Zoology Commons^™

Dog Snapper (Lutjanus Jocu) Neurocranium, Camila Avila Escobar, David W. Kerstetter

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

No abstract provided.

Black Grouper (Mycteroperca Bonaci) Neurocranium, Layla Lacelle, David W. Kerstetter

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

No abstract provided.

Bluefish (Pomatomus Saltatrix) Neurocranium, Courtney R. Schober, Alyssa Olmeda, David W. Kerstetter

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

No abstract provided.

Bonita - Euthynnus Alletteratus Neurocranium, Daniella M. Acosta Reyes, Matthew Mcmanus, Morgan Michalek, David W. Kerstetter

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

No abstract provided.

Red Snapper (Lutjanus Campechanus) Neurocranium, Sarah Hendricks, Morgan Indyk, David W. Kerstetter

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

No abstract provided.

Red Snapper (Lutjanus Campechanus) Neurocranium, Riley B. Glogowski, David W. Kerstetter

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

No abstract provided.

Gilbert’S Potoroo And The Fun-Guys: Co-Existing Mycophagous Mammals As Indicators Of Potentially Available Fungal Food Resources, Rebecca J. Quah, James Anthony Friend, Aaron J. Brace, Saul J. Cowen, Robert A. Davis, Harriet R. Mills, Anna J.M. Hopkins

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Understanding resource use and availability is critical for the success of wildlife translocations, especially for species with complex diets. Mycophagous (fungus-feeding) diets are particularly challenging to study due to the difficulty in identifying fungal species, many of which remain undescribed. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding techniques applied to scat samples, offer a promising solution to overcome the limitations of traditional dietary analysis involving microscopic identification of undigested material in scats. This allows for the detailed characterization of fungal composition in the diets of mycophagous species. Here we present results of a dietary study focused on Gilbert’s potoroo (Potorous gilbertii) that also …

Floridians, Michael Anglim-Lindros

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

The purpose of this piece is to explore species present in Florida by depicting native species alongside commonly seen non-native ones. I decided to focus on mammals, specifically those I have personally observed while living in North Florida. By illustrating their unadorned skeletal remains, I hope to inspire viewers to consider the similarities, differences, and relationships among these organisms, as well as the lives they lead on shared land.

The species depicted in this piece are (clockwise from middle) Homo sapiens (human) - non-native; Tadarida brasiliensis (Mexican free-tailed bat); Dasypus novemcinctus (nine-banded armadillo); Sciurus niger shermani (Sherman’s fox squirrel); Odocoileus …

The Consciousness Inherent In Chasing Your Tail, Sergio M. Pellis Dr.

Animal Sentience

Who is conscious and how do we know? Complexity in behavior and cognition is certainly a clue that cannot be ignored in identifying this trait, and as Mather’s target article shows, it is hard not to imagine consciousness arising in cephalopods. But how complex is complex? An alternative may be gleaned from the fact that all living things rely on negative feedback to navigate their worlds, and this requires all sentient beings knowing what is to be stabilized in reflection to themselves. If so, consciousness is a universal trait.

Bull Shark (Carcharihinus Leucas) Chondrocranium, Nicholas Burchett, Michelle Bassali, David W. Kerstetter, Roman Devlin

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

No abstract provided.

Rare, Threatened And Endangered Zoology Species Of Oregon (2025), Jesse Laney, Eleanor P. Gaines, Lindsey K. Wise, Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

This publication provides a 2025 update to the rare, threatened, and endangered zoology species of Oregon. Species lists are also provided in Excel format.

The Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC) is part of the Institute for Natural Resources (INR) located at Portland State University (PSU). ORBIC maintains extensive databases of Oregon biodiversity, concentrating on rare and endangered plants, animals and ecosystems. Since its creation in 1979 as the Oregon Natural Heritage Program, ORBIC has been part of the Natural Heritage network. ORBIC is a constituent member of NatureServe, a non-profit organization with a mission to provide the scientific basis for …

Re-Survey Of Blastocystis Infection In Free-Living Birds From Urban Xinxiang City, Xuehan Liu, Yingying Cao, Di An, Chengshui Liao, Ruibiao Wang, Bo Wen, Chunling Zhu, Huarun Sun, Longfei Zhang, Baoliang Qin, Yanhui Wang, Jianhe Hu, Yueyu Bai, Ke Ding, Lei Wang

