Animal Sciences Commons^™

The Seasonality Of Group Size And Group Composition Of Sand Partridge (Ammoperdix Heyi Heyi Temminck, 1825) In The Ibex Reserve, Saudi Arabia, Torsten Wronski

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The seasonality of group size and composition in sand partridges was studied at the Ibex Reserve in central Saudi Arabia. Mean group size and flock encounter rate were significantly related to rainfall and temperature. During winter and the breeding season (March to April), the encounter rate on the valley floors was distinctly lower than that observed during summer. Although encounter rates did not differ significantly between valleys, sand partridges were more likely to be encountered in narrow, stony valleys. Correcting for valley width, encounter rates did not differ between valleys. Male and female encounter rates were constant throughout the reserve, …

Nucleolar Organizer Regions In Mesocricetus Brandti (Nehring, 1898) (Mammalia: Rodentia) From The Yozgat And Tokat Provinces Of Turkey, Nursel Baydemi̇r

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Mesocricetus brandti possesses a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 42, a fundamental number of NF = 82, and a fundamental number of autosomal arms of NFa = 78. The chromosome set consists of 17 meta-submetacentric pairs, 2 subtelocentric pairs, and 1 acrocentric pair. The X chromosome is large and metacentric while the Y is medium-sized and metacentric. The nucleolar organizer regions were located at the telomeric region of 7 biarmed autosomes and at the centromeric region of 1 acrocentric autosome.

New Locality Records Of The Snake-Eyed Lizard, Ophisops Elegans Ménétriés, 1832 (Squamata: Lacertidae), In The Western Black Sea Region Of Anatolia, Mehmet Zülfü Yildiz, Bahadir Akman, Bayram Göçmen

Turkish Journal of Zoology

We report 18 specimens of Ophisops elegans from Kastamonu and Sinop provinces in the western Black Sea region of Anatolia. Previously, the northernmost known locality for O. elegans in Anatolia was Sinop Province. These new records extend the known distribution area of the species and fill the gaps in the distribution range of the species in the Black Sea region. The specimens were compared with the geographically closest subspecies, O. e. centralanatoliae from Ulukışla, Niğde. On the basis of pholidosis, coloration, and pattern, the new specimens can be included in the subspecies O. e. centralanatoliae.

A Preliminary Study On The Length-Weight Relationship Of Sacura Boulengeri (Heemstra, 1973) From Indian Waters, Kinattumkara Bineesh, Sebastine Manju, Kallivalappil Akhilesh, Gopalakrishna Pillai

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Sacura boulengeri (Heemstra, 1973) is a rare serranid fish (Subfamily: Anthiinae) having very disjunct distribution in the western Indian Ocean. The rarity of the species is evident from earlier reports and, so far, no related studies on the species have been published except on taxonomy and distributional records. In the present investigation, the length-weight relationship of Sacura boulengeri was estimated to be W = 0.0777 × L2.690 (with 95% confidence intervals for b and r2). An analysis of the stomach contents revealed that sergestid shrimps and copepods were the major food items of the diet.

The Conservation Genetics Of Three Cave-Dwelling Bat Species In Southeastern Europe And Anatolia, İbrahi̇m Raşi̇t Bi̇lgi̇n

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Genetic data from populations are currently being used in order to assess the conservation status of various species. In this study, the conservation implications of the genetic structure of 3 cave-dwelling bat species in southeastern Europe and Anatolia are discussed. These species are the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), the bent-winged bat (Miniopterus schreibersii), and the long-fingered bat (Myotis capaccinii). The conservation status of the species is evaluated using 3 conservation unit approaches, specifically evolutionarily significant unit and management unit definitions and population aggregation analysis. These approaches are implemented simultaneously for the first time for any species in Turkey, through …

Spatial And Temporal Variations In The Species Composition And Abundance Of Benthic Molluscs Along 4 Rocky Shores Of Karachi, Solaha Rahman, Sohail Barkati

Turkish Journal of Zoology

A total of 97 species of macromolluscs were collected from 4 rocky beaches (Manora, Buleji, Nathiagali, and Cape Monze) along the Karachi coast from December 1993 to December 1995. More species were recorded from Buleji (68) and Manora (63) than from Nathiagali (55) and Cape Monze (57). Gastropods dominated at all 4 of the sites studied. Four species were commonly abundant at all 4 sites: Turbo coronatus, Nerita albicilla, Morula granulata, and Cerithium rubus. The average number of species decreased with an increase in the tidal heights at Manora, Buleji, and Nathiagali, whereas this was greater in the high tidal …

The Land Snail Fauna Of Mut District (Mersin Province, Turkey), Ümi̇t Kebapçi, Mehmet Zeki̇ Yildirim, İskender Gülle, Mustafa Öztop, Duygu Ceren Çağlan

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The land snail fauna of the Mut District was surveyed during the spring (April-May) of 2008. A total of 31 species and subspecies-9 (29%) of them endemics-belonging to 26 genera and 14 families were determined from 41 localities. Dominant families were Enidae, Orculidae, and Hygromiidae. Humidity, vegetation, and habitat type were the determinants of species richness in the study area. Species composition, according to cluster and multivariate analyses, was also found to be affected by the altitude factor.

