Animal Sciences Commons^™

Corn Hybrids: Deer Taste The Difference, Joshua A. Delger, Kevin L. Monteith, Jonathan A. Jenks

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

As daylight begins to illuminate the countryside, a cold wind rustles through the leaves of the weedy rows of corn that you barely had time to get in the ground this past spring. The corn plants are stunted, the few small ears of corn that did grow are not even enticing to passing blackbirds, and that stud buck captured on your trail-camera months earlier is nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile, a couple hundred yards across the fence to the south, you hear the unmistakable sound of deer running through corn. Your heart rate involuntarily increases. As the sun continues to …

Description Of The Tadpole Of Proceratophrys Renalis (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920) (Anura: Cycloramphidae), Filipe Augusto C. Do Nascimento, Barnagleison S. Lisboa, Gabriel O. Skuk, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

The tadpole of Proceratophrys renalis is described based on specimens from Maceió, State of Alagoas, northeastern Brazil. At stage 35 the body is slightly dorso-ventrally depressed, ovoid in lateral, dorsal, and ventral views. Oral disc is ventral with lateral emarginations, surrounded by a single row of marginal papillae with a large gap on the upper labium. Labial tooth row formula is 2(2)/3(1 ). The analysis of internal oral anatomy revealed two possible characters that readily distinguish P. renalis from P. boiei, supporting the recent resurrection of P. renal is. Comparisons with available descriptions of the larvae for other species in …

A New Partial Skeleton Of A Cryptocleidoid Plesiosaur From The Upper Jurassic Sundance Formation Of Wyoming, Benjamin C. Wilhelm, F. Robin O’Keefe

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

Cryptocleidoid plesiosaurs from the Upper Jurassic are well known from the Oxford Clay (Callovian) of the United Kingdom. The plesiosaurs of the nearly coeval Sundance Formation (Oxfordian) of North America are poorly known, but are thought to include two cryptocleidoid taxa:Pantosaurus striatus and Tatenectes laramiensis. Here we present two specimens recently recovered from the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming. The first specimen comprises three articulated adult cervical vertebrae and fragments of a fourth. This specimen preserves a posteriorly directed cervical neural spine, a character diagnostic of Pantosaurus striatus. It also resembles Pantosaurus in the morphology of its cervical …

Distributions Of Sharks Across A Continental Shelf In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, J. Marcus Drymon, Sean P. Powers, John Dindo, Brian Dzwonkowski, Terry A. Henwood

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Declines in shark populations have sparked researchers and fishery managers to investigate more prudent approaches to the conservation of these fish. As managers strive to improve data collection for stock assessment, fisheries-independent surveys have expanded to include data-deficient areas such as coastal regions. To that end, a catch series from a nearshore survey off Alabama was combined with data from a concurrent offshore survey with identical methodology to examine the depth use of sharks across the continental shelf (2–366 m). The combined data set contained 22 species of sharks collected from 1995 to 2008: 21 species in the offshore data …

Communication For Mate Selection In Anurans: Dominant Frequency Versus Snout-Vent-Length, Shari Jean Kunert

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

No abstract provided.

Is Orthoptera Abundance And Distribution Across A Small Grassland Area Affected By Plant Biomass, Plant Species Richness, And Plant Quality?, Caitlin Falcone

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The choice of a specific microhabitat represents a compromise among a number of different factors organisms use to monitor habitat suitability. Grassland vegetation structure can vary widely along environmental gradients over a relatively small area. This vegetation structure can have a large influence on habitat selection by grasshoppers (Orthoptera). However, it is not clear which vegetation characteristics are most important in determining grasshopper abundance. We found that plant biomass, plant species richness, and plant quality all have an effect on grasshopper abundance and distribution. We observe that these affects vary both within and among the two years of data collection. …

Osteology, Natural History Notes, And Phylogenetic Relationships Of The Poorly Known Caribbean Frog Leptodactylus Nesiotus (Anura, Leptodactylidae), María Laura Ponssa, Michael J. Jowers, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

The Leptodactylus melanonotus group consists of 15 species, but references to skeletal characters are available for only three species: L. leptodactyloides, L. melanonotus, and L. diedrus. Leptodactylus nesiotus is a member of the melanonotus group known only from the type locality, Bonasse swamp, on the Southwestern peninsula of Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago. This species has been categorized as vulnerable given its restricted distribution. Herein, we report the adult osteology of L. nesiotus, the skeletal characters are compared with the available data from other Leptodactylus species. A phylogenetic analysis recovers a paraphyletic L. melanonotus group relative to the L. …

