Zoology Commons^™

The Population Ecology And Behavior Of The Cave Salamander, Eurycea Lucifuga (Rafinesque, 1822)., Joseph Gavin Bradley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Cave Salamander, Eurycea lucifuga (Rafinesque, 1822), is a little-known species, yet a common inhabitant of caves in the eastern United States. Salamanders are often important components of ecological communities and ecosystems, influencing critical processes such as nutrient cycling and community composition through their predation on invertebrates. Cave-dwelling salamanders such as E. lucifuga may thus appreciably influence the relatively simple ecosystems and communities of caves. Any such influence may be particularly important because these habitats and the organisms that reside in them are often of conservation concern. I used non-invasive methods to study the demographics, movements, and habitat selection of …

Modifying The Mineral Profile Of Crickets (Acheta Domesticus) Using A Supplemented Diet, Rhianne Morgan Le Maxwell

Master's Theses

Captive insectivores may consume invertebrates as all, or part of their overall diet. The challenge with feeding captive insectivores involves the limited number of invertebrate species that are commercially available, and the lack of key nutrients provided by these insects. Among these insects, a naturally occurring low concentration of calcium and an inverse calcium to phosphorus ratio may put insectivores at the risk of developing hypocalcemia. A strategy to correct this nutrient imbalance involves supplementing the insect diet with high concentrations of targeted nutrients – a term referred to as gut-loading. Current industry guidelines recommend feeding a supplemented diet for …

Unique Osmoregulatory Morphology In Primitive Sharks: An Intermediate State Between Holocephalan And Derived Shark Secretory Morphology, Matthew Eric Larsen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Discovery of an unusual rectal gland in the Atlantic sixgill shark, Hexanchus vitulus, led to examination of rectal glands in 29 species of epipelagic and deep-sea sharks. Eight of 14 deep-sea species of sharks had digitiform glands that were previously assumed to be characteristic of elasmobranchs (N=281; mean width-length ratio ± SD = 0.18 ± 0.07). Hematoxylin-and-eosin stained sections from deep-sea sharks were similar to those from shallow water sharks. Glands from the family Somniosidae were kidney bean-shaped (N = 3; mean width-length ratio ± SD = 0.46 ± 0.05); whereas those from the families Echinorhinidae and Hexanchidae appeared lobulate …

Nanostructured Fibers As A Versatile Photonic Platform: Radiative Cooling And Waveguiding Through Transverse Anderson Localization, Norman Nan Shi, Cheng-Chia Tsai, Michael J. Carter, Jyotirmoy Mandal, Adam C. Overvig, Matthew Y. Sfeir, Ming Lu, Catherine L. Craig, Gary D. Bernard, Yuan Yang, Nanfang Yu

Publications and Research

Broadband high reflectance in nature is often the result of randomly, three-dimensionally structured materials. This study explores unique optical properties associated with one-dimensional nanostructures discovered in silk cocoon fibers of the comet moth, Argema mittrei. The fibers are populated with a high density of air voids randomly distributed across the fiber cross-section but are invariant along the fiber. These filamentary air voids strongly scatter light in the solar spectrum. A single silk fiber measuring ~50 μm thick can reflect 66% of incoming solar radiation, and this, together with the fibers' high emissivity of 0.88 in the mid-infrared range, allows …

A New Scorpion Species From Kenya, Gint Childsi Sp. N. (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Frantíšek Kovařík

Euscorpius

Gint childsi sp. n. from Kenya is described and compared with other species of the genus. Additional information is provided on the taxonomy and distribution of the genus Gint, fully complemented with color photos of preserved specimens of both sexes of the new species, as well as of their habitat.

Two New Hottentotta Species From Iran, With A Review Of Hottentotta Saulcyi (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Frantíšek Kovařík, Ersen Aydin Yağmur, Mohammed Moradi

Euscorpius

Two new buthid species from Iran, Hottentotta navidpouri sp. n. (Hormozgan Province) and H. sistanensis sp. n. (Sistan and Baluchestan Province) are described, compared with H. saulcyi (Simon, 1880), and fully illustrated with color photos. The two new species differ from H. saulcyi mainly in shape of chela, which is strongly elongated in both new species.

