Life Sciences Commons^™

Online Dictionary Of Invertebrate Zoology: W X Y Z, Mary Ann Basinger Maggenti, Armand R. Maggenti, Scott Gardner

Armand R. Maggenti Online Dictionary of Invertebrate Zoology

Wagener's larva waggle dance walking leg pereopod wall warm-blooded homoiothermal warning coloration sematic aposematic pseudaposematic wart verruca tubercle water pore hydropore Waterston's organ water vascular system wax wax gland wax layer wax-plate wax scale web weighting Weismann's ring ring gland wheel organ white body Hensen's gland white cuticle yellow cuticle wholemount whorl width wild type wing ala winter egg summer egg With's organs workers worker jelly xanthic xanthophyll xanthopterin xanthopterine X-chromosomes xenagones xenic axenic polyxenic synxenic trix¬enic xenobiosis xenoecic xenogamy cross-fertilization xenogenesis heterogenesis xenomone allelochemic xenomorphism xenoparasite xerarch succession xeric xerophilous xerophobous xerosere lithosere hydrosere xerothermic fauna xiphidiocercaria microcotylate cer¬caria …

Online Dictionary Of Invertebrate Zoology: S, Mary Ann Basinger Maggenti, Armand R. Maggenti, Scott Gardner

Armand R. Maggenti Online Dictionary of Invertebrate Zoology

sabulose sabulous sac saccate saccharobiose sacciform saccule saccus sacoglossa saddle Saefftigen's sagittae sagittocysts saliva salivarium salivary saltation Saltatoria saltatory saltigrade sanguinivorous sanidasters sapphirine saprobe saprobiont saprobiotic saprophagous saprophyte saprozite saprozoic saprozoite sarcobelum sarcode sarcolemma sarcolysis sarcomere sarcomeric sarcophagous sarcoplasm sarcoplasmic sarcosomes sarcostyle sarcotheca sarothrum saxicavous saxicolous scabellum scabrous scalariform scalaroid scalids scalpellum scalpriform scansorial scape scaphe scaphiform scaphium scaphocerite scaphognathite scaphoid Scaphopoda scapula scapus scarabaeiform scarabaeoid scarified scariose scatophagous scavenger scent sceptrules schemochrome schistosomula schizeckenosy schizocele schizochroal schizocoel schizodont schizogamy schizogenesis schizolophe schizopeltid schizopod schizorhyses Schmidt's Schwann scissorial scissure sclerification sclerite scleroblasts sclerocyte sclerophagous sclerosepta sclerotic scoleces scolecid scoleciform scolecoid …

Summer Field Report, June–July 2005, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

The highlights of this season revolve around the excellent wetland habitat that existed in the eastern Rainwater Basin as a result of two things: a period of good rains in May and playa wetlands that have undergone restoration. The latter involves removal of accumulated silt and woody vegetation. Silt removal allows for germination of plants of the native soil bank in the original impervious pan, as well as somewhat deeper and more stable water conditions. These conditions resulted in several important breeding records, such as Pied-billed Grebe, American Coot, Northern Shoveler, and especially Black-necked Stilt. The good water conditions no …

Nebraska Bird Review (September 2005) 73(3), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Summer Field Report, June–July 2005 ... 94

In Memory of John J. Dinan, 1954–2005 ... 113

Multiple Black-necked Stilt Nesting Records in the Rainwater Basin ... 115

The 2005 Nebraska Nest Report ... 119

Status of the Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) in Nebraska ... 124

Subscription and Organization Information ... 131

Multiple Black-Necked Stilt Nesting Records In The Rainwater Basin, Joel G. Jorgensen, Paul Dunbar

Nebraska Bird Review

Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus) have increased throughout much of the mid-continent in recent decades (Will 1999, Brinkley 2003, Brinkley and Baicich 2004). Prior to 1970 there were fewer than ten Nebraska records (Sharpe et al. 2001 ). Reports have increased since 1970 and are now annual. Breeding was first recorded in Nebraska in 1985 at Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Heisinger 1985). Breeding has been more or less regular in the western Sandhills since then (Sharpe et al. 2001) and additional breeding records have occurred in Scotts Bluff (Silcock 2002b ), Keith, and Hall Counties (Silcock 2000b ). …

In Memory Of John J. Dinan, 1954–2005, Wayne J. Mollhoff

Nebraska Bird Review

It was immediately obvious to anyone who knew John that his work with the birds and other wildlife of Nebraska was more than just a job—it was his life, and he lived it with a passion. Although not always a formal member of the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, John, as much as anyone, was "dedicated to the study, appreciation, and protection of birds" in Nebraska.

