Zoology Commons^™

The Asian Elephant: Ecology And Management, Robert H.I. Dale

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Book review for the following title:

The Asian Elephant: Ecology and Management. By Raman Sukumar, Cambridge University Press, 1993, 282 pages. $34.95 hardcover

Ecology Of The Early Life History Of The Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Panulirus Argus: Recruitment, Predation, And Habitat Requirements, Charles A. Acosta

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Recruitment variability of the early life history stages of marine benthic organisms can have profound consequences on population dynamics. I studied factors affecting recruitment success of postlarvae and early juveniles of the Caribbean spiny lobster. I examined patterns in postlarval supply, investigated wind forcing as a potential transport mechanism for recruiting postlarvae, and quantified predation on postlarvae in south Florida, USA. In an eight-year time series, spiny lobster postlarval supply occurred year-round between the new and first quarter lunar phases. The major annual peak occurred around March corresponding to spawning activity ten months earlier, and a smaller non-seasonal peak occurred …

Skeletochronological Study Of Adult Spiny Softshell Turtles (Apalone Spinifera) From Northeastern Arkansas, Stanley E. Trauth, Hilary J. Worley

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Skeletochronological techniques were used to examine age and growth in adult spiny softshell turtles {Apalone spiniferd) from northeastern Arkansas. The diaphyseal region offemurs of 24 specimens (8 mars mars; 16 venus venus) was excised, decalcified in weak hydrochloric acid, and histologically prepared for light microscopy. Skeletal growth was determined from histosectioned bones by measuring femur diameters as well as by counting lines of arrested growth (LAGs) that appear between distinct periosteal layers (marks of skeletal growth =MSGs) laid down during a single growing season. Although significant positive correlations were found between carapace length (CL) and femur diameter in both males …

Fish Community Of Indian Bayou, A Coastal Plain Stream Of Remarkable Species Richness In The Lower White River Drainage Of Arkansas, Thomas M. Buchanan

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

It is increasingly important to identify unique aquatic ecosystems in the coastal plain lowlands of Arkansas, because of the extensive human-induced alteration of aquatic habitats and loss of fish diversity in that region. Indian Bayou, part of a small (103 km2 ), chute-fed drainage system off the lower White River in Monroe County, Arkansas, has a fish community that is unique among Delta streams in darter (Percidae) species richness. Twenty-five fish samples collected by seine and rotenone from the Indian Bayou drainage system over an 18-year period produced 62 fish species, including 13 darter species. The fish community at one …

Swimming Behavior In The Fox Squirrel, Sciurus Niger (Rodentia: Sciuridae), From Northeastern Arkansas, Stanley E. Trauth, David H. Jamieson

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Revised Status Of Rare And Endangered Unionaea (Mollusca: Margaritiferidae, Unionidae) In Arkansas, John L. Harris, Peter J. Rust, Alan D. Christian, William R. Posey Ii, Chris L. Davidson, George L. Harp

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Harris and Gordon (1987) reviewed the distribution and status of 18 rare and /or endangered unionacean bivalve species (commonly referred to as clams, mussels, freshwater mussels, naiads) that occur or have occurred in Arkansas. They discussed four species that were federally listed as endangered, four species that were considered endangered or extirpated within Arkansas, four species considered threatened within Arkansas, four species of special concern within Arkansas, and two species for which the conservation status was considered uncertain due to questions regarding taxonomic validity. Numerous unionacean field surveys have been performed during 1986 1996, and a substantial database of new …

Age, Growth And Condition Of Largemouth Bass, Micropterus Salmoides, Of Lake Ashbaugh, Arkansas, Ronald L. Johnson, Rosalyne M. Davis

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The population size structure, length at age and condition of 140 largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, were studied for Lake Ashbaugh, Arkansas. Scales and otoliths were used for age and length at age determination of individual bass. Length at age was determined by back-calculation and relative weight was used to measure condition. The Lake Ashbaugh population is dominated by young, slow growing bass in poor condition. Ninety-one percent of the largemouth bass in Lake Ashbaugh were less than four years of age, with age 3+ bass serving as the dominant year class. Proportional and relative stock density values were 25 and …

Survey Of Mollusca (Bivalva: Unionacea) Inhabiting Myatt Creek, Fulton County, Arkansas, Chris L. Davidson, George L. Harp, John L. Harris

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Distribution Of Free Marine Viruses Of Lower Chesapeake Bay And Their Effects On Life-History Parameters Of The Estuarine Copepod Acartia Tonsa Dana, Lisa A. Drake

OES Theses and Dissertations

Naturally occurring viruses are very abundant in fresh, estuarine, and marine waters, with densities on the order of 10⁵-10⁸ viruses ml^-1. Research has focused on virus effects on bacteria, cyanobacteria, and phytoplankton, as well as mechanisms of virus production and decay. However, little is known about the distribution of viruses in benthic environments or virus effects on organisms in higher trophic levels.