Late Summer Movements By Giant Canada Geese In Relation To A September Hunting Season, Charles D. Dieter, Bobby J. Anderson, Jeffrey S. Gleason, Paul W. Mammenga, Spencer Vaa

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

The population of giant Canada geese (Branta canadensis maxima) breeding in eastern South Dakota has increased dramatically since reintroduction efforts began in the 1960s. May breeding population levels of giant Canada geese exceeded population management goals set by the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) by the mid-1990s, and the population has continued to increase into the 2000s. This population increase was accompanied by an increase in goose-related conflicts such as crop depredation. In 1996, a September hunting season was implemented in select counties in eastern South Dakota in an effort to reduce the giant …

Dispersal Movements Of Subadult Cougars From The Black Hills: The Notions Of Range Expansion And Recolonization, D. J. Thompson, J. A. Jenks

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Dispersal plays a vital role in cougar (Puma concolor) population ecology, creating genetic viability and maintaining gene flow between populations. The naturally recolonized cougar population in the Black Hills is at the edge of the species’ range in North America and completely surrounded by the grasslands of the Northern Great Plains. Our objective was to document dispersal movements and possible range expansion of subadult cougars captured within the Black Hills ecosystem of southwestern South Dakota and eastern Wyoming. Twenty-four (n ¼ 14 males, n ¼ 10 females) subadult cougars were captured in the Black Hills. Independence of cougars from females …

Survival And Harvest Characteristics Of Giant Canada Geese In Eastern South Dakota, 2000–2004, Charles D. Dieter, Jeffrey S. Gleason, Bobby J. Anderson, Spencer Vaa, Paul W. Mammenga

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

The population of giant Canada geese (Branta canadensis maxima) in eastern South Dakota has increased substantially since reintroduction efforts began in the 1960s. Breeding population estimates of Canada geese exceeded the population management objective of the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks by the mid-1990s and has continued to increase at an estimated rate of 3 to 5% per year. Goose-related crop damage complaints have also increased. In 1996, a September hunting season (September 1 to 15) was implemented in 10 counties in eastern South Dakota and was expanded in 2000 to include most of eastern South Dakota. …

Landscape Factors Impacting Survival Of Sympatric Red-Necked Wallabies (Macropus Rufogriseus) And Swamp Wallabies (Wallabia Bicolor) In Urbanized Areas, Karen Zusi

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Urbanization and infrastructure build-up often includes many processes that can damage the natural environment in surrounding areas. Road, powerline, and dam construction, as well as mining, drilling, and overall land-clearing, have severe impacts that resonate through the adjacent wildlife communities. Some species, however, are able to persist in the fringes of urban environments; the swamp wallaby, Wallabia bicolor, is one such example in Australia. A different species of macropod, the red-necked wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus), is similar to the swamp wallaby in many ways but has failed to persist in the outskirts of urban areas. This study aimed to quantitatively differentiate …

The Identity Of The Crackling, Luminescent Frog Of Suriname (Rana Typhonia Linnaeus, 1758) (Amphibia, Anura), E. O. Lavilla, José A. Langone, José M. Padial, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Review of the literature and recently available field notes from the collector of the type allows a reconsideration of the identity of the Linnaean name Rana typhonia. We provide evidence to demonstrate that the Linnaean species is neither a bufonid nor an Asiatic ranid, but a Neotropical hylid. Subsequently, we consider Rana typhonia as an older synonym of Rana venulosa Laurenti, 1768, redescribing its holotype under the new combination, Trachycephalus typhonius (Linnaeus, 1758).

