Zoology Commons^™

Sharpnose (Rhizoprionodon Terraenovae) Jaw, Juliana N. Ottens-Rivera, Fiona Smith, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Jaw from 76cm total length (TL) Rhizoprionodon genus (Sharpnose), collected from Anglers Bait & Tackle on Feb 5th, 2024, by Juliana Ottens-Rivera

Anything But Another Essay: Understanding Undergraduate Stem Student Perceptions Of Creative, Project-Based Learning, Emily M. Redding, Lorelei E. Patrick

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The training of innovative and diverse scientists starts with creative teaching practices. Much of the pedagogy literature on incorporating nontraditional teaching practices in college STEM courses focuses on the use of in-class active learning activities. Less study has been devoted to creative, project-based assignments, such as “UnEssays”. The “UnEssay” is a semester-long assignment that challenges students to complete a library research project on a topic of their choosing and present it using anything but an essay. Although gaining popularity, few studies have assessed STEM student's perceptions of the assignments. To do so, Zoology students were asked to complete pre- and …

Quantifying Costs And Benefits Of Alternative Overwintering Strategies In A Southeastern Population Of Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Horridus), John Powers, Amber Stubbs, Alfred J. Mead, Dominic L. Desantis

Graduate Research Showcase

Temperate reptile populations are under strong selective pressure to minimize the costs of extreme winter temperatures. For high latitude and high elevation snake populations, this has often favored communal overwintering behavior, wherein large numbers of conspecifics aggregate at optimal sites given the limited availability of such features in the environment. Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) are distributed across a wide latitudinal gradient in North America, and therefore represent ideal models for exploring how variable winter selective regimes might favor different strategies. Here, we leverage a unique intermediate population of C. horridus from central Georgia, USA, that exhibits both communal …

Biological Significances Of Environmental Pollution In The New Calabar River, Southern Nigeria: A Case Study In Zooplankton Composition, Ibienebo Davies Imachrist, Francis David Sikoki, Philomina Kika, Davies Ibienebo Chris

Journal of Bioresource Management

The study was conducted for three months (May to July 2020), focusing on the physicochemical parameters and zooplankton composition in the Ogbogoro region of the New Calabar River in Nigeria. This investigation was carried out at three distinct monitoring stations. The physicochemical parameters were determined using standard ecological analytic procedures. PAST and SPSS were used for the statistical analysis. The temperature ranged between 26.5 to 33 ºC, salinity (1.23 to 1.86 %), pH (7.4 to 9.62), Total Dissolved Solids (2419 to 5,817 mg/L), conductivity (223.83 to 7,328 μS/cm), turbidity (3.415 to 15.05 NTU) and Dissolved Oxygen (3.8 to 6.8 mg/L). …

Effectiveness Of Frog Skin Secretions Against Uv-B Radiation, Connor Mcgaha, Kinkade Mcmurray, Lee B. Kats

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

As an increasing number of their species face possible extinction, amphibian populations have been steadily declining over the past decades (IUCN). While various factors have been suggested or proven to be partially responsible for this reduction, increased ultraviolet B radiation (UVBR) appears to be one of the more prominent explanations, especially when considering the continual thinning of the Earth’s ozone layer due to anthropogenic climate change. However, it has also been discovered that skin secretions, which are reported to function as a component of amphibians’ innate immune systems, may have an effect on UVBR (Cramp and Franklin). With this in …

A Dietary Variety: Analyzing The Impacts Of Diverse Vs Worm-Exclusive Diets On The Blanding’S Turtle (Emydoidea Blandingii), Caitlin F. Copenhaver

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The endangered Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) is a species with a generally diverse diet in their freshwater wetland habitats; they consume prey such as crayfish and snails. In captivity, these options often become more limited due to logistical reasons. As ex situ conservation efforts such as captive rearing and head-starting are becoming more popular for this species, it will be important to gain more insight on how these more limited diets might affect these turtles. This study describes a comparison between diets in six captive Blanding’s turtles from September to November of 2023, with three turtles receiving only …

Microhabitat Selection Of Adult Female Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus) In The Carolinas, Matthew Gacheny