Those privileged enough to spend time afield with John quickly became aware of the presence of not just a professional biologist, but one still fired with that first innocent curiosity at discovering Nebraska's natural environment. That …

Subscription And Organization Information [September 2005]

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official journal and is sent to members not in arrears of dues. Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $15 in the United States, $18 in Canada, and $30 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4 each, postpaid, in the United States, $5 in Canada, and $8 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Mary Lou Pritchard, NOU Librarian. c/o University of Nebraska State Museum, W-436 Nebraska Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in the NOU (on a calendar-year basis only): …

Status Of The Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica Cerulea) In Nebraska, W. Ross Silcock, John J. Dinan, Bill Huser, Joel G. Jorgensen

Nebraska Bird Review

The Cerulean Warbler is a species of high conservation concern because of apparent long-term declines throughout its breeding range (Hamel 2000a, Hamel et al. 2004, Sauer et al. 2005) and threats to and reduction of breeding and wintering habitat (Hamel et al. 2004, Rick et al. 2004). Nebraska has traditionally been at the western periphery of the species' breeding range, where it is restricted to mature woodlands in the Missouri River Valley (Sharpe et al. 2001, Mollhoff 2001). The Cerulean Warbler is a Tier I "at-risk" species under the Nebraska Natural Legacy Plan because it is a conservation priority (Schneider …

The 2005 Nebraska Nest Report, Wayne J. Mollhoff

Nebraska Bird Review

The drought that gripped much of western Nebraska for the past 5 years loosened its hold this year as rain returned to more normal levels, especially in the northwest Panhandle. Some other areas of the state still remained at below normal rainfall levels.

The following observers submitted records for the nest report: Kathy Delara (KD), Stephen J. Dinsmore (SJD), Mike Fritz (MF), Robin Harding (RH), Derrick Keim (DK), Alice Kenitz (AK), Courtney Kerns (CK), Daniel H. Kim (DHK), Thomas Labedz (TL), Andre Lima (AL), Leonard McDaniel (LM), Wayne Mollhoff (WM), Colleen Noecker (CN), Don Paseka (DP), Janis Paseka (JP), Lanny …

Interpretive Signs Designed To Trigger Naturalist Intelligence At Two American Zoos, Martha Bryant

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

An investigation of interpretive graphics was conducted in 2005 at two mid-sized AZA-accredited zoos, Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa, Florida and Knoxville Zoo, Knoxville, Tennessee. The Lowry Park Zoo study investigated signs at a red-tailed hawk and sandhill crane exhibit. Combination signs and wordless signs were more effective helping visitors see animals, increasing holding time, and number of engagements than treatments of no signs, or signs with words only. A second study, at Knoxde Zoo, tested combination and wordless signs in a children's zoo, investigating 31 signs at a 3.5-acre exhibit. Comparisons of visitors seeing the animals/using interactive exhibit elements, holding …

Ecology Of The Missouri River: Missouri River Creel Survey, Bellevue Bridge To Camp Creek, 3 April Through 29 May 2004, Gerald Mestl

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission's strategic plan has stated the following management goal for the Missouri River: Restore, protect, and maintain the diversity of historic Missouri River habitats, resources, and ecosystem functions in order that present and future generations may enjoy consumptive and non-consumptive outdoor recreational opportunities (NGPC 1996). To accomplish this goal the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission identified the following five objectives: • To restore terrestrial and aquatic floodplain habitat types by 2008. This would include old oxbows, chutes, side channels, sand bars, backwaters, wetlands, and other shallow water habitats. To restore ftows that reflect the natural …

