Life Sciences Commons^™

A Reclassification Of The Genera Of Scolytidae (Coleoptera), Stephen L. Wood

Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs

A taxonomic revision of the genera of Scolytidae (Coleoptera) in the world fauna is presented. Included are 215 valid genera and 273 invalid generic and subgeneric names. The type-species for each genus-group name was examined, including the type-specimen of the type-species in those taxa where a holotype, lectotype, or neotype has been designated—with the exception of four contemporary genera, the type-series of which are lost, and six fossil genera for which no effort was made to locate the types. Taxonomic keys to the families of the Curculionoidea, and to the subfamilies, tribes, and genera of Scolytidae are presented. Descriptions and …

Full Issue, Vol. 10

Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs

No abstract provided.

Pet Shops: The Unseen Suffering

Close Up Reports

The HSUS exposes cruelties behind closed doors

Dogfighters On The Run

Close Up Reports

The HSUS spurs police crackdown

Description And History Of The Meeteetse Black-Footed Ferret Environment, Tim W. Clark, Steven C. Forrest, Louise Richardson, Denise E. Casey, Thomas M. Campbell Iii

Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs

The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) occupied area lies in the western Big Horn Basin, Park County, Wyoming. Cody, a nearby town, shows a record high temperature of 40.5 C and a low of -43.3 C, with 173 days each year below 0 C. Area geology is dominated by Absaroka volcanics. Soils are shallow (0.5 m) and underlain by unconsolidated gravels; well-drained, medium-textured clay-loams (ca 1 m in depth); or clays derived from shale parent materials. Vegetation is characterized by a wheatgrass-needlegrass shrubsteppe type (Agropyron/Stipa/Artemisia). Prior to white settlement, the area hosted a diverse large mammal community. …

Descriptive Ethology And Activity Patterns Of Black-Footed Ferrets, Tim W. Clark, Louise Richardson, Steven C. Forrest, Denise E. Casey, Thomas M. Campbell Iii

Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs

Aspects of the aboveground ethology and activity patterns of the black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigipes) are described for a population in northwestern Wyoming as a first step in building a descriptive ethogram and quantification of activity patterns. We observed at least 237 individual ferrets for 208 hr on 441 occasions from 2 December 1981 through 25 September 1984. Mainenance behaviors (locomotion, alert, grooming, and sunning, defecation and urination, digging, and predation) and social behavior (reproduction, ontogeny, maternal, play, agonistic) are described as well as some ferret-human interactions. Ferret vocalizations are subjectively described. We located ferrets during most months including …

Full Issue, Vol. 8

Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs

No abstract provided.

End Matter, Vol. 8

Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs

No abstract provided.

Front Matter, Vol. 8

Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs

No abstract provided.

Trapping Agony Continues

Close Up Reports

The HSUS fights to end the anguish

Reproductive Wastage In Sheep, R W. Kelly

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The average lambing performance of Western Australia's ewe flock fluctuates between 60 and 70 per cent. Although this level of performance and variation between years is important for the sheep industry, individual farmers are more concerned about performance of their own flocks.

Figure shows the range in lambing performances that exist between farms in this State in 1983-84. The seriously poor performance of many flocks is apparentm - 28 percent of farms had less than 60 per cent lambing. By contrast, 24 farms had performances better than 100 per cent. The reasons for the large differences between farms ( and …

Ovulation Rate Of Ewes : Role Of Energy And Protein, E Teleni, J. B. Rowe

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Western Australia's sheep farmers are familiar with the low ovulation rate of Merino ewes and how this limits the lambing performance of ewe flocks.

One way in which ovulation rate and therefore lambing percentage may be increased is to feed seed of sweet lupin (Lupinus augustifolius) to ewes at mating. However, Department of Agriculture research has found that these increases do not show up consistently, and that there is considerable variability between farms.

If improved nutrition is to be a useful way to increasing ovulation rate, the mechanism by which nutrition affects ovulation rate must first be understood. This article …

Annual Ryegrass Toxicity Research Update, A G P Brown, P. Vogal

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Annual ryegrass toxicity (ARGT) is a complex disease that kills sheep and cattle grazing pastures which contain infected ryegrass. The disease results when a nematode (Anguina agrostis) and a batcerium (Corynebacterium sp.) invade annual ryegrass and cause the seed heads to become toxic as the grass dries off.

