Zoology Commons^™

Amphibians And Reptiles As Prey Of Heteroctenus Junceus (Scorpiones: Buthidae), With A Summary Of Vertebrate Predation By Scorpions In The West Indies, Tomás M. Rodríguez-Cabrera,, Ernesto Morell Savall, Rolando Teruel

Euscorpius

Vertebrate predation by scorpions has been scarcely documented in the literature. Contrary to large scorpions of the genera Centruroides, Hadrurus, Opistophthalmus, and Pandinurus from North America and Africa, which are capable of subduing even small rodents and bats, West Indian scorpions of the genera Centruroides, Heteroctenus, and Tityus seem to limit their prey to amphibians and reptiles. Herein we present new cases of a frog (Osteopilus septentrionalis; Hylidae) and three lizards (Anolis allisoni, A. ophiolepis, and A. sagrei; Dactyloidae) preyed upon by Heteroctenus junceus (Herbst, 1800), at the time we summarize all cases of vertebrate …

The Danov Archive, Victor Fet, Alexander Kogan

Books Published by MU Libraries in MDS

This memorial volume compiles materials about Rostislav Dаnov (1941—1993) of St. Petersburg (Russia), a naturalist, artist, and snake-hunter, who worked for many years in Turkmenistan (West Kopetgagh Mts). The book celebrates Dаnov’s 80th birthday. It includes previously unpublished artwork and scientific illustrations by Dаnov as well as his texts, research papers, various memoirs, biographic information, and unique photographs. The book is intended for everyone who is interested in history of science and conservation in Central Asia and the USSR.

Фет В, Коган А, составители. Дановcкий архив. Библиотека Университета Маршалла, Хантингтон, Западная Виргиния, 2021. 494 с. Этот том содержит материалы о …

Androctonus Turkiyensis Sp. N. From The Şanlıurfa Province, Turkey (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Ersen A. Yağmur

Euscorpius

A new species Androctonus turkiyensis sp. n. is described and illustrated from the Şanlıurfa Province of Turkey. The new species is compared with A. crassicauda (Olivier, 1807), which was previously misidentified from Turkey. A. crassicauda specimens used for comparison were collected from Kashan County (Iran), the type locality of this species; a neotype from Kashan is designated.

The First Troglobitic Scorpions From Hispaniola, Greater Antilles: Two New Species Of Cazierius Francke, 1978 (Scorpiones: Diplocentridae), Rolando Teruel, Solanlly Carrero Jiménez, Gabriel De Los Santos

Euscorpius

Two new species of the Greater Antillean endemic scorpion genus Cazierius Francke, 1978, are herein described from the island of Hispaniola. They were found inside isolate limestone caves in the Dominican Republic and are fully troglomorphic, thus, apparently being strict troglobites that represent the first ever documented for this genus. The present additions raise the number of Hispaniolan species of both Cazierius and the family Diplocentridae Karsch, 1880, to five and ten, respectively.

The Correct Identity Of Centruroides Hoffmanni Armas, 1996 (Scorpiones: Buthidae), With The Description Of A New Species From Chiapas, Mexico, Luis De Armas, Rolando Teruel

Euscorpius

The Mexican scorpion Centruroides hoffmanni Armas, 1996 was described on the basis of a supposed adult female (actually a juvenile) from La Gloria, Arriaga Municipality, southwest of the Chiapas State. In its redescription, this species was also recorded from the southeastern of Oaxaca State. Nevertheless, in the recent revision of the “thorellii” species-group of the genus Centruroides Marx, 1890, a new species from Chiapas was misidentified as C. hoffmanni and, also, an erroneous new diagnosis was given for C. hoffmanni. In the present contribution, this new species is named Centruroides concordia sp. n., and the correct identity of C. …

Natterer In Neotropical Nematoda: Species Described By Rudolphi, Diesing, And Molin, Ricardo Guerrero

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

Between 1817 and 1835 Johann Natterer collected 1,729 samples of endoparasitic helminths in Brazil and southern Venezuela. Of the 323 names that were assigned to the collected nematode specimens, 163 are still valid and accepted species, 84 are still doubtful, and 76 must be rejected. In this work, each name is analyzed and correlated to the literature to clarify its taxonomic status.

