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- <p>American toad.</p> <p>Natural history - West Virginia.</p> (1)
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Articles 1 - 12 of 12
Full-Text Articles in Animal Sciences
A New Partial Skeleton Of A Cryptocleidoid Plesiosaur From The Upper Jurassic Sundance Formation Of Wyoming, Benjamin C. Wilhelm, F. Robin O’Keefe
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 …
The Braincase Of Youngina Capensis (Reptilia, Diapsida): New Insights From High-Resolution Ct Scanning Of The Holotype, Nicholas M. Gardner, Casey M. Holliday, F. Robin O’Keefe
The Braincase Of Youngina Capensis (Reptilia, Diapsida): New Insights From High-Resolution Ct Scanning Of The Holotype, Nicholas M. Gardner, Casey M. Holliday, F. Robin O’Keefe
Biological Sciences Faculty Research
Detailed descriptions of braincase anatomy in early diapsid reptiles have been historically rare given the difficulty of accessing this deep portion of the skull, because of poor preservation of the fossils or the inability to remove the surrounding skull roof. Previous descriptions of the braincase of Youngina capensis, a derived stem-diapsid reptile from the Late Permian (250 MYA) of South Africa, have relied on only partially preserved fossils. High resolution X-ray computed tomography (HRXCT) scanning, a new advance in biomedical sciences, has allowed us to examine the reasonably complete braincase of the holotype specimen of Youngina capensis for the …
Growth And Age At Reproductive Maturity Of The Carolina Pigmy Rattlesnake, Sistrurus M. Miliarius (Reptilia: Serpentes), Kevin Robert Messenger
Growth And Age At Reproductive Maturity Of The Carolina Pigmy Rattlesnake, Sistrurus M. Miliarius (Reptilia: Serpentes), Kevin Robert Messenger
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Growth and age at reproductive maturity are life history attributes that play an important role in the development of proper management strategies. The Carolina Pigmy Rattlesnake, Sistrurus m. miliarius, is one of two dwarf rattlesnake species. The subspecies ranges from eastern NC to nearly the southern tip of SC and into the northeastern portion of GA. In NC, where the species’ status is of Special Concern, fragmentation and land development have destroyed most of its historic range. Its small size also makes it highly susceptible to predation. In some parts of the range, commercial collection is another pressure the species …
Dopamine Modulates The Lateral Giant Neuron And Serotonergic Facilitation In Crayfish, Joshua Scott Titlow
Dopamine Modulates The Lateral Giant Neuron And Serotonergic Facilitation In Crayfish, Joshua Scott Titlow
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The lateral giant (LG) neural circuit is a model system used to study the function of individual neurons. The LG circuit is part of a tail flip escape reflex that is a defensive behavior for crayfish. This thesis begins by addressing the effects of dopamine (DA), a neurotransmitter involved in normal and abnormal behaviors of most animals. Here it is shown that dopamine decreases the excitability of the LG neuron, a trigger for the escape reflex. An electrophysiology protocol was used to mimic sensory input to the LG neuron. Stimulating a sensory nerve in the last ganglion with an electrode …
Movement Patterns And Artificial Arboreal Cover Use Of Green Salamanders (Aneides Aeneus) In Kanawha County, West Virginia, Sarah Elizabeth Miloski
Movement Patterns And Artificial Arboreal Cover Use Of Green Salamanders (Aneides Aeneus) In Kanawha County, West Virginia, Sarah Elizabeth Miloski
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Global amphibian declines have spawned a need for amphibian monitoring studies using standardized sampling techniques for early detection of population declines. The Green Salamander (Aneides aeneus) is a declining plethodontid salamander (Family: Plethodontidae) associated with rock outcrops and arboreal habitat. The unique habitat requirements of this species make A. aeneus populations particularly susceptible to habitat perturbations. Although primarily associated with rock outcrops, A. aeneus morphology and ecology suggest that A. aeneus may be highly mobile. High mobility has important implications for habitat management, particularly pertaining to land surrounding rock outcrops. However, few studies have addressed plethodontid movement patterns, which are …
The Natural History & Distribution Of Riverine Turtles In West Virginia, Linh Diem Phu
The Natural History & Distribution Of Riverine Turtles In West Virginia, Linh Diem Phu
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Turtles are unique evolutionary marvels that evolved from amphibians and developed their protective shelled form more than 200 million years ago. In West Virginia, there are 10 native species of turtles, 9 of which are aquatic. Most of these aquatic turtles feed on carrion and dead plant matter, in the water and essentially "clean" our water systems. Turtles are long-lived animals with sensitive life stages that can serve as both long-term and short-term bioindicators of environmental health. With the increase in commercial trade, habitat fragmentation, degradation, destruction, there has been a marked decline in turtle species. The need for well …
A Natural History Study Of Bufo A. Americanus, The Eastern American Toad, And The Phenology Of Spring Breeders In Southwest West Virginia, Tomi Maria Bergstrom