A New Species Of Microtityus From The British Virgin Islands, West Indies, And New Localities For Other Scorpions (Scorpiones: Buthidae, Scorpionidae), Luis F. De Armas

Euscorpius

Microtityus (Parvabsonus) eustatia sp. n. is herein described from the British Virgin Islands (West Indies): Eustatia Island (type locality), Virgin Gorda Island, and Camanoe Island, based on seven specimens (three males and four females). The new species closely resembles M. waeringi Francke & Sissom, 1980 from St. John Island and St. Thomas Island, U.S. Virgin Islands, differing mainly by the fixed finger of pedipalp having ten rows of denticles (nine in M. waeringi) and more attenuated metasoma. Also, new localities are recorded for Heteronebo yntemai Francke & Sissom, 1980 (Scorpionidae) and Centruroides griseus (C. L. Koch, 1844) …

Nine-Banded Armadillo (Dasypus Novemcinctus) In Spartanburg County, South Carolina, Jonathan J. Storm

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The distribution range of the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) has been expanding northward across the eastern and central United States over the past several decades. It is thought that armadillos first reached South Carolina in the mid-1980s in the southwestern portion of the state. Armadillo sightings are rare in the Upstate region of South Carolina. Here, we report of an armadillo photographed in southern Spartanburg County on 30 May, 2017. This individual was spotted in mixed deciduous forest along the Tyger River. Our data add further support to the notion that armadillos have expanded their breeding range into …

A Unique Small-Scale Microclimatic Gradient In A Temperate Karst Harbours Exceptionally High Diversity Of Soil Collembola, Natália Raschmanová, Dana Miklisová, Ľubomír Kováč

International Journal of Speleology

The collapse doline of the Silická ľadnica Ice Cave, 351 m² in area, is a unique phenomenon, a steep microclimate gradient in a low-altitude temperate karst in the Western Carpathian Mts, Slovakia, with a remarkable temperature decrease from the edge of karst plateau towards the doline bottom, which harbours perennial ice deposits. Collembola communities were studied in detail at seven sites along the 117.5 m long gradient slope during 2005–2007. An exceptionally high species richness of soil Collembola was observed, 129 species, which is about 91% of the total species richness generated by Chao1/ACE estimator. Species richness positively correlated …

Biodiversity And Conservation Study Of Chambers Island, Wisconsin - 2017 Annual Report, Mackenzie Hennes, Mikaela Nowak, Adam L. Brandt

Student Creative and Scholarly Works

Long term biological studies are rare but incredibly valuable for examining natural phenomena. Data collected over many years or decades allows for analyses of trends that would never be apparent in a single season. The research presented here is for the completion of the first field season in a long term study analyzing biodiversity trends on Chambers Island. Using visual searches, live trapping, and trail cameras, the biodiversity and abundance of species was examined. Special emphasis was placed on small mammals, though other species were observed and documented. The goals of this project were to (1) provide preliminary diversity and …

Investigations Of Biotremors In The Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo Calyptratus), Kathryn C. Laslie

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

While substrate-borne vibrations are utilized by different reptile species, true conspecific communication via biotremors has not yet been demonstrated in reptiles. This study follows a preliminary report that the veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) could produce biotremors in communicative contexts. I tested chameleon behavioral sensitivity to vibrations by placing them on a dowel attached to a shaker emitting vibrations of 25, 50, 150, 300, and 600 Hz and then measured their changes in velocity before and after the stimulus. I then paired chameleons in various social contexts [anthropogenic disturbance (human disruption of animal); dominance (malemale; female-female C. calyptratus); courtship (male-female C. …

An Evaluation Of Deterrent Methods Utilized To Prevent Crop Raiding By African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana) In The Kasigau Wildlife Corridor, Kenya, Rebecca Lynn Von Hagen

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Escalating human elephant conflict (HEC) continues to be a contributing factor

towards elephant decline, and crop raiding is the most common form of negative

human-elephant interactions. For communities that cannot reverse or prevent crop

raiding, it is necessary to contain HEC events through deterrent measures. Few

deterrent measures exist that combine practicality and affordability while also

preventing habituation by elephants. This project focused on comparing the efficacy of

deterrent methods to assess which was the most successful at preventing elephants

from entering crops in the farming community of Sasenyi, Kenya. In this paired-control

study, four deterrent methods were evaluated: acacia …

Morphological Variation In The Genus Chlorocebus: Ecogeographic And Anthropogenically Mediated Variation In Body Mass, Postcranial Morphology, And Growth, Trudy R. Turner, Christopher A. Schmitt, Jennifer Danzy Cramer, Joseph Lorenz, J. Paul Grobler, Clifford J. Jolly, Nelson B. Freimer

