Zoology Commons^™

Survey Of Mollusks Of The Platte River: Final Report, Patricia W. Freeman, Keith Perkins

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

A survey of the mollusks of the Platte River was carried out during the summers of 1990 and 1991. With the exception of the Big Bend Reach of the River in Dawson, Buffalo and Hall counties, no unionids (mussels) were found in the main channel of the river. We found 11 species of mussels along the river and 16 species of snails at 49 different sites from east to west across the state. We found the Asiatic clam, a known, non-native, pest species, for the first time in the state placing it several hundred miles west of the present eastern …

The Identification, Distribution, And Status Of The Threatened Dismal Swamp Shrew (Sorex Longirostris Fisheri), Thomas M. Padgett

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Southeastern shrews (Sorex longirostris) were trapped throughout southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina to determine if any morphological characters could

be identified that would aid in the identification and distribution of the threatened subspecies Sorex l._ fisheri, endemic to the Great Dismal Swamp, the more upland nominate subspecies Sorex l. longirostris, and possible intergrades between the two subspecies. Animals were classified a priori into three groups, based on their location of capture. Animals collected from the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (GDSNWR) and associated bottomland habitats were designated as "fisheri", animals collected farthest from the Swamp as "longirostris", and …

The Ecology Of Franklin's Ground Squirrel In Indiana, Peter M. Benjamin

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A reduction in the distribution of the Franklin's ground squirrel in the eastern portion of its range has led to its classification as a threatened species in Indiana. Information is lacking on this species' habitat requirements and population characteristics in Indiana, which limits management capabilities. The purpose of this study was to identify preferred habitat and population characteristics of the Franklin's ground squirrel in Indiana. Radio telemetry was conducted from April 1987 to September 1988 at 3 sites along a railroad right-of-way (ROW} in Benton County, Indiana. Land use and habitat types were mapped; species composition, density, percent cover, percent …

The Development Of A Policy For The Management Of Dingo Populations In South Australia, R. J. Downward, J. E. Bromell

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 14th (1990)

Competing concerns between conservation and sheep-growing interests in South Australia over problems associated with the naturalized dog,Canis familiaris dingo, prompted the development of a policy for the management of this subspecies. The background to the development of this policy is outlined. The policy provides for a compromise between the need to protect the livestock industry while ensuring the continued survival of the dingo as a wildlife species.

Management Of The Ozark Big-Eared Bat, Plecotus Townsendii Ingens, In Arkansas, Michael J. Harvey, Sam W. Barkley

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Testing Macroevolutionary Hypotheses With Cladistic Analysis: Evidence Against Rectangular Evolution, Cliff A. Lemen, Patricia W. Freeman

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The properties of cladistic data sets from small monophyletic groups (6-1 2 species) are investigated using computer simulations of macroevolution. Two evolutionary models are simulated: gradualism and the punctuated-equilibrium hypothesis. Under the conditions of our simulations these two models of evolution make consistently different predictions about the distribution of autapomorphies among species. When strict stasis is enforced, the punctuated-equilibrium hypothesis predicts that the most expected number of autapomorphies per species will be zero, no matter how many characters are used in the analysis. As the number of characters used in the analysis increases, the distribution of the number of autapomorphies …

The Computer As A Collection Management Tool, Suzanne B. Mclaren, Hugh H. Genoways, Duane A. Schlitter

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Since the mid-1960s, discussion of computer use for information retrieval in museum collections has usually focused on research potential. Much attention has been given to the idea of networking and the ability to access data across great distances. However, the potential for collection management usage has also proven to be a legitimate rationale for computerization. Numerous aspects of collection management are discussed for which the computer may be employed. Topics include creating cross-reference files, updating taxonomic and geographic information, pinpointing mismatched specimens, locating lost and uncataloged material, controlling loan procedures, producing accession files for insurance purposes, curating all or part …

