In A Southern Illinois Backwater, Michael J. Dreslik

Masters Theses

In Illinois the River cooter, Pseudemys concinna, is an enigmatic endangered species. Even throughout its range, ecological studies on the River cooter are rare. During 1994 and 1995 I quantified the: growth rates and trends, population size and structure and dietary habits of a population from floodplain lake in Gallatin county, Illinois. Population estimation (Schnabel method) predicted 136 individuals at a density of 4.6 turtles/ha with a biomass of 3.6 Kg/ha. The sex ratio is slightly male biased (1:1.14). From back-calculated growth data, the von Bertalanffy growth model (Fabens' method) estimates males with a higher growth rate (k) and …

Parental Investment In The Red-Eared Slider Turtle, Trachemys Scripta, Michael D. Marlen

Masters Theses

This study was conducted to determine egg and hatchling components of the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta). In addition, energy components transferred from egg to hatchling were used to determine the level of parental investment in embryogenesis and hatchling care. Eggs of the red-eared slider, collected from central Illinois ponds, were obtained by inducing gravid females to lay by an injection of oxytocin. Egg and hatchling lipids were extracted with petroleum ether while egg and hatchling protein content was determined using the micro-Kjeldahl procedure. Eggs averaged 70.7% water by mass, and dry mass of whole eggs and egg yolks averaged 2.4g …

Biological Processes: Relationships Between Earthworms And Soil Temperature, Edwin C. Berry, Jerry K. Radke

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Soil fauna play important roles in many soil processes and conditions which relate to agricultural systems. Earthworms are credited with enhancing soil fertility and soil physical properties by their feeding and burrowing activities. Most research on earthworms has focused on the warmer seasons of the year and relatively little is known about earthworm activity and survival during the portion of the year with frozen soils. Earthworms may survive winter by acclimatization, aestivation, or by burrowing to deeper depths where the soil is not frozen. More research is needed on the fate of earthworms in frozen soils. Suggested research areas include: …

Arkansas Range Extensions Of The Eastern Small-Footed Bat (Myotis Leibii) And Northern Long-Eared Bat (Myotisseptentrionalis) And Additional County Records For The Silver-Haired Bat (Lasionycteris Noctivagans), Hoary Bat (Lasiurus Cinereus), Southeastern Bat (Myotis Austroriparius), And Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat (Plecotus Rafinesquii), David A. Saugey, V. Rick Mcdaniel, Daniel R. England, Marsha C. Rowe, Laura R. Chandler-Mozisek, Betty G. Cochran

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We continued field studies of bats in non-cave regions of Arkansas from 1989 to present and utilized specimens submitted to the Arkansas Department of Health Rabies Laboratory to establish Arkansas range extensions for the eastern smallfooted bat (Myotis leibii) and northern long-eared bat (Myotisseptentrionalis). In addition, we documented additional county records for the silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans), hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus), southeastern bat (Myotis austroriparius), and Rafinesque's big-eared bat (Plecotus rafinesquii).

Red Butte Canyon Research Natural Area: History, Flora, Geology, Climate, And Ecology, James R. Ehleringer, Lois A. Arnow, Ted Arnow, Irving B. Mcnulty, Norman C. Negus

Great Basin Naturalist

Red Butte Canyon is a protected, near pristine canyon entering Salt Lake Valley, Utah. It contains a well-developed riparian zone and a perennial stream; hillside vegetation ranges from grasslands on the lower limits to Douglas-fir and aspen stands at the upper elevations. In this paper we describe the history of human impact, natural history aspects of climate, geology, and ecology, and faunal and floral information for key species in the canyon. The role and importance of Research Natural Areas is discussed, particularly with respect to the need to protect Red Butte Canyon—one of the few remaining undisturbed riparian ecosystems in …

Analysis Of The Fall And Winter Diet Of The Bobcat In Eastern Arkansas, C. Renn Tumlison, V. Rick Mcdaniel

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Food habits of the bobcat (Felis rufus) in eastern Arkansas were examined based on stomach contents of 148 specimens. Rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus and S. aquaticus) were the primary food source for males, females, and kittens. Rice rats (Oryzomys palustris), nutria (Myocastor coypus), and several species of waterfowl are first reported as food of bobcats in Arkansas. Cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) and muskrats (Ondatra zibethica) were more common in bobcat diets in eastern versus western Arkansas. Adult males did not use smaller prey but this food source was common, in kittens; females were intermediate in their use of smaller prey.

Bats Of The Ouachita Mountains, David A. Saugey, Darrell R. Heath, Gary A. Heidt

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

A survey was conducted from June, 1982 through January, 1989 to determine the occurrence of bat species in the Ouachita Mountain region of west-central Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma, with emphasis on censusing lands managed by the USDA Forest Service, Ouachita National Forest. Seven genera and 13 species of bats in the families Vespertilionidae and Molossidae were captured. Species represented included: Eptesicus fuscus, Lasionycteris noctivagans, Lasiurus borealis, Lasiurus cinereus, Lasiurus seminolus, Myotis austroriparius, Myotis keenii, Myotis leibii, Myotis lucifugus, Myotissodalis, Nycticeius humeralis, Pipistrellus subflavus, and Tadarida brasiliensis cynocephala.