The bacterium produces a complex toxin of 18 glycolipid compounds or corynetoxins which have been found to be virtually identical to the antibiotic tunicamycin.

Pregnancy Diagnosis Using Ultrasound, M A C Johns

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Few Western Australian ewe flocks are diagnosed for pregnancy despite the precence of high numbers of barren ewes. Surveys of farm flocks in the early 1970s recorded that between 14 and 29 per cent of ewes failed to lamb each year.

Techniques for diagnosing pregnant ewes have been available for many years, but ultrasonic devices and computer technology have made it possible for skilled operators to determine whether ewes are pregnant and more importantly, whether they have one, two or more foetuses.

Once the number of pregnant ewes is known farmers can use labour more efficiently. They can minimise the …

Effects Of Low Ph On Lactate Dehydrogenase Kinetics Of Diving And Nondiving Reptiles, Dennis A. Baeyens, Salim R. Hurley

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The properties of lactate dehydrogenase were examined in two snake species, Nerodia rhombifera and Elaphe obsoleta, and a turtle species, Pseudemys scripta. Our purpose was to compare the LDH activity of reptiles with limited anaerobic capabilities with that of the well established diver Pseudemys. The Michaelis-Menten kinetics of LDH and its susceptibility to inhibition by elevated pyruvate concentrations were investigated in the brain and heart of the three species. All tissue incubations and enzyme activity determinations were done at a pH of 7.0 in order to stimulate a diving blood pH in the three species. In both tissues the LDH …

Abandoned Mine Fauna Of The Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas: Vertebrate Taxa, Darrell R. Heath, David A. Saugey, Gary A. Heidt

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Numerous visits, over the past four years, of 27 abandoned mines in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas revealed that the mines are serving as hibernacula, breeding sites, and permanent or temporary habitats for numerous vertebrates. The following species were observed either directly or by sign: Class Amphibia, Order Urodela — Eurycea multiplicata, Desmognathus brimleyorum, Plethodon caddoensis, P. glutinosus. Order Anura — Gastrophyrne carolinensis, Rana palustris, R. catesbeiana. Class Reptilia, Order Squamata, Suborder Serpentes — Thamnophis proximus, Diadophis punctatus, Elaphe obsoleta, Nerodia erythrogaster, Agkistrodon contortrix. Class Aves, Order Passeriformes--Sayornis phoebe. Order Strigiformes — Otus asio. Class Mammalia, Order Marsupialia —Didelphis virginiana. …

Age And Growth Of Redear Sunfish Lepomis Microlophus (Gunthur), From Bob Kidd Lake, Rex R. Roberg, Thoniot T. Prabhakaran, Raj V. Kilambi

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Total lengths (62-285mm) and body scales from 75 redear sunfish collected by electroshocking from Bob Kidd Lake during October and November 1985 were used for this study. The length-frequency distribution yielded five age groups, however, the body scale analysis revealed eight age groups. The total length scale radius relationship was estimated as, TL = 17.98 + 0.92 Sr . Lengths attained at earlier ages were estimated by the Fraser-Lee method and the Bertlanffy growth model was fitted to the lengths for ages five through ten, and the resulting equation, L₁ = 295 [1 - exp — 0.29 (t - 1.83)], …

Usefulness Of Microfiche Reader/Printer For Studying Fish Species, Raj V. Kilambi, Marvin L. Galloway

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Bat Fauna Of Southeast Arkansas, Tim W. Steward, V. Rick Mcdaniel, David A. Saugey, Daniel R. England

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

A systematic survey of the mammalian fauna of Southwest Arkansas has resulted in the accumulation of more than 200 records of bats from the 21 counties comprising the study area. The records reveal distributional patterns for 12 species of bats and represent a total of 68 new county records for this area of Arkansas.