A Natural History Study Of Bufo A. Americanus, The Eastern American Toad, And The Phenology Of Spring Breeders In Southwest West Virginia, Tomi Maria Bergstrom
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Natural history traits have not been thoroughly collected and analyzed on the "common hoptoad," Bufo a. americanus (eastern American toad) in West Virginia. Updating natural history information is important to understand the present population status (Jackson, 2001). I chose to have two study sites at opposing physiographic regions to constitute a better understanding of B. a. americanus natural history in WV. The study was initiated in spring 2008 at Beech Fork State Park and Green Bottom Swamp Wildlife Refuge (in Mason and Cabell counties) and in 2009 incorporated Canaan Valley of Tucker County. Ten natural history morphometrics and characters were …
Effect Of Snake Populations On Salamanders As A Result Of Forest Fragmentation, Casey Renee Bradshaw
Effect Of Snake Populations On Salamanders As A Result Of Forest Fragmentation, Casey Renee Bradshaw
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Forest fragmentation is one of the main causes for the loss of native biodiversity. One consequence is increased proportion of edge habitat that introduces new “edge” species, and makes habitat for interior forest-living species less-suitable. This study was conducted at three sites in Tucker County, West Virginia and included one downhill ski slope, one cross country ski slope, and one gravel road. The main objectives of this study were to determine relative abundance of snake communities, how far species move from edge habitat into the forest and to determine whether snakes are a predatory threat to salamanders, specifically the federally …
Testing The Behavioral Responses Of West Virginia Turtles To Roads And Vehicles, Aaron Clinton Gooley
Testing The Behavioral Responses Of West Virginia Turtles To Roads And Vehicles, Aaron Clinton Gooley
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Road mortality has been identified as a major threat to many turtle species; however, response to passing vehicles, crossing speed, and general behavior while crossing roads has never been investigated in turtles. To investigate these factors, Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata), Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene c. carolina), and Stinkpots (Sternotherus odoratus) were collected and placed in a release box on the side of a closed road with an active road running parallel to it 26 m away. Turtles were released via a pulley-operated door facing the road, and their actions videotaped by an …
Long-Term Growth And Monitoring Of The Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus A. Alleganiensis) In Eastern West Virginia, Douglas Charles Horchler
Long-Term Growth And Monitoring Of The Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus A. Alleganiensis) In Eastern West Virginia, Douglas Charles Horchler
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Amphibian declines have been well documented, specifically in the last few decades. The Hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, one of North America’s largest salamander species, has suffered dramatic declines throughout much of its range, with estimated declines of up to 77 percent recently documented in some populations. With diurnal and nocturnal searches and mark-recapture techniques, I collected data on the status of Eastern Hellbender populations in Eastern West Virginia. We re-sampled a study site on the West Fork of the Greenbrier River that was first examined in 1998 by Jeff Humphries. Long-term growth and survivorship data were collected and compared to 1998 …
Potential Of Urban Habitats As Reptile And Amphibian Refuges In West Virginia, Scott Jones
Potential Of Urban Habitats As Reptile And Amphibian Refuges In West Virginia, Scott Jones
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Urban herpetology is a relatively new field, examining how reptiles and amphibians survive in areas that have been altered by humans. This study sought to add data on urban habitats to the knowledge within West Virginia. I studied six sites: two urban parks (Ritter Park and Barboursville Park), a nature area near an art museum (Huntington Museum of Art), two wildlife management areas (Green Bottom WMA and Chief Cornstalk WMA), and a state park (Beech Fork State Park). The state park and two wildlife management areas were considered non-urban habitats because they are more removed from developed areas than the …
Evidence Of Pachyostosis In The Cryptocleidoid Plesiosaur Tatenectes Laramiensis From The Sundance Formation Of Wyoming, Hallie P. Street, F. Robin O’Keefe
Evidence Of Pachyostosis In The Cryptocleidoid Plesiosaur Tatenectes Laramiensis From The Sundance Formation Of Wyoming, Hallie P. Street, F. Robin O’Keefe
Biological Sciences Faculty Research
In this paper we present evidence for pachyostosis in the cryptocleidoid plesiosaur Tatenectes laramiensis Knight, 1900 (O'Keefe and Wahl, 2003a). Pachyostosis is not common in plesiosaurs and is particularly rare in non-pliosaurian plesiosaurs, although enlarged gastralia were first recognized in Tatenectes by Wahl (1999). This study aims to investigate the nature of the disproportionately large gastralia of Tatenectes m greater depth, based on new material. A recently discovered partial skeleton consisting of a dorsal vertebral series, ribs, gastralia, and a complete pelvic girdle was collected from the Jurassic-aged Sundance Formation of the Bighorn Basin in Wyoming during the summer of …