To determine the distribution of virus-like particles (VLPs) and bacteria in the lower Chesapeake Bay, vertical profiles of VLPs and bacteria were determined through the water column and 15-25 cm into the sediment …

Roost Site Selection Of The Red Bat (Lasiurus Borealis), Kenneth J. Mager

Masters Theses

I monitored the roosting activity and evaluated roost site selection of red bats (Lasiurus borealis) at study sites in Coles County during the summer of 1996. Red bats were mist-netted and radio transmitters were affixed to 12 individuals. A total of 105 transmitter-days were recorded with 75 roost locations identified. The roost types consisted of eight different species of trees, prairie grass, and residential structures but the vast majority of roosts (92%) were in large, deciduous trees. The height of the roosts ranged from 0.5 to 21.4 m, but 54.7% were between 5-10 m. Movement between consecutive roosts ranged from …

Distribution And Status Of The Ozark Shiner, Notropos Ozarcanus Meek, In Arkansas, Henry W. Robison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Ozark shiner, Notropis ozarcanus, an endemic species of the Ozark Highlands, was studied from 1994-1995 to determine its present distribution and conservation status in Arkansas. One-hundred and four collections of fishes were made from throughout the historic range of the Ozark shiner. A total of 91 Ozark shiners was collected during the two-year study. The present state distribution is described as well as the conservation status of the Ozark shiner in Arkansas. The largest populations seem to be present in the protected Buffalo River.

First Records For The Blackmask Racer (Coluber Constrictor Latrunculus) In Eastern Arkansas, Stanley E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The presence of the blackmask racer (Coluber constrictor latrunculus) in eastern Arkansas was first demonstrated by examination of a series of color slides of live specimens now preserved and deposited in the Arkansas State University Museum of herpetology. Adult color pattern is of paramount importance in the definition of subspecies of C. constrictor, and this is especially true for C. c. latrunculus. This subspecies is characterized by a conspicuous black stripe that extends from the postnasal, through the eye and onto the temporals or anterior dorsal scales. The dorsum is slate gray, and the venter is a pale grayish blue. …

Description Of The Tadpole Of Atelopus Tricolor, E. O. Lavilla, Rafael O. De Sá, Ignacio De La Riva

Biology Faculty Publications

Tadpoles of Atelopus belong to the gastromyzophorous guild of exotrophic larvae (Altig and Johnston, 1989), and are characterized by the presence of a conspicuous abdominal sucker and an expanded oral disc. The larvae of several Atelopus species have been described previously: A. varius (Starrett, 1967); A. certus, A. ignescens, and A. spumarius (Duellman and Lynch, 1969); A. cruciger (Mebs, 1980); A. flavescens (Lescure, 1981); A. peruensis (Gray and Cannatella, 1985); and A. subornatus (Lynch, 1986). These represent about 15% of the known species in the genus (Frost, 1985; Duellman, 1993). Although Atelopus tricolor was originally described at the beginning of …

Description Of Tadpoles Of Three Species Of Scinax (Anura: Hylidae), Rafael O. De Sá, Rocjard Wassersig, Arturo I. Kehr

Biology Faculty Publications

Larval morphological characteristics have been used to cluster species of Scinax in seven species groups and to support the monophyly of some of these groups. However, our present knowledge of Scinax tadpoles is incomplete; currently, tadpoles of only 21 of the approximately 80 recognized species have been described. Herein, we describe and illustrate the external morphology and oral disc characteristics of larval Scinax berthae, S. nebulosa, and S. boesemani. The presence of a "labial arm" supporting the P3 tooth row in S. boesemani, and its absence from S. nebulosa, is discussed in the light of our limited knowledge of tadpoles …

The Effects Of Habitat Fragmentation And Factors Influencing Nest Box Use On The Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys Volans) In Southern Illinois, Catherine J. Woodworth

Masters Theses

I studied the effects of habitat :fragmentation on the southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) in 30 forest fragments in southern Illinois. The fragments ranged in size from 6 ha to 5264 ha, and had varying degrees of isolation. I placed 10 nest boxes in each habitat fragment and checked them monthly. I captured southern flying squirrels in 24 of the 30 fragments, and found evidence of squirrels (i.e., nests and feeding stations) in 4 additional fragments. Thus, only 2 fragments did not show any evidence of squirrel use suggesting that the southern flying squirrel may not be particularly …

The Diet Of Oryzomys Palustris Based On Stomach Content Analysis, Shannon L. Wright