Environmental Factors Affecting Nocturnal Migrations Of Macrobenthos, C. Timothy Morris

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Nocturnally dispersing macrobenthic invertebrates of the Lafayette River, Norfolk, Virginia were collected from September 4 to October 4, 1982 to determine environmental factors affecting migrations. A total of 55 taxa were identified from 325 surface and bottom nocturnal plankton tows. Peracaridan crustaceans were the dominant (99.0% of the total density) group collected. Six of the commonly collected species showed a significant (P

Late Prehistoric And Protohistoric Large Mammal Zoogeography Of Virginia, Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Evidence derived from18late prehistoric (middle and late Woodland Period) archeological sites, from several early historical accounts, and from the current understanding of the distribution of Virginia mammals indicates that the large mammal fauna of the Commonwealth has not changed substantially within the past 4,000 yrs. Some species (e.g., bison, elk, timber wolf, and mountain lion) have been extirpated since the settlement of Virginia by Europeans; some previously extirpated species (e.g., porcupine, coyote, and beaver) have been naturally or artificially reintroduced during the historical period, and others (e.g., woodchuck and red fox) probably have expanded their distributions as a result of …

Community Ecology, Robert K. Rose, Elmer C. Birney

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

COMMUNITIES with Microtus tend to be structurally simple, usually grasslands or tundra, and to have no more than two species of Microtus and rarely more than six species of small mammals. Microtus often dominates both numerically and in total small mammal biomass, especially at higher latitudes. The small mammal community is most influenced by Microtus through its fluctuations in density, and thus also in biomass, by its relatively high level of diurnal activity, and by its year-round activity. Other species of small mammals may be adversely affected because Microtus usually is larger and behaviorally dominant and also because the mere …

Analysis Of Arkansas Fur Harvest Records - 1942-1984: Ii. Species Accounts, James H. Peck, Joseph D. Clark, Tiny Sheldon, Gary A. Heidt

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Fur harvest records were maintained by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission on the following 16 furbearers: badger, beaver, bobcat, eastern spotted skunk (civet), coyote, gray fox, long-tailed weasel, mink, muskrat, nutria, opossum, raccoon, red fox, red wolf, river otter, and striped skunk. These harvest records were analyzed for each species in terms of mean pelt price and numbers of pelt sold by region (Ozark Mountains, Ouachita Mountains, Gulf Coastal Plain, and Mississippi Delta) per year. Historical or biological influences important in interpreting species accounts are presented.

Analysis Of Arkansas Fur Harvest Records - 1942-1984: Iii. Harvest-Price Relationships, Joseph D. Clark, Gary A. Heidt, Tina Sheldon, James H. Peck

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Correlation and linear regression analyses between mean annual pelt price and total harvest of 13 Arkansas furbearer species between 1965 and 1983 were performed for state and regions (Ozark Mountains, Ouachita Mountains, Gulf Coastal Plain, and Mississippi Delta). Statewide, strong correlations (r > 0.80) were identified for bobcat (Felis rufus), coyote (Canis latrans), gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), mink (Mustela vison), nutria (Myocastor coypus), opossum (Didelphis virginiana), and raccoon (Procyonlotor). Moderate correlations (r = 0.55 - 0.79) were identified for eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius), muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), river otter (Lutra canadensis), and striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis). Nonsignificant correlations (r < 0.468) were shown for beaver (Castor canadensis) and long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata). Regional differences were noted for each species.