The purpose of this review of the material collected by Natterer is to establish a complete list of all described species; their current status; and whether they are valid species, synonyms, or nomen nudum as well as to …

Diversity Of Tetrabothriidae (Eucestoda) Among Holarctic Alcidae (Charadriiformes): Resolution Of The Tetrabothrius Jagerskioeldi Cryptic Species Complex: Cestodes Of Alcinae—Provides Insights On The Dynamic Nature Of Tapeworm And Marine Bird Faunas Under The Stockholm Paradigm, Eric P. Hoberg, Kaylen Marie Soudachanh

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

We begin resolution of the Tetrabothrius jagerskioeldi–species complex with descriptions of Tetrabothrius alcae n. sp. based on numerous specimens, primarily in murres (species of Uria), from the greater North Pacific basin and Tetrabothrius sinistralis n. sp. based on cestodes in guillemots (species of Cepphus) from the central Bering Sea and West Greenland. These tetrabothriids are characterized, among 44 species of Tetrabothrius in avian hosts, by attributes of the scolex, male and female organ systems, structure and dimensions of the vitelline gland, numbers of testes, configuration of the genital atrium, genital papillae and the male and female atrial …

Man V.S. Wild: An Analysis Of Language Used Regarding Human-Wildlife Conflict In The Kibale National Park Community, Western Region, Uganda, Sophie Perfetto

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

If humans are to live sustainably and in harmony with wildlife in the vicinity of Protected Areas, policy makers, and government authorities need to make informed decisions with consideration to the needs of local communities. For this to happen, policy makers must understand the perceptions of local communities and take local perspectives into account. As language is at the root of perception, language was studied in the context of its role in shaping local perceptions of human-wildlife conflict and consequential conflict mitigation strategies. Six communities around the Northern region of Kibale National Park, Uganda, were studied, with sites located in …

A Ladder Of Endemicity: A Pioneering Study Of Anuran Communities Along An Elevational Gradient In The Eastern Andean Cloud Forests, Ecuador, Ella Halbert

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Per unit of area, Ecuador is home to the most herpetofauna of any region on Earth, yet many ecosystems are under researched. Positioned between the Eastern Andes and the Amazon rainforest, the Río Pastaza Basin of Ecuador has been the recent focus of anuran biodiversity surveys and is home to many endemic species. This study aimed to determine how the anuran community composition of a vertical transect in the Llanganates National Park varied between elevations. A 7-day expedition was conducted along a new trail up Abitagua Range spanning 1,050 m in elevation. Each night, visual encounter surveys were employed to …

Abundance, Foraging Levels, And Dietary Preferences Of Chaetodon Capistratus On Reefs Surrounding Porvenir Island In The Guna Yala Comarca Of Panamá, Eleanor Ann Casement

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Reef fish are a physically and functionally diverse group of organisms that live in close association with coral reef habitats. Chaetodontidae represents the most species rich family of corallivorous fish, and their reliance on corals as food resources has led to their designation as indicator species of coral cover and health. However, the majority of research on the foraging ecology of Caribbean Chaetodontids dates back several decades, and therefore does not account for recent changes in coral community composition as the result of disease, climate change, and other stressors. As the novel and deadly stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) …

A New Species Of Pseudouroctonus From The Pinaleño Mountains, Southern Arizona (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Richard F. Ayrey, František Kovařík, Brandon T. Myers

Euscorpius

A new scorpion species, Pseudouroctonus moyeri sp. n. (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) is described. This large, dark, reddish brown species is found in the Pinaleño Mountains, Arizona. This is the largest species of Pseudouroctonus found in Arizona. Ruberhieronymus Rossi, 2018 is synonymized with Pseudouroctonus Stahnke, 1974

Four New Lithophilic Species Of Scorpiops Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Scorpiopidae) From Peninsular India, Shauri Sulakhe, Shubhankar Deshpande, Nikhil Dandekar, Anand Padhye, Deshabhushan Bastawade