The Identity Of Zachaenus Roseus Cope, 1890 (Anura: Species Inquirenda), Esteban O. Lavilla, J. J. Nuñez, F. E. Rabanal, José A. Langone, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Zachaenus roseus Cope, 1890, has puzzled systematists working in southern South America. A single individual, the holotype, has ever been collected and this specimen is in extremely poor preservation condition. Herein, the precise location of the type locality of Z. roseus is determined based on a historical review of the literature. Furthermore, following a careful comparison with all species that inhabit the southern austral forest, and that could potentially correspond to Zachaenus roseus, we conclude that this taxon is placed in the synonymy of Eupsophus calcaratus (Günther, 1881)

Environment-Induced Phenotypic Plasticity In The Teeth Of Hatchery And Wild Largemouth Bass, Micropterus Floridanus, Tamilselvi Selvaraj

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Successful stock enhancement of hatchery-reared fish depends heavily on the release of individuals able to demonstrate strong survival skills. Overall survival of fishes is a reflection of a successful blend of physiology, anatomy, and behavior. With fishes being highly phenotypically plastic, the potential exists for all aspects of hatcheryreared fish to vary significantly from their wild counterparts while having potentially adverse effects on their survival after release. Previous analyses have demonstrated significant differences between the feeding behavior of hatchery-reared and wild caught largemouth bass (Micropterus floridanus) in the laboratory, as well as differences in the development of the …

The Lobster Bulletin, Fall 2010, Lobster Institute, University Of Maine

Lobster Bulletin

The Lobster Bulletin newsletter includes research updates, and information on lobsters and the lobster industry. The Lobster Institute at the University of Maine is dedicated to protecting and conserving the lobster resource, and enhancing lobstering as an industry and a way of life.

Headlines in the Fall 2010 issue include:

• The Heanssler Family: Three Generations of Volunteer Lobster Researchers
• Lobstermen Qualify for TAAF Program — Can Apply for Training & Cash Benefits
• Update on Lobster Science Centre's Molt & Qualify Monitoring Available
• Research Report: Habitat Mooring System Showing Early Results
• Research Report: Vertical Line Density Research

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The Lobster Bulletin, Summer 2010, Lobster Institute, University Of Maine

Lobster Bulletin

The Lobster Bulletin newsletter includes research updates, and information on lobsters and the lobster industry. The Lobster Institute at the University of Maine is dedicated to protecting and conserving the lobster resource, and enhancing lobstering as an industry and a way of life.

Headlines in the Summer 2010 issue include:

• Mooring That Creats Lobster Habitat Now Available — Portion of Sales to Support Mission of the Lobster Institute
• Input Sought for Lobster Institute Strategic Plan
• The Lobster Institute's 2010 Needs Assessment Survey
• Research Report: Bait: How Much is Enough?
• Research Report: Lobster Assessment Models Compared
• Research Report: Paper on Modeling …

Bats Of The Grenadine Islands, West Indies, And Placement Of Koopman's Line, Hugh H. Genoways, Gary G. Kwiecinski, Peter A. Larsen, Scott C. Pedersen, Roxanne J. Larsen, Justin D. Hoffman, Mark De Silva, Carleton J. Phillips, Robert J. Baker

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Almost nothing is known concerning the chiropteran fauna on the Grenadine Islands, a chain of islands between St. Vincent and Grenada located near the southern end of the Lesser Antilles. Previously, only a single species—Glossophaga longirostris—had been reported from the Grenadines. Our research, conducted on 4 occasions over the period of 1980 to 2006, provided museum vouchers and genetic specimens for the addition of 4 other species to the known fauna of these islands—Noctilio leporinus, Artibeus lituratus, Artibeus schwartzi, and Molossus molossus. The Grenadines, being situated between St. Vincent and Grenada, occupy an important zoogeographic position. …

Future Management Of The Metropolitan Recreational Roe's Abalone Fishery., Metropolitan Roe's Abalone Recreational Fishery Working Group.

Fisheries management papers

Following the setting of a 40 tonne Total Allowable Recreational Catch (TARC) for the Perth recreational abalone fishery, a working group was formed to examine future management options.

The Metropolitan Roe’s Abalone Recreational Fishery Working Group (“the Working Group”) examined historical management, key principles, amenity of fishing, bag limits, license numbers, season length and timing of the season to assist its deliberations. A questionnaire was also sent out to 1,000 abalone recreational licence holders, with 20 per cent of licensees providing a detailed response.

A Comparison Of The Singing Activity Of Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus Ludovicianus)) In Urban And Rural Settings, Shannon R. Trimboli

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

As the earth’s landscape becomes increasingly urbanized, local wildlife must adapt to urban conditions or migrate to areas that are more rural. Urban wildlife face challenges such as direct loss of habitat, competition with non-native species, disturbance due to anthropogenic noise, and micro-climatic changes. Factors such as temperature, relative humidity, and noise affect the acoustical environment and may affect the ability of many animals, including birds, to communicate.