"Sibling Species, Advertisement Calls, And Reproductive Isolation In Frogs Of The Leptodactylus Pentadactylus Species Cluster (Amphibia, Leptodactylidae), W. Ronald Heyer, Rafael O. De Sá, A. Rettig

Biology Faculty Publications

A recent re-evaluation of morphological and advertisement call variation in the large species of frogs of the Leptodactylus pentadactylus cluster discovered more examples of sibling species as defined by Ernst Mayr in his influential book Animal Species and Evolution. All previously documented instances of sibling species in frogs demonstrated advertisement call differentiation consistent with the calls serving as pre-mating isolating mechanisms. However, we find one instance of two species with nondistinguishable adult morphologies as well as nondistinguishable advertisement calls. Presumably, the new instances of sibling species reflect retention of ancestral adult morphologies and advertisement calls. Larval and habitat differentiation appear …

Selective Breeding For High Endurance Running Increases Hindlimb Symmetry, Theodore Garland Jr., Patricia W. Freeman

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Comparative studies provide correlational evidence of morphological adaptations for high locomotor performance, such as the classical indicators of cursoriality in mammals, long limbs and high metatarsal/femur ratios. More recently, enlarged femoral condyles have been suggested as an adaptation for high endurance running in the genus Homo. Asymmetry of locomotor appendages should adversely affect locomotor abilities, but this has not been studied in a rigorous evolutionary context. We used experimental evolution to test for morphological adaptations associated with high voluntary wheel running in selectively bred lines of mice. Surprisingly, the classical indicators of cursoriality had not evolved in concert with …

Bats Of Jamaica, Hugh H. Genoways, John W. Bickham, Robert J. Baker, Carleton J. Phillips

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

The modern history of Jamaica is entwined with European exploration of the New World beginning with the landing of Columbus at Discovery Bay on May 4, 1494, during his second voyage to the Americas. Since that time the word Jamaica has conjured thoughts of tropical beaches, trade winds, pleasant tropical nights, Spaniards, British navy, Empire, sugar, rum, plantations, slavery, revolt, maroons, pirates, Port Royal, disasters, hurricanes, and in more recent years independence, tourism, Reggae, and welcoming and happy residents. Our knowledge of Jamaican natural history begins with Browne (1789). He and other early naturalists displayed a broad interest in plants …

Seroprevalence And Genomic Divergence Of Circulating Strains Of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Among Felidae And Hyaenidae Species, Jennifer L. Troyer, Jill Pecon-Slattery, Melody E. Roelke, Warren E. Johnson, Sue Vandewoude, Nuria Vazquez-Salat, Meredith Brown, Laurence Frank, Rosie Woodroffe, Christiaan Winterbach, Hanlie Winterbach, Graham Hemson, Mitchell Bush, Kathleen A. Alexander, Eloy Revilla, Stephen J. O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infects numerous wild and domestic feline species and is closely related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). Species-specific strains of FIV have been described for domestic cat (Felis catus), puma (Puma concolor), lion (Panthera leo), leopard (Panthera pardus), and Pallas' cat (Otocolobus manul). Here, we employ a three-antigen Western blot screening (domestic cat, puma, and lion FIV antigens) and PCR analysis to survey worldwide prevalence, distribution, and genomic differentiation of FIV based on 3,055 specimens from 35 Felidae and 3 Hyaenidae species. …

Bats Of St. Kitts (St. Christopher), Northern Lesser Antilles, With Comments Regarding Capture Rates Of Neotropical Bats, Scott C. Pedersen, Hugh H. Genoways, Mathew N. Morton, Gary G. Kwiecinski, Sian E. Courts

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Only four species of bats have been previously reported from the Antillean island of St. Kitts—Noctilio leporinus, Artibeus jamaicensis, Molossus molossus, and Tadarida brasiliensis. Our field research reported herein adds three species to this list—Monophyllus plethodon, Ardops nichollsi, and Brachyphylla cavernarum. These efforts included mist netting in a variety of foraging habitats and extensive surveys of natural and anthropogenic roost sites. We discuss the difficulty in accurately reporting mistnetting effort and capture rates. The average rate of fruit bat captures during 2001 on St. Kitts (1.11 bats per net-night - BNN) falls towards the …

Spring Field Report, March-May 2005, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

As is often the case, the spring season had something for everyone: potential range expansions, an incredible shorebird migration through the eastern Rainwater Basin, a scarcity of migrant warblers, and some genuinely rare birds.