Euscorpius

Four new lithophilic species of Scorpiops Peters, 1861 (Scorpiopidae) have been described from peninsular India using an integrated taxonomic approach. Three species Scorpiops vrushchik sp. n., S. nagphani sp. n. and S. neera sp. n. have been described from northern Western Ghats and S. lioneli sp. n. is described from Deccan Plateau. S. vrushchik sp. n. is closely related to S. tenuicauda and S. telbaila and differs by a raw genetic divergence of 9.6-9.8% from S. tenuicauda and 11% from S. telbaila. S. nagphani sp. n. is closely related to S. lioneli sp. n. and S. maharashtraensis and differs by …

Vertebrate Scavenger Diversity And Ecosystem Services Along An Elevational Gradient In Central Nepal, Aishwarya Bhattacharjee

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

A growing number of studies recognize the ecological significance of vertebrate scavengers, and several species belonging to this diverse, functional guild are of high conservation importance around the globe. Studies on taxonomic and functional components of biodiversity often use elevation gradients to comprehensively examine patterns and drivers across multiple spatial scales. Yet, there are relatively few elevational studies on large vertebrates or multi-taxa guilds, and the related variation of their ecosystem services. In particular, scavenger research has largely focused on local-scale studies or regional/global comparisons of local-scale investigations. Moreover, these studies primarily consider taxonomic community characteristics and the patterns of …

A Reevaluation Of The Phylogeography Of The Chattahoochee Slimy Salamander (Plethodon Chattahoochee) Using Next-Generation Genomic Data, Jadin Cross

Symposium of Student Scholars

The Plethodon glutinosus species complex is a group of large-bodied, lungless salamanders that are widespread across the eastern United States. Species in this group are morphologically cryptic and were originally delimited using allozyme data, but in most cases, the extent of contemporary gene flow between named taxa has not be rigorously evaluated. The Appalachian Mountains of northern Georgia are home to several members of this group—including P. glutinosus, P. teyahalee, P. chlorobryonis, and P. chattahoochee. P. chattahoochee has been found to be especially cryptic both morphologically and genetically as both intraspecific genetic variation and species boundaries within …

Professor Edward Drinker Cope’S Travels Through North Carolina, August–December 1869: Insights From The Transcriptions And Annotations Of Letters To His Father And His Contributions To North Carolina Ichthyology, Bryn H. Tracy, Robert E. Jenkins

Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings

Since 1870, ichthyologists have pondered Edward Drinker Cope’s two publications: “On some Etheostomine Perch from Tennessee and North Carolina” and “A Partial Synopsis of the Fishes of the Fresh Waters of North Carolina”, along with correspondences to his father while traveling in North Carolina. We transcribed and annotated four of his letters searching for further knowledge regarding his field notebook(s) and original data (meristics, morphometrics, life coloration, etc.) from his travels across NC during Summer and Fall of 1869. However, unresolved questions remained - many related to unaccounted for periods of time. We did not achieve insights into …

Бадхызские Архивы. Том 1, Р. И. Горелова, В. Фет

Books Published by MU Libraries in MDS

Gorelova, RI, Fet V, editors. The Badkhyz Archives, Vol. 1. Huntington, WV: Marshall University Libraries; 2021. 444 p.

This volume compiles memoirs and research information about the unique Badkhyz Natural Reserve, now in Turkmenistan, formerly at the southernmost point of the USSR. Established in 1941, the Reserve—nicknamed a Serengeti of Central Asia— housed many unique and endangered species, with an iconic wild ass, or kulan, preserved only there. The book is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Reserve and the 90th birthday of Yuri Gorelov (1931—2018), an extraordinary naturalist who worked in Badkhyz in 1956—1978. His own documentary stories, …

Molecular Phylogeny Of Cave Dwelling Eremogryllodes Crickets (Orthoptera, Myrmecophilidae) Across Zagros Mountains And Southern Iran, Mohadeseh Sadat Tahami, Mina Hojat-Ansari, Anna Namyatova, Saber Sadeghi