Plasma Corticosterone Levels In Cholesterol-Fed Cockerels Before And After A Twenty Minute Run, Stanley N. David, Clarene L. David

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Cockerels were exercised to observe the influence of physical activity on plasma corticosterone concentrations. The birds were maintained on a commercial mash or on an atherogenic diet. Plasmas were collected on the first day, fifteen days after the first collection and immediately after a 20 minute run on that fifteenth day. The plasma corticosterone levels as determined by radioimmunoassay showed extreme variations within collections. Hence, the data analysis indicated no significant changes of the Compound β in the blood of the cockerels due to diet, or exercise or the combination of both. The causes for the wide variation of plasma …

Tagging And Marking Crawfish (Procambarus Clarkii) In A Population Estimation Study, Frank Meriweather

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Crawfish (Procambarus clarkii) were tagged with enumerated plastic streamers and released in 0.1-ha ponds to observe recapture frequency in stand-up traps. Also, crawfish were marked by a uropod punch, released and recaptured in 0.1-ha ponds for population estimation. Survival of streamer-tagged crawfish in indoor tanks averaged 46.7% after 25 days, indicating that tagging caused stress leading to mortality, especially during molt. Recapture frequencies of tagged crawfish indicated sampling bias which obviated use of the tagging method in population assessments. Short term (3-day) survival of marked crawfish (92%) and retention of the mark after molt indicated potential application in population assessment …

Spiders Collected In Southeast Arkansas Using Pitfall Traps Placed In Pine-Hardwood Forests That Received Various Forestry Treatments--A Preliminary List, Peggy Rae Dorris, L. C. Thompson

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

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, …

Evaluation Of A Fin Ray Scarring Technique For Individually Marking Fish, Les Torrans, Fran Lowell, Howard Clemens

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

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.

Effect Of Stunting On The Growth Of Blue Tilapia (Tilapia Aurea, Cichlidae), Les Torrans, Fran Lowell

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Control Strategies For Annual Ryegrass Toxicity, W J. Burdass

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

In 982-83, annual ryegrass tocicity (ARGT) was estimated to have cost Western Australian sheep farmers between $7 and $8 million in total economic losses.

The disease can severely disrupt farming operations. Sheep must be checked daily and if affected moved to a 'safe' paddock. The availability of paddock feed is reduced, as is stock carrying capacity. Worry about the possibility of dramatic stock losses, and uncertainty about what decisions to make, are all stressful.

Stock losses from ARGT can be minimised by the use of selective herbicides to control ryegrass in pastures and crops. This breaks the disease cycle - …

Phomopsis-Resistanct Lupins : Breakthrough Towards The Control Of Lupinosis, W A. Cowling, J. G. Allen, P Mcr. Wood, J. Hamblin

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Attemots to control lupinosis in sheep have been thwarted by the unpredictable occurence of the disease in the field. The complex interaction of the toxin-producing fungus (Phomopsis leptostromiformis) with its host (the lupin plant), together with variable weather and paddock grazing conditions, have made it difficult to predict when stock are in danger of contracting the disease. The risk of lupinosis discourages many farmers from growing lupins, despite the many potential benefits of including them in crop rotations.

A team of Department of Agriculture plant breeders, plant pathologists, and animal scientists set out in the mid 1970s to find resistance …

Grazing And Management Of Saltland Shrubs, C V. Malcolm, J. E. Pol

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

areas of bare saltland on farms need not be unproductive etesores. Many Western Australian farmers are now successfully growing salt-tolerant or halophytic shrubs such as bluebush (Maireana brevifolia), saltbushes (Atriplex spp.) and samphires (Halosarcia spp.) on these areas.

Department of agriculture trials and farmers' experience indicate that if saltland is planted with recommended shrubs, it can provide two months' valuable grazing for sheep during autumn and early winter, a time when paddock feed is scarce. Research by the Department has also identified a range of salt-tolerant shrubs suited to the various types of saltland.

Grazing trials to …

Protein Enrichment Of Cereal Grains For Livestock, Andrew C. Dunlop, C. L. Mcdonald

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Every year Western Australian farmers feed about 759,000 tonnes of cereal grain to livestock, mostly to sheep but also to dairy and beef cattle. These grains are fed as drought feeds, as supplements to augment poor quality or scarce paddock feed or in growth rations to attain higher levels of production. Many grains fed, however, have a low protien content and are therefore used inefficiently by animals.

Several methods of improving the low protien content of feed grains have been tested. They include the addition of lupin seed, spraying oats with urea and gassing oats with ammonia.