Zooplankton Fauna Of Lake İznik (Bursa, Turkey), Meral Apaydin Yağci, Mustafa Ruşen Ustaoğlu

Turkish Journal of Zoology

In the present study the zooplankton fauna of Lake İznik (Bursa) was investigated during January-December 2006. A total of 54 taxa-35 taxa from rotifers, 14 taxa from cladocerans, and 5 taxa from copepods-were identified in Lake İznik. Brachionus calyciflorus, B. angularis, Notholca squamula, N. acuminata, Euchlanis dilatata, E. deflexa, Platyias quadricornis, Trichocerca similis, T. cylindrica, T. chattoni, T. lophoessa, T. bicristata, Asplanchna girodi, Conochiulus dossuarius, Synchaeta pectinata, Lecane luna, L. bulla, L. stenroosi, L. clostrocerca, L. lunaris, Lepadella patella, Dicranophorus forcipatus, Mytilina mucronata, Lophocharis salpina, Trichotria tetractis, T. pocillum, Testudinella patina, Hexarthra fennica, and Collotheca sp. from the rotifera species; …

Contribution To The Knowledge Of The Vespidae (Hymenoptera, Aculeata) Of Turkey, With A Checklist Of The Turkish Species, Erol Yildirim, Josef Gusenleitner

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This study is based upon material of the family Vespidae collected at a series of localities in Turkey between 1964 and 2010 and a review of the previous studies on the Vespidae of Turkey. Stenodynerus trotzinai (Morawitz, 1895) and Antepipona dentella Gusenleitner, 1991 are new records for the Turkish fauna. With these 2 additions and the data from previous studies, a total of 298 species and subspecies from 53 genera belonging to 4 subfamilies, Vespinae, Polistinae, Eumeninae, and Masarinae, of the family Vespidae have now been recorded from Turkey. Among them, the type localities of 3 genera, 71 species, and …

New Records Of Water Mite (Acari: Hydrachnidia) Species For The Turkish Fauna, Yunus Esen, Vladi̇mi̇r Pesi̇c, Ci̇han Çi̇ti̇l, Orhan Erman

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Four species of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) are presented for the fauna of Turkey. Oxus (s. str.)angustipositus Viets, 1908; O. (s. str.) hastatus (Lundblad, 1954); Frontipodopsis (s. str.) reticulatifrons Szalay, 1945; and Hungarohydracarus subterraneus Szalay, 1943 are new records for the Turkish fauna. The description of the male O. (s. str.) hastatus, a species known for a single female specimen from Portugal, is given for the first time. Frontipodopsidae and Hungarohydracaridae are reported for the first time for Turkey.

On The Life History Of Spirlin Alburnoides Bipunctatus (Bloch, 1782) In The Qanat Of Uzineh, Northern Iran, Rahman Patimar, Mohsen Zare, Mehdi Hesam

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Within the wide distribution of spirlin in Iran, populations of this species inhabit a great variety of habitats, including qanats. We hypothesized that qanats may contribute to habitat-specific variation in the life history of the fish. To test this, a total of 240 specimens of Alburnoides bipunctatus, caught in the qanat of Uzineh (northern Iran) from October 2007 to August 2008, were examined for life history attributes. The population had a 5-year life cycle. The weight-length relationship (WLR) was estimated as W = 0.0068TL^{3.2559} for males, W = 0.0079TL^{3.2067} for females, and W = 0.0072TL^{3.2387} for the population, having a …

A Survey On Infection Of Turcinoemacheilus Kosswigi, First Record Of The Genus Procamallanus (Nematoda: Camallanidae) From Iran, Fatemeh Tajbakhsh, Kiavash Golzarianpour, Asghar Abdoli