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Blastocystis is the most ubiquitous intestinal protozoan parasite found in humans and animals worldwide. Commonly, ST7 and ST6 are the major Blastocystis subtypes reported in birds, and their frequencies fluctuate greatly with various factors. However, little literature is available on the prevalence and subtype characteristics of this parasite in free-living wild birds in the same city. For this purpose, a total of 114 fresh fecal specimens were collected from wild free-living birds in urban districts of Xinxiang city and tested for Blastocystis using PCR of the barcoding region of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. The positive isolates …

Notes On Reproduction, Seasonality, And Roost Sites For Silver-Haired Bats (Lasionycteris Noctivagans) In Western Nebraska, Joseph W. Paysen, Dawson V. Kosmicki, Keith Geluso

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Silver-haired Bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans) are a migratory species found throughout the United States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico. Throughout their range, Silver-haired Bats roost in various tree species, generally within decaying features like cavities and exfoliated bark. Herein we report on additional reproductive and seasonal data as well as the first data on trees used as roost sites by Silver-haired Bats in Nebraska. We captured individuals along a small tributary of the North Platte River at Ash Hollow State Historical Park, Garden County, Nebraska, and tracked bats to their roosts. At this location, we documented lactation on 17 …

Attributes Of Artificial Wetlands Colonized By Ambystoma Maculatum On A Virginia Surface Mine, Hunter Hill, Garrett Stiltner, Walter H. Smith

Virginia Journal of Science

Landscapes impacted by surface mineral extraction present a range of artificial wetland habitats potentially useable by pool-breeding amphibians, although little information exists in the literature detailing which attributes influence breeding site selection by wetland amphibian specialists in post-mined landscapes. We compared attributes of artificial wetlands consistently used and unused as oviposition sites by Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) over a six-year period on a 120-ha former surface mine in Wise County, Virginia, USA. Salamanders non-randomly selected wetlands as oviposition sites, with one-third of available wetlands within the study area showing evidence of ovipositioning. Wetlands used as breeding sites were …

Diversity Of Butterflies (Lepidoptera) In Kanju, District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, Said Miraj Ud Din, Khushbakht Asad, Hamid Ur Rahman, Attiya Iqbal

Journal of Bioresource Management

Butterflies are one of the most beautiful creatures on earth. They belong to the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, and order Lepidoptera. Butterflies play an important role in the ecosystem, contributing significantly to pollen transfer. They play an important role in pollination, and their foraging behavior enhances the genetic diversity. Additionally, they also play an important role in the food chain and serve as prey for birds, reptiles, and other insectivore organisms. The current study was conducted to find out the diversity and distribution of butterflies in Kanju district Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A total 203 specimens were collected from August …

Seroprevalence, Risk Factors, And Diagnostic Accuracy Of Brucellosis In Upper Dir District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, Sidra Sanam, Kamran Khan

Journal of Bioresource Management

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the gram-negative, intracellular bacterium Brucella. Although it is endemic in Pakistan, comprehensive data on its prevalence, risk factors, and diagnostic accuracy remain limited. Therefore, this study aimed to assess these parameters in local communities of District Dir Upper, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A total of 345 individuals suspected of brucellosis were investigated. Blood samples and structured questionnaires were collected to determine prevalence and identify associated risk factors. Additionally, 50 culture-confirmed positive cases and 50 negative controls were used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and Serum Plate Agglutination Test …

A Review On The Ethnozoological Remedies With The Help Of Animal Body Parts And Its Impact On Their Conservation Status, Minahal Fatima, Bushra Nisar Khan, Mudasser Hasan, Amina Tufail, Farhat Batool, Majida Maqbool, Fakhra Nazir

Journal of Bioresource Management

The use of wildlife in biomedical science has had a long history as it has been used as experimental animals, Sources of unusual physiology, and of bioactive compounds on which life-saving medicines are based. Amphibians are a Source of antimicrobial peptides, analgesic alkaloids, and regeneration. Immune adaptations and venoms of reptiles have produced cardiovascular medications, anti-clotting solutions and diabetes treatment. Birds serve as models of zoonotic diseases and provide immunological tools e.g. IgY antibodies and support embryology and neurobiology. Advanced studies on human disease, vaccines, cancer resistance and hypoxia tolerance have been facilitated by mammals such as rodents, primates, bats, …

Trophic Niche Overlap Between Native And Alien Fish Species: A Challenge For The Aquatic Ecosystems, Rana Manzoor Ahmad, Abdul Majid Khan, Mariya Basharat, Muhammad Rizwan, Neelam Shahzadi, Muhammad Imran