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Objectives

Direct comparative work in morphology and growth on widely dispersed wild primate taxa is rarely accomplished, yet critical to understanding ecogeographic variation, plastic local variation in response to human impacts, and variation in patterns of growth and sexual dimorphism. We investigated population variation in morphology and growth in response to geographic variables (i.e., latitude, altitude), climatic variables (i.e., temperature and rainfall), and human impacts in the vervet monkey (Chlorocebus spp.).

Methods

We trapped over 1,600 wild vervets from across Sub‐Saharan Africa and the Caribbean, and compared measurements of body mass, body length, and relative thigh, leg, and foot …

Status Of Jackals And Foxes (Family: Canidae) From Selected Hill Areas Of Pakistan, Andleeb Batool, Asif Gondal, Inayat Ullah Malik, Safdar Ali Shah

Journal of Bioresource Management

The family Canidae consists of coyotes, dogs, foxes, jackals, and wolves. The IUCN red list reports 38 species under this family. This study was conducted in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. Conserved areas of Tolipir National Park, Banjosa Game Reserve, Pir Chanasi National Park, Pir Lasura National Park and Dhirkot Nature Reserve were studied from 2008 to 2010. Vulpes vulpes griffithi (Kashmir or hill fox) is a flexible hunter. It mainly feeds on hares, rodents, reptiles and occasionally small birds. In absence of vertebrate prey, they may subsist on insects and fruit. Canis aureus (Golden Jackal) is a very adaptable …

Small Mammals Of Family Muridae In Protected Areas Of Pakistan, Fakhra Nazir, Andleeb Batool, Inayat Ullah Malik, Safdar Ali Shah, Sabiha Shamim

Journal of Bioresource Management

Murids to have more than 1300 species globally, forming the largest mammal group. Murids are found nearly everywhere in the world, though many subfamilies have narrower ranges. Murids are not found in Antarctica and many oceanic islands. Five National Parks from Northern areas of Pakistan were physically surveyed. The parks were studied at different times. Dhirkot National Park (DNP) in February 2008, Banjosa National Park (BJNP) from May to June 2009, Pir Lasura National Park (PLNP) from June to July 2009 and Pir Chanasi National Park (PCNP) from April to May 2010. A total of 6 species belonging to the …

Review Of Microbuthus With Description Of M. Satyrus Sp. N. (Scorpiones, Buthidae) From Oman And Yemen, Graeme Lowe, František Kovařík, Mark Stockmann, František Šťáhlavský

Euscorpius

The taxonomy of the genus Microbuthus is reviewed, and a new species from Oman and Yemen, M. satyrus sp. n., is described and fully illustrated with color photographs of live and preserved specimens, as well as of its habitat. It is compared to the closely similar species M. litoralis, which we also illustrate. Synonymy of the type species M. pusillus Kraepelin, 1898 with M. litoralis (Pavesi, 1885) is confirmed, and the species is recorded for the first time from Yemen. Hemispermatophores of M. satyrus sp. n., M. gardneri Lowe, 2010, and …

Common Loons Respond Adaptively To A Black Fly That Reduces Nesting Success, Walter H. Piper, Keren B. Tischler, Andrew Reinke

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Nesting birds must often cope with harassment from biting insects, but it is difficult to ascertain what effect such pests might have on breeding success and population dynamics. We tested the hypothesis that a black fly (Simulium annulus) that feeds on the blood of nesting Common Loons (Gavia immer) causes nest abandonment in this charismatic diving bird. In addition, we measured effects of fly-induced abandonment on a loon population, and examined potential predictors of fly abundance and nest abandonment. We also tested a second hypothesis, which holds that loon pairs that abandon a nest owing to …

A New Species Of Vaejovis From The Patagonia Mountains, Southern Arizona (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Richard F. Ayrey

Euscorpius

A new scorpion species, Vaejovis patagonia sp. nov. is described and placed in the “vorhiesi” group. This small, dark brown species is found near Patagonia, Arizona. It is geographically closest to V. troupi Ayrey & Soleglad, V. grahami Ayrey & Soleglad and V. vorhiesi Stahnke. Those three species are found in a triangle surrounding the Patagonia Mountains, the locality of Vaejovis patagonia. The pedipalp fixed finger has 5 ID denticles and the movable finger has 6, like most, but not all, of the other southern Arizona Vaejovis. Carapace of female is shorter than metasomal segment V.