Timely spring rainfall transformed the Rainwater Basin, leaving large areas of sheetwater for migrant shorebirds and improving the attractiveness of wetlands, particularly renovated wetlands, to certain breeding species.

Perhaps the most important bits of information we can record here are changes in breeding ranges or behavior. Of significance here is the second nesting record for Hooded Merganser, the increasing occurrence of Greater Prairie-Chickens at Rainwater Basin …

Nebraska Bird Review (June 2005) 73(2), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Spring Field Report, March–May 2005 ... 46

Northern Saw-whet Owls: Rare or Overlooked? An Example from the Central Platte Valley ... 67

Least Tern and Piping Plover Surveys of the Central and Upper Platte River 2001–2004 ... 71

2004 (16th) Report of the NOU Records Committee ... 78

Correction to the 2002 NOURC Report ... 84

Correction to the “Official List of the Birds of Nebraska: 2003” ... 84

In Memory of Loren ‘Bub’ Blake ... 85

Annual Meeting at Calamus Reservoir ... 86

Subscription and Organization Information ... 91

Least Tern And Piping Plover Surveys Of The Central And Upper Platte River 2001–2004, Mark Czaplewski, Jim Jenniges, Mark Peyton

Nebraska Bird Review

Central Platte Natural Resources District (Central Platte NRD), Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD), and Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District (Central) have been involved in monitoring and management of interior Least Tern (Sterna antillarum) and Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) nesting habitat along the Platte River and on the shores of Lake McConaughy in Nebraska since the late 1980s. Since 2001, Central Platte NRD, NPPD, and Central have also helped implement the Least Tern and Piping Plover monitoring protocol developed by the Technical Advisory Committee of the Platte River Endangered Species Partnership (PRESP) (PRESP 2002a, an …

Northern Saw-Whet Owls: Rare Or Overlooked? An Example From The Central Platte Valley, Daniel H. Kim

Nebraska Bird Review

Assessing the population status for species requires accurate measures of local or regional numbers. For many species, standardized protocols exist for estimating local numbers through visual counts (e.g., Breeding Bird Survey routes, Christmas Bird Count circles, and point count protocols used by the US Forest Service). For many raptor species, monitoring populations at migratory bottlenecks such as the Goshute Mountains, NV, Hawk Mountain, PA, and Cape May, NJ, provide yearly indices of population health. Unfortunately, most monitoring protocols overlook a suite of small crepuscular or nocturnal species. Project Owlnet (www.projectowlnet.org) is a volunteer-based network of banding stations focusing on Northern …

2004 (16th) Report Of The Nou Records Committee, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

The functions and methods of the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Records Committee are described in its bylaws (NOU Records Committee 1986). The committee's purpose is to provide a procedure for documenting unusual bird sightings and to establish a list of all documented birds for Nebraska. The "Official List of the Birds of Nebraska" was first published in 1988 (NOU Records Committee 1988) and has been updated two times (NOU Records Committee 1997, 2004).

The "Official List" has been appended fourteen times: (Mollhoff 1989, Grenon 1990, 1991, Gubanyi 1996a, 1996b, 1996c, Brogie 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, Jorgensen 2001, 2002, 2003). This …

Subscription And Organization Information [June 2005]

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official journal and is sent to members not in arrears of dues. Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $15 in the United States, $18 in Canada, and $30 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4 each, postpaid, in the United States, $5 in Canada, and $8 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Mary Lou Pritchard, NOU Librarian, c/o University of Nebraska State Museum, W-436 Nebraska Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in the NOU (on a calendar-year basis only): …

Annual Meeting At Calamus Reservoir

Nebraska Bird Review

The 106th Annual Meeting of the NOU was held on May 13–15, 2005, at the Calamus Lodge near Burwell. Sixty-four members and guests were in attendance.