Understanding how urbanization affects birds’ singing behavior is critical because singing often plays a vital role in attracting mates and defending territories. In addition, as global climate change occurs it will become …

Ecology And Relationships Of Rhabdias Spp. (Nematoda: Rhabdiasidae) From North American Amphibians And Reptiles, Gabriel J. Langford

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Lungworms of the cosmopolitan genus Rhabdias (Nematoda: Rhabdiasidae) are among the most common parasites of amphibians and squamate reptiles. The life cycles, life histories, host specificities, and evolutionary relationships of Rhabdias spp. were studied through examination of their free-living and parasitic stages in amphibians and reptiles. This study found free-living development of anuran lungworms was primarily limited to heterogonic reproduction, whereas snake lungworms primarily reproduced homogonically. Infective anuran lungworms penetrated the skin of frogs and toads; in contrast, snake lungworms penetrated snake esophageal tissue during per os infections. Our molecular phylogeny strongly supported separate clades for anuran and snake lungworms, …

The Loss Of Species: Mangrove Extinction Risk And Geographic Areas Of Global Concern, Beth A. Polidoro, Kent E. Carpenter, Lorna Collins, Norman C. Duke, Aaron M. Ellison, Joanna C. Ellison, Elizabeth J. Farnsworth, Edwino S. Fernando, Kandasamy Kathiresan, Nico E. Koedam, Suzanne R. Livingstone, Toyohiko Miyagi, Gregg E. Moore, Vien Ngoc Nam, Jin Eong Ong, Jurgenne H. Primavera, Serverino G. Salmo, Jonnell C. Sanciango, Sukristijono Sukardjo, Yamin Wang, Jean Wan Hong Yong

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mangrove species are uniquely adapted to tropical and subtropical coasts, and although relatively low in number of species, mangrove forests provide at least US $1.6 billion each year in ecosystem services and support coastal livelihoods worldwide. Globally, mangrove areas are declining rapidly as they are cleared for coastal development and aquaculture and logged for timber and fuel production. Little is known about the effects of mangrove area loss on individual mangrove species and local or regional populations. To address this gap, species-specific information on global distribution, population status, life history traits, and major threats were compiled for each of the …

The Lobster Bulletin, Spring 2010, Lobster Institute, University Of Maine

Lobster Bulletin

The Lobster Bulletin newsletter includes research updates, and information on lobsters and the lobster industry. The Lobster Institute at the University of Maine is dedicated to protecting and conserving the lobster resource, and enhancing lobstering as an industry and a way of life.

Headlines in the Spring 2010 issue include:

• Record Turnout at the Lobster Institute's 2010 Canadian/U.S. Lobstermen's Town Meeting
• Lobster Institute Begins Strategic Planning Process
• Certified Cargo Screening Program
• Research Report: Hard Plastics Decompose in Oceans, Releasing Endocrine Disrupter BPA
• Research Report: Fishing industry worried about possible threats of seismic testing on lucrative Georges Bank fishing grounds
• Maine …

Herbicides And Amphibian Populations, Zach Shirk

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Amphibians are a unique class of species that are found worldwide except Antarctica and Greenland. They range in size from a few millimeters to over six feet long. Amphibian’s habitats are as various as their size, but one thing in common is that amphibians require an aquatic location to breed. Amphibians live in deserts, mountain prairies, rain forest, wetlands, and almost everywhere in between. Amphibians are an integrated part of most natural ecosystems across the world. Amphibians are a critical part of many food chains; they provide the important link between secondary and tertiary consumers. Amphibians are indicator species in …

Birth Statistics For African (Loxodonta Africana) And Asian (Elephas Maximus) Elephants In Human Care: History And Implications For Elephant Welfare, Robert H.I. Dale

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

African (Loxodonta africana) and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) have lived in the care of humans for many years, yet there is no consensus concerning some basic parameters describing their newborn calves. This study provides a broad empirical basis for generalizations about the birth heights, birth weights, birth times and gestation periods of elephant calves born in captivity. I obtained data concerning at least one of these four characteristics for 218 newborn calves from 74 institutions. Over the past 30 years, newborn Asian elephants have been taller and heavier than newborn African elephants. Neonatal African elephants exhibited …

