Zoology Commons^™

Towards The Assessment Of E-Flows: A Fish-Based Approach For The Tiber River Basin (Central Italy), Antonella Carosi, Francesca Lorenzoni, Fatemeh Zarei, Rachele Brustenga, Lucio Di Matteo, Daniela Valigi, Corrado Cencetti, Carlo Cardellini, Stefano Casadei, David Cappelletti, Massimo Lorenzoni

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Estimating ecological flows (EFs) in rivers is crucial for meeting the Water Framework  Directive (WFD) 2000/60/EC goals. To develop an EF model, it is  essential to use biological indicators to reliably record the impacts of human-induced  alterations on aquatic ecosystems. The adaptability of fish to annual flow variability  makes them a significant biological quality element (BQE). Consequently, using fish  as bioindicators is a powerful tool for assessing the impact of changes in the  hydrological regime on the natural communities within a river system. The new index  of the ecological status of fish communities (NISECI) is a methodology developed in  Italy …

Chlorella Vulgaris Measurements Using Full-Spectrum Goniometer For Optically Complex Inland Water Monitoring, Pinar Gürbüzer, Uğur Murat Leloğlu

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Rising environmental stressors, including climate change, nutrient loading, pollution,  and anthropogenic impacts, have made the continuous monitoring of lake water  quality increasingly essential. While in situ methods offer high precision, satellite-based remote sensing is essential for capturing large-scale, long-term changes and  accessing remote or extreme environments. To complement these approaches, we  developed a cost-effective in situ optical measurement system specifically designed  for optically complex inland waters. T he instrument enables detailed optical  characterization across scattering angles from 0° to 160° and wavelengths between  423 and 728 nm, covering both visible and near-infrared regions. Initial validation was  performed using monocultures of …

Bull Shark (Carcharhinus Leucas) Jaw, Roman Devlin, Jade A. Mells, Rileigh Gonzalez, Nicholas D. Burchett, David W. Kerstetter

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

No abstract provided.

Zonation-Dependent Distribution Of Microplastic Occurrence In Patella Caerulea From Mersin Coast, Türkiye, Ezgi̇ Deği̇rmenci̇, Nuray Çi̇ftçi̇, Sedat Gündoğdu, Deni̇z Ayas

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Increasing plastic pollution has become a critical environmental issue, leading to  challenges in management. Specifically, microplastics (MPs) are of particular concern  because they can persist in aquatic ecosystems and adversely affect marine  organisms. The objective of this study was to assess the occurrence of MPs  in the soft tissues of Patella caerulea (Linnaeus, 1758) collected from the Mersin  Viranşehir coastal area. As no specimens were found in the supralittoral zone, the  decision was taken to conduct sampling only in the mediolittoral and infralittoral  zones. The total sampling area was 24 m2 divided into three 4-m2 plots in each zone.  A …

Blinking Without Eyelids: First Video-Documented Evidence Of A Blink-Like Reflex In Ophisops Elegans (Reptilia: Lacertidae), Turan Meri̇ç Çelebi̇, Yusuf Çeli̇kaği, Tuana Kinay, Arda Cem Kuyucu, Muammer Kurnaz, Mehmet Kürşat Şahi̇n

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Eyelids play a crucial role in protecting the eyes of vertebrates; however, certain  reptile species, such as Ophisops elegans, completely lack movable eyelids. In this  study, we present the first video-documented evidence of a blink-like reflex in O.  elegans, captured through endoscopic field observations and corroborated by laboratory video analysis. The observed movement consisted of a brief convex  deformation of the ocular surface, lasting approximately 0.3 s and resembling a blink  despite the presence of a fixed transparent brille. This behavior was observed once in  the field and twice under controlled laboratory conditions. We propose that O.  elegans may employ …

Growth Patterns And The Shift From Predominantly Female To Balanced Sex Ratios In Carassius Gibelio (Bloch, 1782): A Comparative Study Of Lotic And Lentic Populations In  Serbia, Tamara Mitić, Jelena Čanak Atlagić, Ana Marić, Jelena Stanković Ristić, Nikola Marinković, Momir Paunović, Predrag Simonović