Analysis Of Arkansas Fur Harvest Records - 1942-1984: I. State And Regional Accounts, Gary A. Heidt, James H. Peck, Tiny Sheldon, Joseph D. Clark

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Fur harvest records maintained by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission from 1942-1984 summarized the number of pelts sold by region (Ozark Mountains, Ouachita Mountains, Gulf Coastal Plain, and Mississippi Delta) and the average price per pelt for 16 furbearers. Analysis of these records showed that in the 1979-80 trapping season (the record year for both harvest and value both in Arkansas and the nation), the value of the Arkansas fur harvest ranked 14th nationally (2.12% of total national value). Fur harvests in Arkansas were high in the 1940's, declined in the 1950's and 1960's and then experienced a rapid …

A Pleistocene Jaguar From North-Central Nebraska, C. B. Schultz, Larry D. Martin, M. R. Schultz

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

A nearly complete skull of an extinct jaguar, Panthera onca augusta from the Mullen Assemblage in Cherry County, Nebraska, provides new information concerning North American jaguars. The presence of Cervalces, Symbos, Tapirus, and Panthera onca in the Mullen Assemblage seems to indicate an extension of the Pleistocene spruce taiga into north-central Nebraska in the Early to Middle Illinoian.

The Hellbender, Cryptobranchus Alleganiensis, In Indiana, William H. Kern Jr.

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Very 1 ittle was previously known ubout the Hellbender, Crrp:t:£branchus alleganiensis alleganiensis, in Indiana. The purpose of this study was to determine its current range and status in Indiana and collect life history information. The hell benders were captured by hand from under rocks and 1d th hoopnets baited with cut fish. They were tagged, measured, wei~hed, examined for large external parasites, wounds, and reproductive cond:i - tion. Stoma ch contents were taken with a non-lethal, stomach-flushfog technique. The animals were then released at the site of capture. Al though they were originally found in the Ohio River, \\'hi tewater …

The Response Of Invertebrates In Temporary Vernal Wetlands To Altosid Sr-10 As Used In Mosquito Abatement Programs, Ronald W. Lawrenz

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Three temporary vernal wetlands on the Bayport Wildlife Management Area in eastern Washington County, Minnesota, were divided by sandbag barrier into treatment and control areas. Designated areas were treated with Altosid® SR-10 briquets at standard mosquito control rates. Invertebrate populations were monitored weekly using net sweeps, column samples, and ocular estimates.

The development of Eubranchtpus bundyi, Lyncerus sp, and Daphnia sp., the three major components of the invertebrate fauna, was delayed by as much as one week in site 47. Similar developmental lags were noted for E. bundyi populations in the treated portions of sites 6 and 32. Delay of …

Cameron B. Kepler's Review Of Janet Kear And A. J. Berger's The Hawaiian Goose: An Experiment In Conservation, Cameron B. Kepler

Pacific Studies

No abstract provided.

Mammals Of The Northern Great Plains, J. Knox Jones Jr., David M. Armstrong, Robert F. Hoffmann, Clyde Jones

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

For the purposes of this book, the Northern Great Plains are defined as the states of Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. As a physiographic concept, the northern part of the great interior grasslands of North America is, of course, much broader in geographic extent than the Dakotas and Nebraska, but the three states lie in the heart of the region, and thus the title for this work seems appropriate. Our expectations in writing Mammals of the Northern Great Plains were to provide a comprehensive, yet semitechnical, treatmeat of free-living mammals that would prove useful to specialist and nonspecialist alike. …

The Systematics And Biology Of The Genus Zapus (Mammalia, Rodentia, Zapodidae), Gwilym S. Jones

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was undertaken to determine specific and intraspecific relationships within the genus Zapus (Mammalia, Rodentia, Zapodidae). Subspecies are based on the biological subspecies concept where the subspecies is an evolutionary step between a population and species. Approximately 20,000 Recent specimens and representatives of fossil taxa were examined. Cranial and postcranial characteristics, colors, and when available bacula, sperms and karyotypes were incorporated into the morphological analyses. In addition, published biological data were summarized and analyzed for evidence of primary and secondary isolating mechanisms. Supplemental data were acquired during collection of 450 specimens in midwestern and western United States, western Canada, …

Fisheries Report No 43 - A Pit Trap Survey Of Small Mammals, Lizards And Frogs On The Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Stephen D. Hopper

Fisheries Research Reports

Ten pitlines were placed in open low woodlands near Moates Lake and in upland and coastal heathlands near Mount Gardner on Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve during February 1980 and February 1981. The trapping program established that Common Dunnarts (Smitnthopsts murina) and Honey Possums (Tarstpes spencerae) were widespread in the reserve, and added three lizards and one frog to the list of vertebrates known to occur on the reserve.