The Genera Butheolus Simon, 1882 And Xenobuthus Gen. Nov. (Scorpiones: Buthidae) In Oman, Graeme Lowe

Euscorpius

The genus Butheolus Simon, 1882 is revised based on new material from Dhofar Province in Oman. B. gallagheri Vachon, 1980 is redescribed, and a related new species, B. harrisoni sp. n., is also described. The species B. anthracinus (Pocock, 1895) is redescribed and moved to a new genus Xenobuthus gen. n., that is differentiated from Butheolus by size, pedipalp finger dentition, setation, granulation and hemispermatophore structure, and a related new species, X. xanthus sp. n., is also described. Revised diagnoses are provided for the genus Butheolus, and for the species B. …

Nou Spring Field Days And Annual Meeting, Ft. Robinson, May 18-20, 2018, Janis Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

The NOU Annual Meeting and Spring Field Days, organized by Robin Harding, Jan Johnson and Ruth Stearns, was held at Ft. Robinson State Park in Dawes and Sioux Counties on May 18-20, 2018, with 82 in attendance. Our lodgings and meeting room were in reconstructed buildings of the old Fort. The weather was perfect on Friday and Sunday but perfectly awful on Saturday, with rain all day and a high of 44°F. Finding birds and driving on unpaved roads was challenging on Friday, but the total species list for the meeting is 180. Field trips were led by Kathy DeLara, …

Spring Field Report, March - May 2018, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This spring will be remembered for Nebraska’s first unequivocal record of Swainson’s Warbler, unfortunately a “one day wonder”, but well-photographed. Another mega was a Band-tailed Pigeon, Nebraska’s fourth. The old sports saying “wait until next year” was applicable in spades to woodwarblers; last year was noted for its paucity of most species of wood-warblers, but this year, incredible record numbers occurred for several migrant species: Magnolia, Baybreasted, Chestnut-sided, Blackpoll, and Palm. Other amazing numbers were the 598,000 Sandhill Cranes counted at peak migration in the Central Platte Valley and the 598 Great Egrets reported within the amazing 414 reports. Several …

First Record Of Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna Bicolor) For Nebraska, Matthew T. Haugen

Nebraska Bird Review

On the afternoon of 5 June 2018, I was scouting local Salt Valley lakes to get an estimate of goose numbers for annual Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) banding operations. At approximately 2:30 p.m. I was tallying my goose counts in the northwest corner of Wagon Train Wildlife Management Area in Lancaster County, when I noticed four ducks on a nearby vegetated mud flat. After closer examination, I recognized the ducks as Fulvous Whistling-Ducks (Dendrocygna bicolor). I spent a few years working in Louisiana in that state’s waterfowl program, and I am familiar with the species and its identification. I was …

The Nebraska Bird Review, Volume 86 June 2018 Number 2

Nebraska Bird Review

Spring Field Report, March - May 2018, by W. Ross Silcock …50-89

NOU Spring Field Days and Annual Meeting at Ft. Robinson, May 18-20, 2018, by Janis Paseka … 89-95

First Record of Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) for Nebraska, by Matt Haugen … 96-98

Subscription and Organization Information … 99

Feeding Patterns Of Two Commercially Important Fish Species Scomberoides Commersonnianus And S. Tol In The Northern Arabian Sea Coast Of Pakistan, Nazia Qamar, Sher Khan Panhwar, Ralf Riedel

Faculty Publications

Port landing of Scomberoides commersonnianus and S. tol were obtained between July 2013 and June 2015 for stomach content analysis. Analysis of prey composition was done using permutational analysis of variance (permanova), with species, life stage (juvenile and adults), gender, and weather (rainy and dry season) as factors. Patterns of empty stomachs were investigated to estimate feeding intensity. Feeding intensity was estimated with logistic regression, using the same independent variables as above. Prey importance was also investigated. Prey importance was assessed using a Wilcox Rank Correlation analysis on the Index of Relative Importance (IRI) by species and life-stage. Permanova analysis …