A Survey Of The Management And Development Of Captive African Elephant (Loxodonta Africana) Calves: Birth To Three Months Of Age, Nicole L. Kowalski, Robert H.I. Dale, Christa L. H. Mazur

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

We used four surveys to collect information about the birth, physical growth, and behavioral development of 12 African elephant calves born in captivity. The management of the birth process and neonatal care involved a variety of standard procedures. All of the calves were born at night, between 7PM and 7AM. The calves showed a systematic progression in behavioral and physical development, attaining developmental milestones at least a quickly as calves in situ. This study emphasized birth-related events, changes in the ways that calves used their trunks, first instances of behaviors, and interactions of the calves with other, usually adult, elephants. …

Conserving Migratory Land Birds In The New World: Do We Know Enough?, John Faaborg, Richard T. Holmes, Angela D. Anders, Keith L. Bildstein

Dartmouth Scholarship

Migratory bird needs must be met during four phases of the year: breeding season, fall migration, wintering, and spring migration; thus, management may be needed during all four phases. The bulk of research and management has focused on the breeding season, although several issues remain unsettled, including the spatial extent of habitat influences on fitness and the importance of habitat on the breeding grounds used after breeding. Although detailed investigations have shed light on the ecology and population dynamics of a few avian species, knowledge is sketchy for most species. Replication of comprehensive studies is needed for multiple species across …

The Identification Of Rana Ocellata Linnaeus, 1758. Nomenclatural Impact On The Species Currently Known As Leptodactylus Ocellatus (Leptodactylidae) And Osteopilus Brunneus (Gosse, 1851) (Hylidae), Esteban O. Lavilla, José A. Langone, Ulisses Caramaschi, W. Ronald Heyer, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

The usage of the name Rana ocellata Linnaeus, 1758, is plagued by misidentifications and misinterpretations. After an exhaustive bibliographic review, we conclude that the Linnaeus 1758 name refers to Osteopilus brunneus (Gosse, 1851) from Jamaica, while the taxon currently known as Leptodactylus ocellatus corresponds to Rana latrans Steffen, 1815. Herein, we designate and provide descriptions of the neotypes of Leptodactylus latrans (Steffen, 1815), revalidated, new combination, and Osteopilus ocellatus (Linnaeus, 1758), new combination, as a senior synonym of Osteopilus brunneus (Gosse, 1851).

Leptodactylus Cunicularius, W. R. Heyer, Miriam M. Heyer, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Adult Leptodactylus cunicularius are moderately small. The head is longer than wide and the hind limbs are long (Table 1; Heyer and Thompson 2000 provided definitions of adult size and leg length categories for Leptodactylus). Male vocal sacs are internal, not externally expanded. The snout is protruding, not sexually dimorphic. Male forearms are not hypertrophied and males lack asperities on the thumbs and chest. The dorsum is variegated with small, often confluent, spots and blotches. There is a very thin interrupted mid-dorsal light stripe (pinstripe). Usually, there is a noticeable light, irregular, elongate, mid-dorsal blotch in the scapular region. The …

Leptodactylus Syphax, W. R. Heyer, Miriam M. Heyer, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Adult Leptodactylus syphax are moderately sized (males 58-83 mm, females 70-90 mm SVL). The head is about as long as wide, but usually is just wider than long. The hind limbs are moderately short (Table 1; Heyar and Thompson 2000 provided definitions of adult size and leg length categories for Leptodactylus). Male vocal sacs are laterally expanded, tan, and not darker than the adjacent throat. The male snout is not spatulate, the snout profile is rounded to obtuse in both sexes. Male arms are hypertrophied during the breeding season in sexually active males. The male thumb has two large, …

Retention, Movement, And The Biotic Response To Large Woody Debris In The Channelized Missouri River, Michael W. Archer

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Large woody debris (LWD) is an important component of a healthy aquatic ecosystem. However, little is known about the dynamics of LWD in a large, channelized river such as the Missouri River. My objectives were to first, assess the abundance of LWD found along the channelized portion of the Missouri River. Second, I documented movement of LWD that entered the river. Lastly, using PRIMER software I analyzed what effect, if any, river segments, bend types, and LWD had on the community composition of the macroinvertebrate and fish that inhabit the river. Abundance of LWD was greater along bends that have …