Journal of Bioresource Management

The different physiological and biological challenges are introduced not only on land but also in aquatic ecosystems due to increasing climatic changes and human needs. One of these challenges is the introduction of invasive alien species to the native freshwater ichthyofauna. These species not only disturb the ecological balance of the native water bodies but can also be a vector for parasitic diseases. The current study is designed to disclose the trophic niche overlap among exotic (Cyprinus carpio and Oreochromis mozambicus) and indigenous fish species (Labeo calbasu and Cirrhinus mrigala) from Head Baloki (Ravi River), Punjab, …

An Updated Checklist Of The Mammals Of Türkiye, Mustafa Sözen, Faruk Çolak

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Between 1982 and 2025, the number of extant wild mammal species worldwide rose from 4170 to 6706. The Turkish mammal fauna also showed a similar trend, with the number of mammal species listed for Türkiye rising from 89 to 173 in just 33 years, from 1989 to 2021. A shift in species numbers like this calls for regular updates to Türkiye’s mammal species lists as well as the preparation of new checklists. Apart from changes in the number of species, numerous taxonomic changes and rearrangements also lead to changes in mammal lists. We arranged an updated mammal checklist by reviewing …

Nontarget Effects Of Abamectin On Cysts And Three Larval Stages Of Marine Microcrustacean Artemia Franciscana, Hashem Khandan Barani, Sahel Pakzad Toochaei, Narjes Sanchooli

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Abamectin (ABM) is a widely used pesticide in agriculture and aquaculture worldwide. However, limited information is available on the toxic impacts of ABM on nontarget marine organisms, necessitating further research to investigate the toxic impacts of ABM on marine life. Hence, this study examined the acute (0.5–2.5 μg/L for 24 and 48 h) and chronic (0.125–0.5 μg/L for 7 days) toxicity of ABM on the marine microcrustacean Artemia franciscana under different incubation conditions and at different stages of development. To simulate a more realistic environmental scenario, some of the exposure tests were conducted in the presence of food or with …

Environmental Controls On Planktonic Community Variability And Ecosystem Responses In The Romanian Black Sea, Cristina Tabarcea, Elena Bișinicu, George-Emanuel Harcotă, Aurelia Țoțoiu, Oana Vlas, Elena Pantea, Luminita Lazar

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This study examines the structure, distribution, and environmental influences on planktonic communities in the Romanian Black Sea, based on data collected from Black Sea national monitoring stations in June 2023. We assessed the qualitative and quantitative composition of phytoplankton, microzooplankton, mesozooplankton, macrozooplankton, and ichthyoplankton, alongside key environmental factors such as temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient concentrations (nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, phosphate, and silicate). The results highlight the dominance of dinoflagellates within the phytoplankton community, while copepods constitute the most abundant mesozooplankton group. Species from the Codonellidae family mainly represent microzooplankton diversity, while macrozooplankton is largely dominated by the scyphozoan Aurelia …

Cytotoxic And Genotoxic Effects Of Minor Temperature Changes And Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Plantago Major On Oncorhynchus Mykiss Gonadal Cells, Semra Çi̇çek, Sevda Işik

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Temperature changes and nanoparticle exposure have emerged as critical environmental stressors with potential cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on aquatic species. This study investigates the impact of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), synthesized using Plantago major leaves, on Oncorhynchus mykiss gonadal (RTG-2) cells under different temperature conditions (23 °C, 24 °C, and 25 °C). RTG-2 cells were exposed to hexagonal ZnO NPs (≤100 nm) at concentrations of 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 75, and 100 μg/mL for 24 and 48 h. Cytotoxicity was assessed using the sulforhodamine B assay, and genotoxicity was evaluated via the comet assay. Results demonstrated that both temperature …

A Comparison Between Phalangeal Skeletochronology And Cephalic Parietal Rings In Lizards, Marco A.L. Zuffi, Roberto Sacchi, Marcello Mezzasalma, Maria José Amaral, Miguel Angel Carretero, Fabio Maria Guarino

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The well-defined, layered organization of the cephalic scales in many lacertilians could offer a noninvasive alternative for estimating the individual age of these vertebrates. This study aimed to validate the method of age determination based upon the cephalic scale rings in the genus Podarcis, comparing it to phalangeal skeletochronology, a widely used and highly reliable indirect method for estimating the age of ectotherm vertebrates. We analyzed individuals of P. bocagei (n = 48), P. muralis (n = 16) and P. siculus (n = 8). For each individual, we compared the number of cephalic layers with the number of lines of …