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Reptiles rely on environmental conditions to regulate body temperature using behavioral strategies to meet basic life history needs. Viviparous squamates use thermoregulatory behaviors to meet energetic requirements for vitellogenesis and gestation, which carry considerable energetic costs and must balance with maintenance and survival. Embryonic development is often optimized in a narrower temperature range than the mother’s preferred temperature, creating an intergenerational conflict that should be addressed with maternal microhabitat selection. Field-based studies are needed to understand the link between the thermal biology of reptiles, their reproduction, and implications for population viability. With a use-availability logistic regression framework, I examined thermal …

Patterns Of Genetic Structure In Spiders Beetles, Naiya Sims

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Spider beetles are a poorly known group of North American beetles in the family Ptinidae. Protection of biodiversity requires knowledge of species- and population-level distinctiveness, so data regarding genetic structure of spider beetles can shed light on conservation priorities. Spider beetles in the genus, Coleotestudus, are distributed broadly in the southwestern US. Given their small size and lack of flight, it is presumed that the dispersal capability of Coleotestudus is limited, leading to strong population structure on a small spatial scale. We used a three-enzyme restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (3RAD) strategy to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) throughout the genome …

Environmental Biology Masters Capstone, Antonio Gonzalez-Pita

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Human wildlife interactions (HWI) pose a complex challenge for wildlife managers. Human encroachment into wildlife habitat and the growing number of outdoor recreationists are increasing the frequency of contact and conflict, especially in regions such as the Front Range of Colorado. Geographic information systems (GIS), which use a combination of remote sensing and environmental survey data, allow for predictive spatial analyses of where human wildlife interactions are likely to occur. I used publicly reported observations of moose to create spatial predictive maps in a species distribution model framework. Slope and elevation were shown to be the strongest predictors of HWI, …

The Morphological Evolution Of The Inner Ear In Lacertoidea (Squamata), Cristian Hernandez

Biology Dissertations - Archive

The popularization of high-resolution computed tomography(HRCT) has produced a revolution in the field of comparative anatomy. This technology allows us to reach a level of morphological detail in our observations that has never been possible previously. Now we can perform digital dissections isolating structures of interest such as individual bones, soft tissue organs, and even generate 3D models of body cavities (endocasts) such as the braincase and inner ear. Encompassed with the progress of the HRCT, 3D geometric morphometrics have emerged as a common tool to address morphological questions in a statistical context that outperforms the traditional 2D geometric morphometrics. …

Characterizing The Habitat Use Of Pacific Coast Feeding Group Gray Whales (Eschrichtius Robustus) And The Spatial And Temporal Variability Of Their Benthic And Planktonic Invertebrate Prey In Northern California, Robyn E. Norman

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

As opportunistic foragers, the Eastern North Pacific population (~20,000) of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) feed on diverse benthic and planktonic invertebrates in northern Alaska foraging grounds before they undertake one of the largest yearly migrations of any mammal to breed in Baja California, Mexico. While most of the population travels to the summer foraging grounds in Alaska, a sub-group of whales (~230) called the Pacific Coast Feeding Group (PCFG) summer between British Columbia, Canada, and northern California. The diet of PCFG whales typically includes high-density and/or high-caloric prey items like mysids and diverse species of amphipods, yet a …

Nocturnal Behavior Of Communally Roosting American Crows (Corvus Brachyrhynchos), Caitlin M. Mrowiec

Masters Theses

During the winter months in Charleston, Illinois, thousands of American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) gather together each night to roost. While aspects of this impressive sight have been studied elsewhere, there is very limited information on how crows behave at night. Additionally, the mechanics and origins of communal roosting are not especially well understood, and the behaviors involved are not always consistently described. This study sought to provide a more complete assessment of crow communal roosting after sunset. I collected data between 2018 and 2020 by locating communal roosts and conducting continuous observations for 4 hours after sunset, with additional checks …

Behavioral Ecology Of The Colorado Brown Tarantula (Aphonopelma Hentzi): Activities Displayed Around The Burrow Through Juvenile Group Dispersal, Bradley Allendorfer

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The life history strategy of the Colorado brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) typically includes males spatially scattering in search for a female mate in the fall, followed by female attendance of fertilized eggs the following summer. Here, I highlighted aspects associated with this female parental care. Specifically, I compared the activities of maternal (egg-attending) tarantulas to their non-maternal (not egg-attending) counterparts, as this may be a costly time for these egg-attending individuals. I concluded that maternal individuals tended to show reduced activity at the burrow entrance, however; these, results were significant in only one comparison. After weeks of this parental care, …