Twenty mammals (15 native and 5 feral), four snakes, fifteen lizards, one tortoise and six frogs are now known on Iwo Peoples Bay Nature Reserve. They constitute a representative sample of …

Die Erforschung Der Herpetofauna Der Mongolischen Volksrepublik: Situation Und Perspektiven, Günther Peters

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

First paragraph:

Die Landschaften der Mongolei sind arm an Reptilien- und Amphibienarten. Dieser Umstand mag die Frage aufwerfen, ob herpetologische Untersuchungen in Beschränkung auf das Territorium der MVR eine nennenswerte Perspektive haben könnten, nachdem Artenspektrum und Verbteitung der Species annähernd vollständig erkundet sind. Ein Herpetologe wird zweifellos für seine Arbeit auch in diesem Land eine Zukunft sehen, doch muß wohl von vornherein eingestanden werden, daß das Volumen der Probleme dieses Faches hinter denen der übrigen Disziplinen der Vertebratenzoologie und der Entomologie in einem bescheidenerem Rahmen verbleibt. Dies gilt sowohl im rein wissenschaftlichen als erst recht auch im angewandten Bereich ihrer …

The Distribution And Relative Abundance Of Aquatic Oligochaeta In The Upper Cache River System, Southern Illinois, In Relation To Water Quality, Mark Julian Wetzel

Masters Theses

Species composition, distribution, abundance, and water quality relationships of aquatic oligochaetes occurring in the upper Cache River system, southern Illinois were investigated. Forty-two taxa of oligochaetes including 16 naidids, 22 tubificids and representatives of the families Aeolosomatidae, Branchiobdellidae, Enchytraeidae, and Lumbriculidae were collected. Four species of oligochaetes new to Illinois, Limnodrilus psammophilus Loden, L. rubripenis Loden, Psammoryctides (Spencerius) californianus Brinkhurst, and Haemonais waldvogeli Bretscher were collected during this study. Another species of Limnodrilus new to science is reported here, as yet undescribed. The thesis that aquatic oligochaetes can be used as true water quality indicator organisms is rejected. It is …

Relationship Between Relative Brain Size And Climbing Ability In Peromyscus, Cliff A. Lemen

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Eisenberg and Wilson (Evolution, 32:740-751, 1978) have documented an interesting relationship between the relative brain size of bats and the complexity of the habitat in which they forage. They found that bats that fly and forage through foliage have larger brains relative to their body size than those that forage in open air. Their explanation was that bats in the complex habitat must process more complex sonic information to navigate through the foliage. In order to do this a larger brain is required.

The Peromyscus of North America may offer a similar paradigm as far as habitat complexity …

Nebraska Trapping, George Schildman, Frank Andelt, Jim Brunner

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

Fur bearers and trapping played an important role in the exploration and development of Nebraska. The harvest of our fur-bearer resource is part of every Nebraskan's heritage. Wise use of the resource and consideration for other people's property and personal rights can insure that trapping will remain a part of the heritage of future generations. The purpose of this publication is to help insure this heritage ... through the educational process. Knowledge of and respect for the resource, as well as consideration for other people, are the keys to perpetuating trapping as an outdoor activity. While primarily designed to assist …

The Comparative Ecology Of Two Populations Of The Troglobitic Isopod Crustacean Lirceus Usdagalun (Asellidae), James Alexander Estes