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Since its introduction into Serbian watercourses, the invasive Carassius gibelio (Bloch, 1782) (Prussian carp) has spread rapidly. This paper provides an up-to-date overview of the sex ratio, age structure, and growth parameters in Serbian  populations of this fish and describes how growth varies in two contrasting  ecosystems: lotic and lentic. A total of 133 individuals were sampled. The individuals  from lentic habitats were longer on average, with no significant differences in average  weight or age between the two ecosystem types. There was a difference in  the sex ratio between the ecosystems, as indicated by a higher proportion of males in …

Habitat Diversity Or Altitudinal Gradient? Which Factor Better Explains Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Biodiversity? A Case Study From Davraz Mountain (Isparta, Türkiye), Ebru Ceren Fi̇dan, Ali̇ Gök

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Ground beetle (Carabidae) species diversity and spatial distribution were surveyed  across five habitat types along an elevational gradient on Davraz Mountain, a  biogeographical transition area in southwestern Türkiye. The analyses showed that  habitat heterogeneity—particularly soil moisture and texture—exerts a stronger  influence on carabid diversity than elevation. Sørensen’s and Jaccard similarity  indices showed strong faunal overlap between some sampling areas, while  multivariate principal components and canonical correspondence analyses verified  distinct environmental gradients influencing community structure. Diversity indices  indicated varying levels of species richness and evenness across sampling areas.  The data highlight the importance of fine-scaled habitat features in driving ground  beetle …

Dna Metabarcoding Approach To The Determination Of The Diet Spectrum Of The Common  Sunbleak Leucaspius Delineatus (Heckel, 1843), Elena V. Dzyuba, Yurij S. Bukin, Bakhtiar E. Bogdanov, Yulia P. Sapozhnikova, Natalia N. Denikina

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The common sunbleak (Leucaspius delineatus) is an invasive fish found in Siberian  water bodies, the trophic interactions and impact on local ecosystems of which  remain poorly understood. Traditional diet analyses are limited by the mechanical  damage to the prey. For the present study, therefore, we employed DNA  metabarcoding of the cytochrome c oxidase I (cox1) gene to analyze the digestive  tract contents of the common sunbleak obtained from Irkutsk Reservoir. Our analysis  revealed 53 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), with sequences of amphibiotic  insects (58.66%) and fish (34.10%) being the most prevalent. A significant proportion  of the fish DNA, including sequences …

Longfin Mako (Isurus Paucus) Jaw, Nicholas D. Burchett, David W. Kerstetter

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

No abstract provided.

Male Great Hammerhead (Sphyrna Mokarran) Chondrocranium, Michelle W. Bassali, Nicholas D. Burchett, Samuel Escobar, Preston Rice, David W. Kerstetter

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

Male ~10ft Great Hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran) Chondrocranium

Atlantic Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus Itajara) Neurocranium, Sierra Rafacz, Rileigh Gonzalez, Ema Nagel, Nicholas Burchett, David W. Kerstetter

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

No abstract provided.

Behavior Of A Komodo Dragon In Relation To Whole-Prey Feeding, Gurkiran Kaur Natt

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In zoological settings, whole-prey feeding is an enrichment strategy widely used to prompt naturalistic behaviors; yet, the specific behavioral shifts this causes in reptiles are not well-documented. This study focused on the activity budgets and spatial use of a six-year-old male Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) housed at the Akron Zoo, analyzing his movements in direct response to whole-prey feeding sessions. Over an eight-week observation period, instantaneous scan sampling was utilized to quantify behaviors before and after two distinct whole-prey feeding sessions. Although active behaviors and "not visible" instances increased marginally post-feeding, paired t-tests confirmed these shifts were not statistically significant …

Temporal Avoidance By Gray Foxes Reflects Growing Pressure From Expanding Coyotes In The Neotropics, Madison Odenbach