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The present study was conducted to identify the parasitic infection of the nemacheilid loach, Turcinoemacheilus kosswigi, in 5 rivers of the Tigris basin in Iran, from July 2007 to August 2008. Extracted from 43 fish specimens were 3 parasitic species: metacercaria of Posthodiplostomum cuticola (Digenea: Diplostomatidae) in the skin, fins, gills, and muscles; Allocreadium sp. (Digenea: Allocreadidae) and Procamallanus sp. (Nematoda: Camallanidae) in the intestine. Prevalence and mean intensity of parasitic infection were: 100%, 33 for the river Khoramroud; 12.5%, 1 for the river Hana; 50%, 1 for the river Kakareza; and 16.6%, 1 for the river Shalamzar. Specimens of …

Age Composition And Distribution Of Red Drum (Sciaenops Ocellatus) In Offshore Waters Of The North Central Gulf Of Mexico: An Evaluation Of A Stock Under A Federal Harvest Moratorium, Sean P. Powers, Crystal Hightower, J. Marcus Drymon, Matthew W. Johnson

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Because of a lack of fishery- dependent data, assessment of the recovery of fish stocks that undergo the most aggressive form of management, namely harvest moratoriums, remains a challenge. Large schools of red drum (Sclaenops ocellatus) were common along the northern Gulf of Mexico until the late 1980s when increased fishing effort quickly depleted the stock. After 24 years of harvest moratorium on red drum in federal waters, the stock is in need of reassessment; however, fishery dependent data are not available in federal waters and fishery-independent data are limited. We document the distribution, age composition, growth, and condition of …

Use Of Real-Time Pcr To Detect Canine Parvovirus In Feces Of Free-Ranging Wolves, L. David Mech, Emily S. Almberg, Douglas Smith, Sagar Goyal, Randall S. Singer

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Using real-time PCR, we tested 15 wolf (Canis lupus) feces from the Superior National Forest (SNF), Minnesota, USA, and 191 from Yellowstone National Park (YNP), USA, collected during summer and 13 during winter for canine parvovirus (CPV)-2 DNA. We also tested 20 dog feces for CPV-2 DNA. The PCR assay was 100%sensitive and specific with a minimum detection threshold of 104 50% tissue culture infective dose. Virus was detected in two winter specimens but none of the summer specimens. We suggest applying the technique more broadly especially with winter feces.

Four Events Of Host Switching In Aspidoderidae (Nematoda) Involve Convergent Lineages Of Mammals, F. Agustin Jimenez Ruiz, Scott Lyell Gardner, Graciela Teresa Navone

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

The Great American Interchange resulted in the mixing of faunistic groups with different origins and evolutionary trajectories that underwent rapid diversification in North and South America. As a result, groups of animals of recent arrival converged into similar habits and formed ecological guilds with some of the endemics. We present a reconstruction of the evolutionary events in Aspidoderidae, a family of nematodes that infect mammals that are part of this interchange, i.e., dasypodids, opossums, and sigmodontine, geomyid, and hystricognath rodents. By treating hosts as discrete states of character and using parsimony and Bayesian inferences to optimize these traits into the …

Four Events Of Host Switching In Aspidoderidae (Nematoda) Involve Convergent Lineages Of Mammals, F. Agustín Jiménez-Ruiz, Scott Lyell Gardner, Graciela Navone, Guillermo Ortí

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

The Great American Interchange resulted in the mixing of faunistic groups with different origins and evolutionary trajectories that underwent rapid diversification in North and South America. As a result, groups of animals of recent arrival converged into similar habits and formed ecological guilds with some of the endemics. We present a reconstruction of the evolutionary events in Aspidoderidae, a family of nematodes that infect mammals that are part of this interchange, i.e., dasypodids, opossums, and sigmodontine, geomyid, and hystricognath rodents. By treating hosts as discrete states of character and using parsimony and Bayesian inferences to optimize these traits into the …

A New Genus And A New Species Of Cladorchiidae (Digenea: Dadayiinae) From Podocnemis Expansa (Chelonia) Of The Neotropical Region, State Of Pará, Brazil, Marcelo Knoff, Daniel Rusk Brooks, Maria Cristina Mullins, Delir Corrêa Gomes

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

A new species of amphistome digenean from the stomach and intestine of Podocnemis expansa (Pelomedusidae), of the tropical rain forest, from the State of Pará, Brazil, is described and allocated to a new genus (Oriximinatrema noronhae). The new species is characterized by the presence of an esophageal bulb, an esophageal extension uncovered by an extension of the pharyngeal sacs, a well-developed cirrus sac, post-bifurcal genital sucker, a ventro-terminal acetabulum with an anterior lip, and medium-sized eggs. This is the first report of a Dadayiinae trematode infecting a reptilian host.