International Journal of Speleology

Recently, several new species and subspecies from the genus Eremogryllodes Chopard, 1929 (Insecta: Orthoptera: Myrmecophilidae) inhabiting caves of Iran, have been described based on morphology. The high variation of genitalia structure along with high similarity of external morphology between populations hamper the precise species identification. Thus, molecular approaches are critical to determine the taxonomic positions of species/subspecies of this genus. Here we provide the molecular phylogeny, based on the 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene, of recently described species of Eremogryllodes along with some unidentified specimens from the same region. The results support the monophyly of the family Myrmecophilidae. The topology of …

A Rare Telson Anomaly In Parabuthus Liosoma (Ehrenberg, 1828) (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Abdulaziz R. Alqahtani, Ahmed Badry

Euscorpius

A rare anomaly of telson vesicle with two functional aculei is observed and discussed in a Parabuthus liosoma (Ehrenberg, 1828) specimen collected from Jizan, Saudi Arabia.

An Anomaly Of Chelicera In Scorpio Kruglovi Birula, 1910 (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae), Ersen A. Yağmur, Mehmet S. Kılıç, Ömer Yılmaz

Euscorpius

An anomaly in cheliceral dentition of the fixed finger is recorded in the scorpion Scorpio kruglovi Birula, 1910. This rare teratological anomaly herein is described and illustrated.

On R. Kinzelbach’S Euscorpiid Specimens From Turkey Deposited In The Naturhistorisches Museum Mainz, Germany (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), Ersen A. Yağmur

Euscorpius

I examined the specimens of Euscorpiidae collected by R. Kinzelbach in Turkey in the 1970s and deposited in the Naturhistorisches Museum Mainz (NMM), Germany. According to the current taxonomy, one “Euscorpius carpathicus” specimen from the İzmir Province is identified as E. avcii; two “E. carpathicus” specimens from the Mersin Province are identified as E. koci; and one “E. germanus mingrelicus” specimen from the Düzce Province is identified as Alpiscorpius phrygius.

The First Record Of Euscorpius Lesbiacus Tropea Et Al., 2020 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) In Turkey, Ersen A. Yağmur

Euscorpius

The scorpion species Euscorpius lesbiacus Tropea et al., 2020, previously known only from Lesvos Island (Greece), is recorded for the first time from the İzmir Province, Turkey. Detailed illustrations of E. lesbiacus are given.

James Davidson Fawcett (1933–2020): Imbibing With The Kiwi, Louis A. Somma

Papers in Herpetology

An obituary and summary of the life of James D. Fawcett (1933-2020), herpetologist and instructor and professor of Biology at University of Nebraska at Omaha, 1972-2015. Includes bibliography of his works, list of master's theses chaired, and recollections of former students.

Somalibuthus Sabae Sp. N., A New Buthid Scorpion From Kenya (Scorpiones: Buthidae), František Kovařík, Laban Njoroge

Euscorpius

The poorly known buthid genus Somalibuthus Kovařík, 1998, is recorded for the first time from Kenya, with the description of a new species, S. sabae sp. n., from Kiwayu Island in the Kiunga Marine National Reserve. Based on a detailed study of the new materials, a revised diagnosis is given for the genus. Several generic characters suggest affinities with three other genera of small buthids found in the Horn of Africa: Neobuthus Hirst, 1911, Gint Kovařík, Lowe, Plíšková et Šťáhlavský, 2013, and Lanzatus Kovařík, 1998.

Ecology Of Estuarine Birds: Differences In Desensitization Of Year-Round And Transient Species, Sarah Thomas

Honors Theses

Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet, SC, USA is considered a “hotspot” for birds, according to the eBird database (eBird, 2020). The park is also visited by approximately 300,000 people, annually (Hobdy, 2019). The causeway at the park is an area of high human and wildlife activity. Here, the differences in desensitization, or lack thereof, of year-round and transient bird species to the stimuli of vehicles and humans were determined. Multiple surveys of the birds at Huntington Beach State Park were conducted from 22nd September, 2019 to 13th June, 2020. Desensitization was quantified by use of a range finder …

Climate-Driven Impacts On Himalayan Aquatic Biodiversity: A Case Study Involving Snowtrout (Cyprinidae: Schizothorax), Riri Wiyanti Retnaningtyas

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Monitoring biodiversity, to include its relative dispersal and contraction, has become a conservation task of great importance, particularly given the catastrophic and ongoing loss of habitat due to climate change. However, the timing, direction, and magnitude of these rates vary across taxa and ecosystems. Predicting specific impacts of climate change can thus be difficult and this, in turn, hampers management action. Metrics are needed to not only quantify contemporary requirements of species, but also predict potential distributions that fluctuate in lockstep with climate.