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.

Ecology And Interspecific Relationships Of The Painted Turtle, (Chrysemys Picta) In A Marsh-Fen Ecosystem, Eric S. Mcgee

Masters Theses

An ecological study of the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) was conducted at the Fox River site in Chain O' Lakes State Park in northeastern Illinois from March to September in 1987. Findings were compared to two studies in 1986 concerning the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) and Blandings turtle (Emydoidea blandingi) also present in the area. Population densities and composition were evaluated to determine the degree of interspecific competition.

Two hundred-forty five turtles were captured in 1986 and 1987. Painted turtles comprised 75 percent of the chelonian population, while Blandings turtles and snapping turtles …

Behavioral Feeding Specialization In Pinaroloxias Inornata, The “Darwin's Finch” Of Cocos Island, Costa Rica, Tracey K. Werner, Thomas W. Sherry

Dartmouth Scholarship

As a population, Cocos Finches exhibit a broad range of feeding behaviors spanning those of several families of birds on the mainland, while individuals feed as specialists year-round. Although this extreme intraspecific variability occurs as predicted in a tropical oceanic island environment, these specializations challenge contemporary ecological theory in that they are not attributable to individual differences in age, sex, gross morphology, or opportunistic exploitation of patchy resources. Instead, they appear to originate and be maintained behaviorally, possibly via observational learning. This phenomenon adds another direction to the evolutionary radiation of the Darwin's Finches and underscores the necessity for detailed …

M–Q, Stephen L. Wood, Donald E. Bright Jr.

Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs

No abstract provided.

T–Z, Anonymous, Stephen L. Wood, Donald E. Bright Jr.

Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs

No abstract provided.

Proximity Nesting: The Great Horned Owl And Red-Tailed Hawk, Steve Shupe

Nebraska Bird Review

Introduction: Forty-two nests of the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) and 78 nests of the Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaieensis) were surveyed during a three-year ecological study (1982–84). In 11 instances nests of the two species overlapped the hunting areas of the other. Home ranges, in which most hunting takes place, have been defined by various authors (Miller, 1930; Baumgartner, 1939; Hagar, 1967). For this study Hawks and Owls nesting within one-half mile of each other were compared. The proximity nesting of these two species seemed likely to increase the possibility of predation upon the young of …

Blarina Brevicauda, Sarah B. George, Jerry R. Choate, Hugh H. Genoways

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Blarina Gray, 1838
Blarina Gray, 1838: 124. Type species Corsira (Blarina) talpoides Gray (=Sorex talpoides Gapper = Sorex brevicaudus Say), by original designation. Elevated to generic rank by Lesson, 1842:89.
Brachysorex Duvernoy, 1842:37-41. Type species Brachysorex brevicaudus Duvernoy (=Sorex brevicaudus Say), by original designation.
Talposorex Pomel, 1848:248. Type species Talposorex platyurus Pomel (=Sorex brevicaudus Say), by original designation. Anotus Wagner, 1855:550-55 1. Type species Sorex carolinensis Bachman, by original designation.

Population Decline Of The Endangered Indiana Bat, Myotis Sodalis, In Arkansas, Michael J. Harvey, V. Rick Mcdaniel

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Harvest Trends Of The Bobcat (Felix Rufus) In Arkansas, C. Renn Tumlison, V. Rick Mcdaniel

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Arkansas bobcat fur harvest records were examined in relation to forest cover, furbuyer distribution, and price. Availability of forest cover correlated with areas of greatest harvest, and a dynamic forest products industry in southern Arkansas is believed to support a greater density, and therefore greater harvest, of bobcats. Comparison of furbuyer distribution with harvest level among physiographic regions suggested that the fur industry in southern Arkansas could expand. Prices increased dramatically in the 1970's, and 94.5% of the variation in harvest level could be explained by price.

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, …

A Check-List Of The Spiders Of Arkansas, Peggy Rae Dorris

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Collections of spiders were made from 1966, to the present in the six physiographic regions of Arkansas. During this time 435 species representing 35 families were collected and recorded.

An Evaluation Of Small Rodents In Four Dismal Swamp Plant Communities, F. Elizabeth Breidling, Frank P. Day Jr., Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Diversity and density of small rodents in the Dismal Swamp are believed to be low. Reasons for this may be excessive predation, heavy interspecific pressure from large rodents, lack of suitable habitat, low food availability or flooding.

Rodent populations were evaluated using live-traps and pitfall traps in four different Dismal Swamp plant communities. Habitat was compared on the basis of phytomass studies previously reported. Flood levels were recorded during live-trapping sessions. Mast from trees was collected in modified mast collectors, and fed to Peromyscus leucopus in the laboratory.