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Oryzomys palustris (Harlan) is unusual in that it is one of two carnivorous mammals in the Family Muridae in North America. A diet analysis of Oryzomys palustris. the marsh rice rat, was done based on stomach contents. This was accomplished by taking the animals from two study areas located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The animals were taken monthly for one year. Once caught, the animals were sacrificed and their stomach contents were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible. This study showed that rice rats were omnivorous mammals, eating a variety of foods, including dicots, monocots, crabs, …

Studying Elephants: Awf Technical Handbook Series #7, Robert H.I. Dale

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Book review for the following title:

Studying Elephants: AWF Technical Handbook Series #7. Edited by Kadzo Kangwana, Nairobi, Kenya: African Wildlife Foundation, 1996, 186 pages. $15 S&H.

Ecology And Community Relationships Of The River Cooter, Pseudemys Concinna In A Southern Illinois Backwater, Michael J. Dreslik

Masters Theses

In Illinois the River cooter, Pseudemys concinna, is an enigmatic endangered species. Even throughout its range, ecological studies on the River cooter are rare. During 1994 and 1995 I quantified the: growth rates and trends, population size and structure and dietary habits of a population from floodplain lake in Gallatin county, Illinois. Population estimation (Schnabel method) predicted 136 individuals at a density of 4.6 turtles/ha with a biomass of 3.6 Kg/ha. The sex ratio is slightly male biased (1:1.14). From back-calculated growth data, the von Bertalanffy growth model (Fabens' method) estimates males with a higher growth rate (k) and …

A New Species Of The Genus Rhogeessa, With Comments On Geographic Distribution And Speciation In The Genus, Hugh H. Genoways, Robert J. Baker

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

A new species of Rhogeessa is described from southern Suriname. The new species is characterized by a karyotype that possesses a diploid number of 52 and a fundamental number of 52 and by its relatively large overall size compared to other South American Rhogeessa. Tenspecies are now recognized within the genus. Seven of these species, including the one described herein, are members of R. tumida complex. Two of these species--R. io and R. minutilla--also occur in South America and the remaining four species are confined to Mexico and Central America.

Microhabitat Use By Gilbert's Potoroo (Potorous Tridactylus Gilbertii Gould) In Relation To Vegetation Associations And Ground Cover, S. Vetten

Theses : Honours

Gilbert's potoroo has been rediscovered 120 years after it was believed to have become extinct. In 1994 the presence of Gilbert's potoroo was confirmed at Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, near Albany, and since that time the need for a detailed understanding of the biology and behaviour of the species has become urgent. An understanding of the habitat requirements of the species will aid in its recovery from its present critically endangered status and will act as a guide for future management decisions concerning translocations of new populations into other areas. The present study was conducted at Two Peoples Bay …

Leptodactylus Silvanimbus (Amphibia: Anura: Leptodactylidae): Natural History Notes, Advertisement Call, And Relationships, W. Ronald Heyer, Rafael O. De Sá, James R. Mccranie, Larry David Wilson

Biology Faculty Publications

In July 1995, we visited two of the three previously known localities for Leprodactylus silvanimbus in Departamento de Ocotepeque, Honduras. We found a new breeding site for the species, recorded its advertisement call, and collected and observed its adults and larvae. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of these new findings and to comment on the relationships L. silvanimbus.

Características De La Osificación Craneal En Phyllomedusa Boliviana (Anura: Hylidae), Rafael O. De Sá, E. O. Lavilla

Biology Faculty Publications

RESUMEN. Dentro de la familia Hylidae disponemos de información sobre las secuencias de osificación craneal para menos del 4.0% de sus miembros. El presente trabajo describe la secuencia de osificación craneal de Phyllomedusa boliviana. El patrón general de osificación es similar a lo reportado para otras especies de la familia, pero existen algunas diferencias importantes tales como la osificación tardía de los próoticos y la osificación premetamórfica de neopalatino, vómer, cuadrado-yugal, pterigoides y columela. El lento desarrollo ulterior de la osificación resulta en juveniles con cráneos extensamente cartilaginosos.