Two New Species Of Uroplectes Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones, Buthidae) From Somaliland And Mozambique, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Two new species, Uroplectes elmii sp. n. from Somaliland and U. mossambicensis sp. n. from Mozambique are described, fully illustrated with color photos showing their morphology. Both species are similar to Uroplectes fischeri (Karsch, 1879) from which they differ mainly in finger dentition (Uroplectes elmii sp. n.) and strongly reduced tibial spurs on legs III–IV (U. mossambicensis sp. n.). Uroplectes elmii sp. n. is also compared with U. pardii Kovařík, 2003, from which it differs mainly by extremely reduced to absent metasomal punctation. A distribution map of all …

Alpiscorpius Huyukensis Sp. N., An Unexpected New Species From Sultan Mountains, Konya Province, Turkey (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), Ersen A. Yağmur, Halil İ. Yaylı

Euscorpius

A new scorpion species, Alpiscorpius huyukensis sp. n., is described from the western foothills of the Sultan Mountains, Konya Province, in the Aegean Region of western Turkey, based on morphological characters. The species is assigned to the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999, due to the presence of three trichobothria in the em series on the external surface of the pedipalp patella. A. huyukensis sp. n. can be readily distinguished from its all congeners by its yellowish-orange or greyish-orange body and yellow metasomal coloration, the fifth metasomal segment bearing distinct ventrolateral carinae, the presence of six trichobothria in the …

The Genus Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) In Oman, Graeme Lowe

Euscorpius

The taxonomic position of Androctonus populations in Oman was investigated by analyzing morphological variation in a comprehensive sample representing 150 records gathered from 95 localities spread throughout the country. Two new allopatric species are described, separated by multivariate morphometric analysis and meristic characters: (1) A. omanensis sp. n., distributed across most of Oman, is characterized by wider, deeper metasomal segments IV–V, shorter legs, more robust pedipalps, more granules on lateral inframedian carinae of metasoma II–III, and sparser setation on basitarsal spurs; and (2) A. ammophilus sp. n., distributed in the dunes of the Rub’ al-Khali (Empty Quarter) of …

Predation Of Aegaeobuthus Nigrocinctus (Ehrenberg, 1828) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) By A Middle East Black Tarantula, Chaetopelma Olivaceum (C. L. Koch, 1841) (Araneae: Theraphosidae) In Lebanon, Rami Khashab

Euscorpius

I report the first documented case of the buthid scorpion Aegaeobuthus nigrocinctus (Ehrenberg, 1828) serving as prey for the tarantula Chaetopelma olivaceum (C. L. Koch, 1841) in Lebanon. The observation was made during a nocturnal survey in the Mount Lebanon region. The case contributes to the limited records of tarantula predation on scorpions and underscores the role of prey-predator size asymmetry in facilitating high-risk predation among arachnids.

The Official List Of The Birds Of Nebraska: 2024, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

The duties of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (NOURC 2010) include:

A. The committee shall publish an official list of the birds of Nebraska.
B. The official list will include all those species whose occurrence has been reported in Nebraska (and approved by the NOURC).
C. The committee shall keep the official list current.
D. The committee shall publish a list of species for which details are requested with every sighting reported.

The 2024 NOURC has completed the above-described duties, and the following is a result of its endeavors.

The “Official List of the Birds of Nebraska” was last …

First Confirmed Nebraska Breeding Record Of The Common Raven (Corvus Corax) Since The 19th Century, Eugene A. Huryn, Jacob C. Cooper

Nebraska Bird Review

In Nebraska, the Common Raven was likely widespread prior to 1900, being codistributed with the American Bison (Bison bison). Records in this time are spotty, but consistent. Thomas Say reported a nearly fledged brood—the only confirmed breeding record in this period—at Fort Calhoun in Washington County on May 12, 1820. A Common Raven was collected at Fort Randall, on the Missouri River just north of the modern Nebraska–South Dakota border, in the fall of 1857 during the Lieutenant Warren Expeditions. Another specimen, now lost, was collected by J. B. Hasty in 1899 in Arapahoe, Furnas County. Bruner et …

Summer Field Report, June–July 2025, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

I have mentioned previously the breeding categories that are available to observers in eBird checklists. This database is becoming more comprehensive and useful, and I encourage observers to use this eBird feature.

Usefulness of Merlin-derived checklists continues to be an issue. As an example, Merlin seems to love White-winged Doves; there were 52 undocumented Merlin reports of this species this summer, no doubt some correctly identified and acceptable if observers had taken a minute to add even minimal observation details to support Merlin’s identifications.

A vexing issue for me is determining the status of midsummer (i.e. between spring and fall …