Only two small rodent species were captured: Ochrotomys nuttalli and Peromyscus leucopus …

The Distribution, Ecology And Growth Of The Chestnut Lamprey, Ichthyomyzon Castaneus, In The Clearwater River, Minnesota, Charles S. Holt, Paul A. Durkee

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

This study dealt primarily with the ammocoete stage of the chestnut lamprey, lchthyamyzan castaneus (Girard). The population estimate for ammocoetes in the 25.5 m2 section studied was 540 individuals. The lengths of 452 ammocoetes collected ranged from 42 to 164 mm. A total of 213 chestnut lampreys were retained for laboratory study. Twenty of these were adults with an average length of 136.8 mm (range= 125 mm to 191 mm). Six age classes of ammocoetes were determined. An average increase in body length of recaptured ammocoetes of 2.9 mm was observed during the summers of 1980 and 1981. The habitat …

Karyotypic Relationships Within The Short-Tailed Shrews, Genus Blarina, Sarah B. George, Hugh H. Genoways, Jerry R. Choate, Robert J. Baker

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Short-tailed shrews of the genus Blarina exhibit considerable geographic variation in both diploid number and fundamental number. Four chromosomal groups are recognized within the genus: Blarina brevicauda, FN = 48; 2N = 50, 49, or 48; B. carolinensis, FN = 45 or 44; 2N = 46, 39, 38, or 37; B. c. peninsulae, FN = 52; 2N = 52, 51, or 50; B. hylophaga, FN = 62, 61, or 60; 2N = 52. B. c. peninsulae also may be a distinct species, but exact determination must await location and analysis of a zone of contact with …

Intraisland And Interisland Variation In Antillean Populations Of Molossus Molossus (Mammalia: Molossidae), Hugh H. Genoways, Robert C. Dowler, Catherine H. Carter

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Significant levels of secondary sexual variation and expected levels of individual variation were demonstrated in all samples of Molossus molossus from Jamaica, Guadeloupe, and Trinidad examined with univariate analyses. Significant morphometric differences were demonstrated among samples of Molossus molossus that originated from geographically close localities on the same island. Using multivariate techniques, broader patterns of geographic variation were demonstrated among the Antillean populations of M. molossus.

Herpetofauna Of Mormon Island Preserve Hall County, Nebraska, Royce E. Ballinger, Steven M. Jones, J. W. Nietfeldt

Papers in Herpetology

Introduction: Studies of reptiles and amphibians in the grasslands of North America have primarily concerned the compilation of state faunal lists (e.g. Smith 1956, Hudson 1942, Webb 1970, Wheeler and Wheeler 1966). There have been a large number of reports on range extensions to augment this basic data. With the exception of the extensive studies by Fitch (1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1963) primarily on reptiles and Bragg (1940a, 1940b, 1943, 1953) primarily on anurans, the ecology of the herpetiles of the grasslands are not well studied. Lynch (1978) provided an excellent analysis of the ecological distributions of the leopard frogs …

Distribution Of Small Mammals On The Apostle Islands, Gail E. Kantak

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Five weeks of small mammal trapping on the Apostle Islands in 1978 yielded few captures. The low capture rate was attributed to low invasion rates and high extinction rates. Distribution records of small mammal species on individual islands were compiled from studies conducted as early as 1917. The distribution of many small mammal species on these islands remains largely undocumented, and further study is desirable before the patterns are disrupted by human activity.

Information From The Elephant Interest Group Questionnaire, Elephant Editors

Elephant

Elephant-related activities of answering respondents to the newsletter's questionnaire.

Bibliography, Elephant Editors

Elephant

Updates to the selected bibliography covering references from 1970 - mid-1979.

Distribution Of Two Species Of Long-Eared Bats Of The Genus Myotis On The Northern Great Plains, J. Knox Jones Jr., Jerry R. Choate

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Two long-eared species of the cosmopolitan bat genus Myotis, the long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis) and the fringe-tailed myotis (Myotis thysanodes), have been known for many years from the Northern Great Plains. Material acquired in the last decade or so, however, reveals a somewhat different distributional pattern for the two species than had been supposed on the basis of specimens obtained earlier, some of which have been misidentified in the published literature.

Liomys Irroratus, Robert C. Dowler, Hugh H. Genoways

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Liomys Merriam, 1902
Spiny Pocket Mice

Liomys Merriam, 1902:44. Type species Heteromys alleni Coues (=Liomys irroratus alleni).

Context and Content: Order Rodentia, Family Heteromyidae, Subfamily Heteromyinae. The genus Liomys contains five known species.

Epizoic Protozoa Of Planktonic Copepoda And Cladocera From A Small Eutrophic Lake, And Their Possible Use As Indicators Of Organic Water Pollution, Michael Stevens Henebry

Masters Theses

The epizoic protozoa of planktonic copepoda and cladocera from a eutrophic lake (Ashmore Lake, Coles County, Illinois) were studied over a 13-week period in the summer and fall of 1975. All organisms were collected with a 125 micron mesh plankton net. Epizoans (all peritrichs and suctorians) were hosted by three of four species of copepods and four of the ten species of cladocerans. The percentage of total organisms hosting epizoans varied significantly (0.001 alpha level) by month, but averaged 11.6 percent. This high occurrence of epizoans was thought to be related to the highly-eutrophic conditions existing in the lake. If …