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are rapidly expanding their range towards South America, potentially threatening the world’s highest canid diversity residing on that continent. A better understanding of their interactions with native species is needed to anticipate potential competitive impacts. In Costa Rica, native gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) likely occupy a similar niche to the coyote newcomer, yet little data exists on their interactions in tropical ecosystems. We hypothesized the two species separate temporally to minimize the potential for competition in our study area, given preliminary data suggesting high spatial overlap (57.1% of coyote-detected sites overlap with fox-detected …

Hyena Den Distribution, Human-Hyena Interactions And Mitigation Strategies In The Greater Amboseli Ecosystem, Katherine Elizabeth Davis Matczak

Honors Theses and Capstones

The Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta) is a prevalent predator across Africa, recognized for their noticeable gait and powerful jaws which enable them to maul and scavenge on prey. Due to human population growth and encroachment onto wildlife territory, the overlap between human settlements and hyena den sites has become a growing concern, particularly regarding livestock predation. Livestock is intrinsic to livelihoods across Africa, with most individuals deriving their livelihoods from pastoralism. This paper provides an evaluation of den proximities to communities, hyena diet preference, human-hyena conflict/attitudes, and mitigation strategies used to protect hyenas, livestock, and the people. Results …

Hidden In The Mist: Three New Species Of Salamanders Of The Genus Pseudoeurycea (Amphibia: Plethodontidae) From Oaxaca, Mexico, Eduardo A. Aguilar-Herrera, Salomón Sanabria-Urbán, Dulce L. Flores-Martínez, José David Gómez-Tapia, Misael Seba-Chacha, Leopoldo D. Vázquez-Reyes, Francisco A. Rivera-Ortíz, Patricia Ramírez-Bastida, Bruno Cortés-Ortiz, R. Alejandro Calzada-Arciniega, Etienne U. Avila-Ortega, Dónovan I. Víquez-Vega, Omar Hernández-Ordoñez, Christopher Blair, Víctor H. Jiménez-Arcos

Publications and Research

We describe three new species of lungless salamanders (Plethodontidae) in the genus Pseudoeurycea from Cerro Rabon, located on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Mazateca, Oaxaca, Mexico. This mid-elevation mountain, largely surrounded by warmer lowlands, remains relatively understudied. We present molecular and morphological evidence distinguishing the three new species from their congeners. According to our phylogenetic analysis, one of the new species belongs to the P. leprosa group, while the other two are members of the P. juarezi group. Notably, one of the new species represents the fourth worm salamander known from west of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and another …

Multiple Burn And Forest Characteristics Affect Gray Fox (Urocyon Cinereoargenteus) Occurrence Following A California Megafire, Amida Zohar Verhey

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In western North American forests, predator communities are faced with changing fire regimes and increased fire severity and size, particularly with megafires (>10,000 ha). As some wildlife communities may restructure following the loss of apex consumers, understanding post-fire space use of mid-trophic carnivores may inform species composition in these forests. I compared gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) occupancy in and around the 2021 Dixie Fire, the largest single-ignition fire in California state history, to examine which spatially variable burn and forest characteristics affected the space use of a widespread generalist mesopredator. Using 210 camera traps placed in 2023, …

Ovipositional Behavior Of The Twig Girdler (Cerambycidae: Oncideres Cingulata) On Stems Of Mockernut Hickory (Carya Tomentosa) In Arkansas, R. Tumlison, L. Serviss

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Twig Girdler (Cerambycidae: Oncideres cingulata) is a long-horned beetle that girdles stems of certain species of trees to prepare a habitat for its offspring. The stems eventually die, break, and fall from the tree, but the beetle usually had already laid its eggs within the stems. Eggs are laid singly, almost always at growth rings or leaf bases. Because the space for the young to develop is finite, laying too many eggs could cause reproductive failure and too few eggs would be suboptimal. We hypothesized that the female laying eggs should be able to evaluate the stem and …

Western Massasauga (Sistrurus Tergeminus): A Species Conservation Assessment For The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project, Colleen Rothe-Groleau, Melissa J. Panella

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the western massasauga (Sistrurus tergeminus) as a Tier I at-risk species. Provided are some general management recommendations regarding western massasaugas. Conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment to make specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and a multitude of variables. This resource was designed to share available knowledge of this at-risk species that will aid in the decision-making process or in identifying research needs to benefit the species.