Return To Beringia: Parasites Reveal Cryptic Biogeographic History Of North American Pikas, Kurt E. Galbreath, Eric P. Hoberg

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Traditional concepts of the Bering Land Bridge as a zone of predominantly eastward expansion from Eurasia and a staging area for subsequent colonization of lower latitudes in North America led to early inferences regarding biogeographic histories of North American faunas, many of which remain untested. Here we apply a host–parasite comparative phylogeographical (HPCP) approach to evaluate one such history, by testing competing biogeographic hypotheses for five lineages of host-specific parasites shared by the collared pika (Ochotona collaris) and American pika (Ochotona princeps) of North America. We determine whether the southern host species (O. princeps) …

Discovery And Description Of A New Trichostrongyloid Species (Nematoda: Ostertagiinaw), Abomasal Parasites In Mountain Goat, Oreamnos Americanus, From The Western Cordillera Of North America [With Erratum], Eric P. Hoberg, Arthur Abrams, Patricia A. Pilitt, Emily J. Jenkins

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Marshallagia lichtenfelsi sp. n. is a dimorphic ostertagiine nematode occurring in the abomasum of mountain goats, Oreamnos americanus, from the Western Cordillera of North America. Major and minor morphotype males and females are characterized and distinguished relative to the morphologically similar Marshallagia marshalli/Marshallagia occidentalis from North America and Marshallagia dentispicularis, along with other congeners, from the Palearctic region. The configuration of the convoluted and irregular synlophe in the cervical region of males and females of M. lichtenfelsi is apparently unique, contrasting with a continuous and parallel system of ridges among those species of Marshallagia, including …

Evolutionary History Of Caribbean Species Of Myotis, With Evidence Of A Third Lesser Antillean Endemic, Roxanne J. Larsen, Peter A. Larsen, Hugh H. Genoways, Francois M. Catzeflis, Keith Geluso, Gary G. Kwiecinski, Scott C. Pedersen, Fernando Simal

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Currently, four species of Myotis are known from the islands of the Caribbean (Myotis dominicensis, M. martiniquensis, M. nesopolus, and M. nigricans). Myotis dominicensis and M. martiniquensis are endemic to the Lesser Antilles, whereas M. nesopolus and M. nigricans are considered conspecific with mainland populations. Recent phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies provided hypotheses regarding the origin and diversification of M. dominicensis and M. martiniquensis. However, these studies focused primarily on convergent morphology or distribution patterns of this genus and not on the evolutionary history of Caribbean Myotis. Here, we explore variation across multiple datasets …

Bats Of Barbados, Hugh H. Genoways, Roxanne J. Larsen, Scott C. Pedersen, Gary G. Kwiecinski, Peter A. Larsen

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

The chiropteran fauna of Barbados includes representatives of four families — Noctilionidae, Phyllostomidae, Vespertilionidae, and Molossidae — including 1 piscivore (Noctilio leporinus), 1 omnivore (Brachyphylla cavernarum), 1 pollenivore/nectarivore (Monophyllus plethodon), 1 frugivore (Artibeus jamaicensis), and 2 insectivorous species (Myotis nyctor and Molossus molossus). Despite an early report, we believe that preponderance of the evidence available at this time is that E. fuscus is not part of the fauna of Barbados. The Barbadian chiropteran fauna of 6 species is much smaller than those on the four neighboring Lesser Antillean islands to …

Examination Of Annual Variation In The Adult Sex Ratio Of Pronghorn (Antilocapra Americana), Justin D. Hoffman, Hugh H. Genoways

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

The adult sex ratio (ASR) is an important component of a population’s demographics and can be used as an indicator of a population’s status. However, the causes of annual variation in ASRs are unknown for many species. Fluctuations in ASR can arise through demographic stochasticity and intense selective harvesting. In this study we investigate the longterm patterns of variation in the ASRs (bucks: 100 does) for four populations of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) in western Nebraska. We used multiple variables in a model selection process to predict annual fluctuation of pronghorn ASRs. We found that the number of bucks: 100 does …

Chemical Defense In The Cave-Dwelling Millipede Brachydesmus Troglobius Daday, 1889 (Diplopoda, Polydesmidae), Slobodan E. Makarov, Ljubodrag V. Vujisić, Božidar P. M. Ćurčić, Bojan S. Ilić, Vele V. Tešević, Vlatka E. Vajs, Ivan M. Vučković, Bojan M. Mitić, Luka R. Lučić, Iris Ž. Đorđević

International Journal of Speleology

The troglomorphic millipede Brachydesmus troglobius Daday, 1889 (Polydesmida: Polydesmidae) secretes allomones from glands on both lateral surfaces of its body segments. The secretion was identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis with electron and chemical ionization, and was shown to be composed of a mixture of benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, benzoylnitrile, benzoic acid and mandelonitrile benzoate. Hydrogen cyanide was qualitatively identified by the picric acid test. This is the first identification of these compounds in a cave-dwelling polydesmid.