An Updated Outline For Clearing And Staining Of Preserved Specimens, Sadie E. Smith

Honors Theses and Capstones

This protocol outlines a enhanced clearing and staining procedure for persevered specimens, focusing on the visualization of cartilage and bone in small taxa. With origins from O. Shultze's diaphonization methodology in 1897, the process of clearing and staining improves the clarity and contrast of intricate tissues. It is essential for studies in developmental biology, histology and anatomy. This protocol covers the key steps of the process while detailing the materials, solutions and estimated timeline for each step pertaining to specific taxa. The aim of the protocol is to standardize and provide guidance for procedures in the Biological Sciences department at …

Baby's First Jets: A Kinematic And Hydrodynamic Analysis Of Turning In Cuttlefish Hatchlings, Alissa M. Ganley, Paul S. Krueger, Ian K. Bartol

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Turning is an important aspect of life underwater, playing integral roles in predator avoidance, prey capture, and communication. While turning abilities have been explored in a diversity of adult nekton, little is currently known about turning in early ontogeny, especially for cephalopods. In this study, we investigated the turning abilities of hatchling common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis, n = 49) and dwarf cuttlefish (Sepia bandensis, n = 30), using both kinematic and wake-based analyses. Using body tracking software and particle image velocimetry (PIV), we found that S. officinalis turned faster than S. bandensis, but both species …

Parasite Prevalence And Innate Immunity In Mud And Musk Turtles, Nicole Beckett

Honors Program Theses

Turtles are being infected by both ectoparasites (typically leeches) and endoparasites (typically blood parasites). It is unknown what the parasite intensity is of wild Central Floridian turtles is, and what effect this parasite load has on them. In order to determine these factors wild turtles (Sternotherus odoratus, Kinosternon baurii, and Kinosternon subrubrum) were caught from two locations, Mead Botanical Gardens, and Lake Virginia. Hoop traps were used to catch the turtles, which were then sampled and released. Captured turtles went through a series of measurements as well as a blood draw before release. Blood parasite levels were taken from the …

Compliance And Roughness In Relation To Gecko Locomotion, Brooklynn Campbell

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Geckos move efficiently through a variety of substrates, from swaying branches to wooden fences to the sides of structures. Previous studies have studied locomotion and adhesion on manmade and rough substrates; however, the work is limited when discussing locomotion and adhesion as a relationship of compliance and roughness. Ease of movement was quantified by speed, under the assumption that the faster a gecko moves, the easier it is for the gecko to cross the substrate. Gehyra oceanica geckos from Moorea, French Polynesia were tested on substrates varying in compliance and roughness with four different treatments in total. Compliance, roughness, and …

Descriptive Study Of Adult Male Acheta Domesticus Phonotaxis, Dana Husana

Master's Theses

The phonotactic behavior of male Acheta domesticus has not been described at length. The present study evaluates the phonotactic responses of male A. domesticus in relation to age. Male crickets of different ages (young and old) were exposed to calls with attractive and non-attractive syllable periods for this species. Both age groups exhibited phonotaxis but did not show a preference towards the attractive call over the non-attractive ones. No significant relationship was found between age and phonotactic response. Additionally, no significant differences were observed between age and preferred syllable period. Acoustic responses were also observed in some of the older …

Eliciting The Effect Free Roaming Cats Have On Native Hawaiian Wildlife Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Erin Salano

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

This study measured the concentration of the stable isotopes Carbon and Nitrogen within the tissues of free-roaming and indoor cats on the Hawai’ian islands. This study aimed to determine whether cats are consuming more human provisioned or wild food sources and whether their diet is having a negative impact on endemic species; with a focus on assessing impacts on conserved bird populations. We hypothesized that human provisioned food sources have higher levels of carbon due to the amount of corn fillers within them, while wild food sources are more Nitrogen rich. We found that indoor and feral cats sampled from …

Incorporating Sex-Diverse And Gender-Inclusive Perspectives In Higher Education Biology Courses, Breanne N. Harris, A Kelsey Lewis, Sam L. Sharpe, Teri J. Orr, Christopher T. Martine, Chloe C. Josefson