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Aquatic communities of two caves in Lee Co., Virginia, were compared, and an examination was made of the life history phenomena of the troglobitic isopod Lirceus usdagalun. Measurements of physical and biological parameters were made in Thompson Cedar Cave and Gallohan Cave No. l. A contagious distribution was exhibited by populations of L. usdagalun in both caves and also by the population of another troglobitic isopod, Caecidotea recurvata, in Gallohan Cave No. 1. This distribution was attributed to aggregations of individuals which were considered to occur in areas of preference or optimal habitat patches. Lirceus usdagalun exhibited a …

Niobrara-Missouri River Fishery Investigations, Larry W. Hesse, Gene Zeurlein, Roger Vancil, Leonard Koziol, Brad Newcomb, Leigh Ann Retelsdorf

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The Niobrara River heads in the table lands of eastern Wyoming and flows 786 kilometers (km) eastward across Nebraska joining the Missouri River near the town of Niobrara, Nebraska. The Niobrara is the largest Missouri River tributary between the last two mainstem impoundments (Lake Francis Case and Lewis and Clark Lake). Fish movement up the Niobrara is prevented by Nebraska Public Power District's (NPPD's) Spencer Hydroelectric Dam, 63.3 km upstream from the river mouth. The lower reach of the river is turbid and carries a considerable load of sand, silt, and organic debris into the Missouri River. The mean annual …

Nebraska Rainbow Trout, Nebraska Game And Parks, G. Zeurlein, L. Hesse, J. Seeb, L. Wishard

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

Chapter 1 Lethal and Preferred Temperatures of Lake McConaughy Rainbow Trout Versus Domestic Strain Rainbow Trout By R. Vancil, G. Zuerlein and L. Hesse

Chapter 2 A Nitrifying Filter-Cooling Condenser System for Total Water Re-use in Cold-Water Fish Holding or Rearing Applications By L. Hesse, G. Zuerlein and R. Vancil

Chapter 3 Biochemical Genetic Analysis of Two Strains of Nebraska Rainbow Trout By J. Seeb and L. Wishard

The self-sustaining rainbow trout population living in Lake Mcconaughy and the North Platte River tributaries is unique to the Great Plains region. The population spends most of its adult life in the …

The Effect Of Selenium On The Toxicity Of Methyl Mercury In Medaka Embryos, Peter H. Krauth

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of selenium upon methyl mercury poisoning in Medaka fish (Oryzias latipes) embryos. Selenium has been shown to provide a protective mechanism against mercury poisoning in some adult animals. Three experiments were done. In the first, selenium and methyl mercury were put directly in the growing medium of the eggs. In the second experiment, selenium was included in the diet of the parent fish. In the third part, methyl mercury exposure was delayed three days. The results of the first experiment were quite dramatic and showed a significant difference when selenium …

Raising Wood Ducks, Richard L. Nelson

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

Numbered among Nature's most colorful creatures, wood ducks willingly accept a helping hand from man in establishing new homes. These birds adapt well to suitable habitat, and you can play an important part in bringing the wood duck to locations where they do not now nest. For groups or individuals who are willing to expend the effort necessary to undertake a wood duck restoration project anti see it to completion, it is an exceptional gift from today's generation to those of decades and centuries to come. Many areas in Nebraska provide suitable wood duck habitat, but do not have a …

Biological Inventory In Conjunction With The Las Vegas Wash Unit, Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act Title Ii (P.L. 93-320), W. Glen Bradley, J. Scott Miller

Publications (WR)

The present report is a biological inventory in conjunction with the Las Vegas Wash Unit, Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act, Title II. The boundaries of the project encompass sections of North Las Vegas, Las Vegas, East Las Vegas and areas along Las Vegas Wash extending to its drainage point in Las Vegas Bay in Lake Mead. Therefore, it encompasses a wide array of ecological situations and landscapes ranging from essentially natural to various stages of urban development. This biological inventory presents basic ecological classifications, descriptions of vegetation, lists of vascular plants and vertebrates known to occur in the area. …