ABSTRACT. Characteristics of the cranial ossification in Phyllomedusa …

Hyla Multifasciata, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Hyla multifasciata is a medium to large species in the albopunctata species group, adults ranging in size from 42 - 61 mm SVL (mean male SVL = 48 mm, mean female SVL = 53 mm). The head is longer than wide. The snout is rounded in dorsal view, whereas in lateral view it is rounded and protrudes slightly beyond the mandible. The canthus rostralis is rounded and distinct, the loreal region is concave, and the internarial region is convex. The eyes are large, approximately twice the diameter of the tympanum. The tympanum is separated from the eye by a distance …

Movement Patterns And Habitat Use Of The Copperhead Snake (Agkistrodon Contortrix) In Southeastern Virginia, Christopher Edwin Petersen

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Radiotelemetry was used to study seasonal movement patterns, habitat use, and thermal relations of nine copperhead snakes, Agkistrodon contortrix, in southeastern Virginia from May 1993 to May 1995. Daily movements ranged from 0-450 m, with 0-5 m movements accounting for 65% of the observations. The seasonal movements of males were more extensive than those of females. Differences in seasonal movements between the sexes may be due to reproductive activity of the snakes. Both males and females significantly reduced their movements prior to shedding. More time was spent using upland deciduous forests than lowland river swamps or anthropogenic habitat. Copperheads …

The Distribution Of Rice Rats (Oryzomys Palustris) And Meadow Voles (Microtus Pennsylvanicus) In Tidal Marsh Communities On The Eastern Shore Of Virginia, Allison L. Sowell

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Two tidal marsh sites were selected for live trapping of small mammals on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Trap grids were established at site and animals were trapped and tagged each month for one year. Habitat variables were measured at the peak of the growing season and again in late winter when vegetation was at its least luxuriant. ANOVA and multiple regressions were used to analyze the relationships between rice rats and meadow voles and associated variables related to habitat structure.

ANOVA revealed where rice rats and meadow voles differed in habitat preferences. Meadow voles were consistently captured in association …

Population Dynamics Of Oryzomys Palustris And Microtus Pennsylvanicus On The Eastern Shore Of Virginia, John A. March Jr.

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The population dynamics of Oryzomys palustris, the marsh rice rat, and of Microtus pennsylvanicus, the meadow vole, were determined during a year-long mark-and-recapture study on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Three nights of trapping per month were conducted on two live trap grids totaling 5456 total trap nights. The grids were located on Nature Conservancy land, one in Oyster, and the second at Steelman's Landing, which is east of Townsend in Northampton County Virginia. Trapped animals were evaluated using established criteria. Reproductive activity, age and sex composition, and density of the population, capture probability, survival rate, and recruitment were determined. …

Demography, Reproduction, Diet And Crop Depredation In Three Species Of Rodents In Natural And Irrigated Fields In Nigeria, Safianu Rabiu

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Rodent populations of Arvicanthis, Mastomys and Tatera were studied during July 1990 to August 1992 in both natural and irrigated savannah fields of northern Nigeria. Tatera was entirely absent from the irrigated fields. Irrigation enhanced higher rodent population densities in the magnitude of three to four times over densities in the natural field. Arvicanthis was the most abundant of the three species in both sites. Tatera was the least common in the natural site. Adult survival rates in Arvicanthis and Tatera were significantly higher than Mastomys. Survival rates of both adult and young differed between the wet and dry …

Elephants, Robert H.I. Dale

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Book review for the following title:

Elephants. By Clive Spinage, Kent, UK: Harcourt Brace & Co., 1994, 319 pages. £27.45.

Within-Pair Copulations: Are Female Tree Swallows Feathering Their Own Nests?, Michael P. Lombardo

Peer Reviewed Publications

A variety of hypotheses has been proposed to explain why socially monogamous birds copulate repeatedly with their mates when only a single copulation is necessary to fertilize an entire clutch (Birkhead and Møller 1992, Petrie 1992, Hunter et al. 1993). Petrie (1992) hypothesized that a female should copulate frequently with her mate so as to reduce her mate’s involvement in extrapair copulations. By reducing her mate’s involvement in extrapair copulations, a female may: (1) avoid the transmission of parasites and sexually transmitted diseases (Hamilton 1990); (2) may avoid sperm depletion by her mate; and (3) may monopolize her mate’s paternal …

Historical Biogeography And Modes Of Speciation Across High-Latitude Seas Of The Holarctic: Concepts For Host-Parasite Coevolution Among The Phocini (Phocidae) And Tetrabothriidae (Eucestoda), Eric P. Hoberg

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Species of Anophryocephalus are host-specific parasites of pinnipeds in the Holarctic. Phylogenetic analysis of 7 species postulates A. anophrys as the basal taxon and A. inuitorum as basal to A. skrjabini; A. arcticensis is basal to A. nunivakensis and A. eumetopii + A. ochotensis (single tree; consistency index = 74.4%; homoplasy slope ratio = 36.45%). Evaluation of host and geographic distributions postulates ringed seals of the Atlantic-Arctic as ancestral hosts, and the Arctic basin as a paraphyletic area with respect to the North Pacific. Cospeciation within this assemblage was dependent on intense isolation of small effective populations of definitive hosts …