Criteria for selection as Tier I: State listed, G3

Estimated Population in NE: 1,000–2,500

Estimate based on: Field surveys

Trends since 2005 …

Systematics Of Disk-Winged Bats (Thyroptera), Courtney L. Klumpp

Capstone Showcase

This thesis investigates the evolutionary relationships among disk-winged bats in the genus Thyroptera, a small group of Neotropical bats known for the adhesive suction disks on their wings and feet that allow them to roost inside tightly rolled leaves. The distinctive morphology and behavior of these bats have not been extensively documented, and their phylogenetic relationships remain only partially resolved. The goal of this research is to better understand how these species are related to one another and to determine whether the five recognized species of Thyroptera form a single monophyletic group. To address this question, morphological and genetic …

Indirect Effects Of Coral Bleaching On Tursiops Truncatus Diet And Foraging Behavior In Bocas Del Toro, Panama, Annabel Fiero

Scripps Senior Theses

Indirect effects, where another species or factor mediates the effects of a given species, are critical to ecosystem structure and resilience. Shifts in fish community structure, as a result of rapidly declining coral reefs in the Caribbean due to warming-induced bleaching, pose a threat to apex predators like Tursiops truncatus (bottlenose dolphins). Branching corals create habitat niches for numerous fish species. These fish rely on coral for food and habitat, and in turn provide food for upper trophic levels. Prior research has highlighted how coral bleaching will disrupt Acroporid reef building corals and fish community structure, but the effects of …

Spiders In The World Of Pesticides: A Review, Jackson L. Mendillo

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Pesticides and other agrochemicals have varying effects on spiders depending on their mechanism of action and dosage, ranging from behavioral changes and ataxia, to reproductive changes and physiological stress, to lethal non-target effects. Additionally, peptide Hv1a has promising effects as a more narrow-spectrum pesticide.

Comparison Of Enrichment Interaction Duration Between Male And Female Panthera Leo Leo, Maegen G. Meldrum

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

African lion (Panthera leo leo) populations have declined significantly over the past century within their natural habitats, increasing the importance of effective management strategies for individuals in human care. Environment enrichment is a critical tool for promoting species typical behavior in human care; however, enrichment practices are often generalized and may not account for sex-specific differences. This study examined how sex, enrichment types, behaviors, and time of day influenced enrichment interaction duration in a small pride of African lions (n = 4) housed at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Two enrichment types were evaluated: cognitive/occupational (CO, a manipulable barrel) …

Oligonychus Trichardti (Acari: Tetranychidae) Associated With Urochloa Grasses In Kenya: An Integrative Taxonomic Approach, Paula Espitia-Buitrago, Claudia Perea, Lavender A. Odhiambo, Rosa N. Jauregui, Frank Chidawanyika

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Spider mites represent a significant constraint to improved forage grass adoption in East Africa, particularly affecting Urochloa cultivars that are crucial for addressing the region’s 40% livestock feed gap. This study employed an integrative taxonomic approach combining morphological and molecular analyses to identify a spider mite species infesting Urochloa interspecific grasses in Kenya. A colony of 80 spider mites was established from symptomatic Urochloa hybrid cv. Cayman plants collected from Mbita Point, Kenya, showing characteristic foliar chlorosis and necrotic spots. Morphological examination of 46 slide-mounted specimens using Hoyer’s medium revealed consistent morphotypical features characteristic of Oligonychus (Reckiella) trichardti Meyer, 1974. …

Adapting To Uncertainty: Effects Of Environmental Instability On Zebrafish Behaviour, Britney Sekulovski

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis addresses how animals cope with unpredictability by testing how environmental stability changes the behaviour of zebrafish (Danio rerio) in two complementary experiments. In Experiment 1, fish lived for three months in either a Dynamic environment (water temperature, feeding times, habitat complexity, group size, and membership fluctuated) or a Stable environment (all factors constant). Across seven behavioural assays, measuring individual behavioural differences, collective movement, social memory, and information use, Dynamic condition fish were found to be more sensitive to social cues and more likely to conform to recent social information, independent of the quality of the information …