Faculty Journal Articles

Inclusive teaching is teaching in a way that reaches all students in the classroom; this is beneficial for everyone, particularly for those with minoritized identities. Instructors play a critical role in scaffolding how students are exposed to and learn science content in the classroom. In this manuscript, we discuss how biology instructors can make their classrooms more inclusive with regard to sex and gender diversity content. Many topics in biology are based on androcentric, heteronormative, and oppressive framing, even though those lenses are more reflective of our own history and culture than they are of the diversity we see in …

Comparing Ionoregulation And Modes Of Nitrogen Excretion Across The Life Cycle Of Parasitic And Non-Parasitic Lamprey Species, Shannon Davidson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Abstract

Ionoregulation and nitrogenous waste (N-waste) metabolism in fishes has been extensively documented in teleosts and elasmobranchs, but less so in lampreys (Petromizontiformes). All lamprey species undergo metamorphosis which drastically changes their physiology and modes of feeding. However, differences in ionoregulatory mechanisms due to anadromous versus non anadromous life history strategies emerge following metamorphosis in different lamprey species. Furthermore, some species, such as anadromous juvenile sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), are parasitic and migrate to seawater (SW) to ingest blood protein from host fishes, while juveniles of freshwater (FW), non-parasitic species, such as the American brook lamprey …

Trends In Monitoring Of Australia’S Threatened Birds (1990–2020): Much Improved But Still Inadequate, Simon J. Verdon, Robert A. Davis, Ayesha Tulloch, Sarah M. Legge, David M. Watson, John C. Z. Woinarski, G. Barry Baker, Joris Driessen, Hayley M. Geyle, Hugh Possingham, Stephen T. Garnett

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Monitoring is vital to conservation, enabling conservation scientists to detect population declines, identify threats and measure the effectiveness of interventions. However, not all threatened taxa are monitored, monitoring quality is variable, and the various components of monitoring are likely to differ in their rates of improvement over time. We assessed the presence of monitoring and monitoring quality, using a range of metrics, for all Australia’s threatened bird taxa from 1990 to 2020 (four assessments spanning 30 years). We used our assessments to understand decadal trends in the number of taxa monitored; monitoring quality; and the groups that conduct monitoring. The …

How Does A Global Climate Cycle Affect The Reproductive Output Of A Neotropical Migratory Bird?, Abby K. Bressette, Emma Cummings, Daniel Albrecht-Mallinger, Lesley Bulluck

Undergraduate Research Posters

El-Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) causes regional changes in climate and has been found to have varying effects on the survival, fecundity, and recruitment of migratory songbirds. This study seeks to better understand the effect of ENSO on the fecundity of Virginia-breeding Prothonotary warbler (Protonotaria citrea; PROW), a neotropical migratory songbird. PROW breed in the Eastern United States and spend the non-breeding season primarily in Panama and Colombia. Ongoing research in Virginia has found a positive relationship between spring precipitation and predicted number of PROW fledgelings during La Niña, but the opposite during El Niño. To better understand this relationship, we …

Tropicalization Fact Sheet, Linda Walters, Carla Perscky

CEELAB Outreach Materials

The goal of this 2-sided fact sheet is to introduce the topic of tropicalization along our coastlines to young audiences and their families. Tropicalization is defined as, "the transformation of ecosystems by tropical organisms that migrate towards the poles in response to warming minimum winter temperatures."

The Mayfly Newsletter, Donna Giberson

The Mayfly Newsletter

The Mayfly Newsletter is the official newsletter of the Permanent Committee of the International Conferences on Ephemeroptera.

Catfish Neurocranium 3-D Scan, Pamela Gonzalez, Jarod Johnson, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

No abstract provided.

Oliver Agee Catfish Neurocranium, Charlotte R. Oliver, Kristina Agee, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 10.7 cm total length, [Catfish], collected by [Kerstetter].

Common Snook (Centropomus Undecimalis) Neurocranium, Ryan Robison, Lesley Wallace, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium length of 16.5 cm Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis), collected from Dr. Kerstetter's Lab on 10/23 by Ryan Robison and Lesley Wallace.

Yellow Grouper (Epinephelus Awoara), Tyler Jurain, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

No abstract provided.

Jack Crevalle Neurocranium, Rodolfo A. Heredia, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

No abstract provided.