The World’S Deepest Subterranean Community - Krubera-Voronja Cave (Western Caucasus), Alberto Sendra, Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

International Journal of Speleology

Subsurface biota extends over a wide variety of habitats that can be spatially interconnected. The largest communities of this subsurface biota inhabit cavities and are well known mainly in caves where biologists are able to have access. Data about deep subterranean communities and arthropods living under one thousand meters was unknown.

An expedition to world’s deepest cave, Krubera-Voronja in Western Caucasus, revealed an interesting subterranean community, living below 2000 meters and represented by more than 12 species of arthropods, including several new species for science. This deep cave biota is composed of troglobionts and also epigean species, that can penetrate …

In The News, Joe N. Caudell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of European Starlings And Ambient Air Temperature On Salmonella Enterica Contamination Within Cattle Feed Bunks, James C. Carlson, Jeremy W. Ellis, Shelagh K. Tupper, Alan B. Franklin, George M. Linz

Human–Wildlife Interactions

European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are a known risk factor for the occurrence of microorganisms that are pathogenic to cattle and humans in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Starling use of CAFOs is known to vary in response to weather; starling control operations on CAFOs often are timed to coincide with favorable environmental conditions to maximize take. The totality of this information suggests that disease risks in CAFOs associated with starlings may be influenced by environmental factors, such as temperature. In this study, we assessed the risk of Salmonella enterica contamination of cattle feed by modeling the interaction between …

Serologic Evidence Of Brucella And Pseudorabies In Mississippi Feral Swine, Sherman W. Jack, James C. Cumbee Jr., Kristina C. Godwin

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) are an ever-increasing problem across the United States. Besides physical environmental damage that they cause, they may harbor and transmit a number of pathogens to humans, livestock, and other domestic animals. We sampled feral swine across the state of Mississippi for titers to several diseases. Antibodies against Brucella were found in 16 of 499 (3.2%) feral swine, and antibodies against pseudorabies (porcine herpes virus, type 1; Herpesveridae sp.) virus were identified in 37 of 499 (7.4%) feral swine from across the state of Mississippi. Evidence of classical swine fever, African swine fever, swine influenza, …

Lead From Spent Ammunition: A Source Of Exposure And Poisoning In Bald Eagles, Luis Cruz-Martinez, Patrick T. Redig, John Deen

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Ongoing occurrence of elevated levels of lead in bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) following the ban on lead shot for waterfowl hunting led us to hypothesize that spent lead from ammunition, which is present in field residues of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), represented a source of lead exposure in eagles. We conducted a case-control study using data from 1,277 bald eagles admitted for rehabilitation from January 1996 through December 2009. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to predict the odds of elevated lead levels using admission date in relation to deer hunting season, recovery location in …

Public Perceptions Of Wildlife-Associated Disease: Risk Communication Matters, Daniel J. Decker, William F. Siemer, Darrick T. N. Evenson, Richard C. Stedman, Katherine A. Mccomas, Margaret A. Wild, Kevin T. Castle, Kirsten M. Leong

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wildlife professionals working at the interface where conflicts arise between people and wild animals have an exceptional responsibility in the long-term interest of sustaining society’s support for wildlife and its conservation by resolving human–wildlife conflicts so that people continue to view wildlife as a valued resource. The challenge of understanding and responding to people’s concerns about wildlife is particularly acute in situations involving wildlife-associated disease and may be addressed through One Health communication. Two important questions arise in this work: (1) how will people react to the message that human health and wildlife health are linked?; and (2) will wildlife-associated …

Management Of Double-Crested Cormorants To Improve Sport Fisheries In Michigan: Three Case Studies, Brian S. Dorr, Shauna L. Hanisch, Peter H. Butchko, David G. Fielder

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Impacts of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) to fisheries have been documented, but evaluation of the process and outcomes of cormorant management to reduce impacts on fisheries is lacking. We provide a synthesis of adaptive management of double-crested cormorants in the Les Cheneaux Islands (LCI), Brevoort Lake, and Drummond Island, Michigan from 2004 to 2007. The LCI management focused on reducing numbers of nesting cormorants in the region as a means of improving the yellow perch (Perca flavescens) population and fishery. At Brevoort Lake and Drummond Island, management focused on lethal and nonlethal harassment of spring migrating …