Digging Biomechanics In Geomyoid Rodents, Alexis Moore Crisp

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Subterranean digging behaviors provide opportunities for protection, access to prey, and predator avoidance for a diverse array of vertebrates, yet studies of the biomechanics of burrowing have been limited by the technical challenges of measuring kinetics and kinematics of animals moving within a substrate. Prior studies of burrowing have recorded a single axis of x-ray video and/or force. However, empirical observations show that burrowing is not restricted to a single axis or plane. I describe a new system called a ‘tunnel-tube’ for measuring 3D reaction force during burrowing. This tunnel-tube has two separate tubes, one ‘entry tube’ that has no …

Checklist Of Bats In Some Areas Of Azad Jammu And Kashmir, Fakhra Nazir, Inayatullah Malik, Sabiha Shamim

Journal of Bioresource Management

Bats form an essential part of the ecosystem by aiding pollination, keeping insect pests in check and overall maybe helpful as indicators of health status of the ecosystem. This study was conducted to formulate a checklist of bats from different regions in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Five National parks from Azad Jammu and Kashmir were surveyed for the species of bats present (Dhirkot National Park, Pir Lasura National Park, Pir Chanasi National Park, Banjosa National Park and Tolipir National Park). From the study conducted, 10 species of bats belonging to 5 families were found cumulatively in the five national parks.

Morphological Traits As Indicators Of Sexual Dimorphism In Prairie Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Viridis), Colleen Rothe-Groleau, Claudia M. Rauter, James D. Fawcett

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

As humans encroach into areas inhabited by predators, the potential of human-predator confrontations increases and the predators become regarded as dangerous pests. Predators exert a measure of population control over pest species such as small rodents, as well as limit the quantity and scope of diseases (e.g. spread of Hantavirus by these prey species). Control of these small rodent pest species can be aided by conserving and managing their predators like rattlesnakes (Crotalus spp). Management of any population requires detailed information on population composition and the ability to determine the key information (especially age and sex) for each individual …

Biological And Abiotic Factors Influencing Cetacean Mass Strandings In The Northeastern United States, Octavia Williams

HCNSO Student Capstones

Marine mammal strandings are frequent occurrences along many coastal areas around the world. The significance of stranded cetaceans has been of interest since around 300 B.C. when philosophers, like Aristotle, pondered why marine mammals, including whales, dolphins and porpoise beach themselves; and famous authors, like Henry David Thoreau, whose fascination in mammal strandings lead him to write a book about these mass occurrences off the coast of Cape Cod. Numerous hypothetical theories have been developed to explain these mass stranding phenomena. Though the causes of mass strandings remain unresolved, recent investigations suggest contributing factors could include environmental elements. Less emphasis …

Behavioural Risks In Male Dogs With Minimal Lifetime Exposure To Gonadal Hormones May Complicate Population-Control Benefits Of Desexing, Paul Mcgreevy, Bethany Wilson, Melissa Starling, James A. Serpell

Endocrinology Collection

Castration of dogs is a widespread practise with clear justification in population control and knock-on benefits for animal welfare. Deleterious behavioural consequences of castration are believed to be negligible. Gonadectomy is widely recommended as part of a multi-factorial approach to prevent problems including aggression in dogs. However, the consequences of early castration on health are still being debated. The current study focused on the reported behaviour of 6,235 male dogs castrated before 520 weeks of life for reasons other than behavioural management, and calculated their percentage lifetime exposure to gonadal hormones (PLGH) as a proportion of their age at the …

Trophic Ecology And Parasitism Of A Mesopelagic Fish Assemblage, Matthew Woodstock

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Mesopelagic (open ocean, 200-1000 m depth) fishes are important consumers of zooplankton and are prey of oceanic predators. Some mesopelagic fishes (e.g., myctophids and stomiids) undertake a diel vertical migration where they ascend to the near-surface waters during the night to feed and descend into the depths during the day to avoid predators. Other mesopelagic fishes (e.g., Sternoptyx spp.) do not vertically migrate and remain at deep depths throughout the day. While in the epipelagic zone (surface – 200 m depth), vertically migrating fishes become prey to upper-trophic level predators, such as: tunas and billfishes. Benthic fishes (e.g., macrourids) often …