The slate of candidates presented by the nominating committee was accepted by the members present. The officers elected were Dave Heidt, president (replacing Alice Kenitz), Urban Lehner, vice-president (replacing Dave Heidt), Betty Grenon, treasurer, Kevin Poague, secretary (replacing Mitzi Fox), Mary Lou Pritchard, librarian, Loren Padelford, director, and Janis Paseka, editor.

Friday evening's speaker was Scott Taylor, Upland Game Program Manager for Nebraska Game and Parks, who spoke about current upland game bird research …

In Memory Of Loren ‘Bub’ Blake, Sept. 17, 1944-Oct. 5, 2004, Neal Ratzlaff

Nebraska Bird Review

Loren Blake, known to all of his friends as 'Bub,' entered many of our lives on a fall evening in the late 1980s. The occasion was the traditional shared nature slide session at the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Fall Field Days. Rumors circulated about a Sandhills rancher interested in birds and photography who was going to show up with a few slides he had taken “around the ranch.” And show up he did, with a carousel of his best! The room was soon buzzing with Oohs, Aahs, and Wows as Bub dazzled us with his crisp, well-composed photos of everything from …

Carnivores From The Mexican State Of Puebla: Distribution, Taxonomy, And Conservation, Jose Ramirez-Pulido, Noe Gonzalez-Ruiz, Hugh H. Genoways

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

We examined 96 museum specimens belonging to 14 species of Carnivora from the Mexican State of Puebla. In addition, four species were documented based on literature records and by indirect evidence. The carnivorous mammals of Puebla belong to 5 families, 18 genera, 18 species and 23 subspecies. Eight of these 23 taxa are reported herein for the first time from the state of Puebla. Of the 18 species, Herpailurus yagouaroundi, Lontra longicaudis, Taxidea taxus, and Galictis vittata are considered by Norma Oficial Mexicana as threatened species, Leopardus wiedii and Eira barbara in danger of extinction, and Potos flavus is …

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.

A Multidimensional Approach For Detecting Species Patterns In Malagasy Vertebrates, Anne D. Yoder, Link E. Olson, Carol Hanley, Kellie L. Heckman, Rodin Rasoloarison, Amy L. Russell, Julie Ranivo, Voahangy Soarimalala, K. Praveen Karanth, Achille P. Raselimanana, Steven M. Goodman

Amy L. Russell

Mammals Of The Cosigüina Peninsula Of Nicaragua, Hugh H. Genoways, Robert M. Timm

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Nicaragua’s Cosigüina Peninsula, located at the northwestern tip of the country, is one of the most poorly studied biotic regions in Central America. The peninsula has been occupied for millennia because the climate of the region supported human habitation and because of its strategic position along the rich Pacific coast. The combination of long-term occupancy by humans and the cataclysmic eruptions of Volcán Cosigüina have produced a heavily impacted landscape. During the 1960s, the University of Kansas conducted multiyear field surveys of the terrestrial mammals on the peninsula and the adjacent mainland to quantify species diversity, relationships, abundances, habitat use, …

Availability Of Suitable Habitat For Northern River Otters In South Dakota, Alyssa M. Kiesow, Charles D. Dieter

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Currently, the northern river otter (Lontra canadensis) is listed as a threatened species in South Dakota. We determined whether adequate habitat was available for reintroducing river otters in South Dakota. The 17 rivers/creeks included in the analysis were selected according to stream size, water gradient, and water permanence. A vegetation transect was conducted and a water sample was collected at each study site, ranging from one to four per river. Rivers/creeks were rated (1 = least suitable to 5 = most suitable) according to habitat requirements of river otters in the following categories: stream characteristics, watershed features, water …

The Defensin Gene In Dermacentor Variabilis And Ixodes Scapularis, Katherine Corbett Seguin

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

In response to microbial challenge, invertebrates rely on their innate immune response to recognize and destroy harmful pathogens. One of the primary proteins produced by the response and that has been observed in many invertebrates, including insects, mussels, and ticks, is defensin. These proteins are responsible for forming pores in the membranes of invading microbes thereby destroying them. This study examined the gene coding region for defensin in two important tick disease vectors, Dermacentor variabilis and Ixodes scapularis. PCR amplification of the genes from tick chromosomal DNA resulted in the amplification of a 225 base pair amplicon. Sequencing of …