Montane ecosystems in the Himalayas are highly impacted by climate change, yet remain largely understudied due to …

Decline In Amphibian Health In Local Stream, Elyse Vetter, Elise Dearment, Colton Russell, Audrey Fontes, Lee Kats

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Many local streams of the Santa Monica Mountains are populated by the native California Newt, Taricha torosa, a species of special concern. Arroyo Sequit is one of these streams, the upper and lower portions of which are split by a culvert and the Mulholland Highway. This stream and the surrounding areas burned during the Woolsey fire of 2018. Since the fire, construction has been ongoing in and around the stream. Two years post-fire (during the summer of 2020) significantly more newts were found in the stream than years prior. A large proportion of these newts were unhealthy in appearance, …

Conspecific Aggression Of Invasive Crayfish, P. Clarkii, In Response To Chemical Cues, Elyse Vetter, Elise Dearment, Audrey Fontes, Gary Bucciarelli, Lee Kats

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Red Swamp Crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, have caused vast damage to the stream ecosystem of the Santa Monica Mountains, following their invasive introduction. Through their extensive eating habits, high levels of aggression, and responsiveness to environmental stimuli, P. clarkii have a tremendous impact on the success of native species in the Santa Monica Mountains. With exposure to chemical cues, crayfish are able to perceive threats and react accordingly. To determine the extent of such chemoreception, pairs of P. clarkii were tested in the laboratory for conspecific aggression in the presence of native newt, native frog, and conspecific alarm cues. The …

The Effects Of Symbiote Ostracods On Invasive Crayfish Behavior, Audrey Fontes, Elyse Vetter, Gary Bucciarelli, Lee Kats

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Invasive crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, are known to negatively impact the biodiversity of Santa Monica Mountain streams. Small symbiotes, ostracods, live on Procambarus clarkii in some local streams. However, their effect on the behaviour of invasive crayfish is unknown. We used an aqueous chlorobutanol solution to remove ostracods from crayfish. We paired control crayfish with those that had ostracods removed and scored aggressive interactions. Crayfish without ostracods were found to be significantly more aggressive towards crayfish with ostracods. When we compared feeding behavior, we found that crayfish without ostracods consumed food more quickly than control crayfish. We again subjected crayfish …

Breeding Ecology And Nest- Site Selection Of Turtle Doves (Streptopelia Turtur) In Three New Orchard Habitats, Thilelli Aitouakli, Ettayib Bensaci

Journal of Bioresource Management

The main aim of our work was to investigate the breeding parameters in three orchard types in Algeria (apple, cherry and nectarine) for better conservation of existing species. A total of 149 active Turtle dove nests were monitored in these man–made agro-systems. Egg laying occurred from early May and continued until mid-August. Egg laying started later in cherry trees and stopped earlier in nectarines. Nest density was higher in apple orchards. Nests were located higher in nectarine. Clutch size was similar among orchard types. Northeast was the dominant orientation in all orchards. Breeding success was higher than that recorded in …

A Guide To Helminth Parasites Reported From Shorebirds (Charadriidae) From The Americas, Albert G. Canaris, Sofia Capasso, Gay J. Canaris

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

The shorebird family Charadriidae in the Americas consists of 21 native and 7 vagrant species. Members of the family occupy a diversity of open habitats, ranging from Arctic tundra during nesting, coastal sands, and mudflats to inland prairies, savannas, and wetlands. Some native plovers migrate from nesting grounds in North America to wintering grounds in South America (Hayman et al., 1986; Paulson, 2005; Winkler et al., 2020). Our search of the literature revealed the following: 17 of 28 host species infected with helminth parasites, 153 helminth species, and 199 infections involving 13 geographic areas. The purpose of this guide is …