Zoology Commons^™

Recent Changes In Winter Bird Numbers At Lincoln, Nebraska, Paul A. Johnsgard

Nebraska Bird Review

In 1998 I summarized historic Christmas Bird Count data for Lincoln and Scottsbluff (Johnsgard, 1998), since these two sites provide the longest continuous count records for any Nebraska locations. Eight more years of data have since accumulated, during which there has been an increasing awareness of the perceived effects of global warming (Inkley, 2004) on bird populations. The purpose of this paper is to compare the data for the past eight years (1998-2005) with earlier counts for Lincoln, two of which were first performed in the early 1900's, but which have been conducted in unbroken sequence since 1947. These data, …

Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Treasurer's Report, December 31, 2005

Nebraska Bird Review

Treasurer's Report December 31, 2005

Winter Field Report, December 2005 To February 2006, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

The traditional mid-summer and midwinter "windows" wherein migrants were rarely detected have closed markedly in the last few years. The midwinter window is closing; where it once was around 20 Dec-20 Feb it is now more like 5 Jan-to Feb. Many waterfowl were found in midwinter this season, and migrants such as Bluewinged Teal and Sandhill Crane appeared very early this spring. Similarly early were Turkey Vulture and Lincoln's Sparrow. In light of waterbirds lingering late in fall, markedly lower numbers of Western Grebes were a surprise.

Exotics were widely-reported; one, Pink-footed Goose, could possibly be a vagrant wild bird, …

The Nebraska Bird Review (March 2006)- Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Table of Contents

NOU Annual Treasurer's Report for 2005......................2

Winter Field Report, Dec. 2005- Feb. 2006 by W. Ross Silcock......................4

Recent Changes in Winter Bird Numbers at Lincoln, Nebraska
by Paul A. Johnsgard......................16

Corrections to 2004-2005 Christmas Bird Count data......................23

2005-2006 Christmas Bird Counts in Nebraska......................23

Subscription and Organization Information......................35

The Distress Calls Of Leptodactylus Chaquensis Cei, 1950 And Leptodactylus Elenae Heyer, 1978 (Anura: Leptodactylidae), José M. Padial, Rafael O. De Sá, Ignacio De La Riva

Biology Faculty Publications

We describe the distress calls of Leptodactylus chaquensis and Leptodactylus elenae. They each consist of a single, long, tonal sound with complex harmonic structure and complex frequency modulation. The distress calls of both species are different from their respective advertisement calls. Moreover, there are also clear interspecific differences. Harmonic frequencies in L. elenae are higher, there are fewer emphasized harmonics and the call is shorter and repeated at a higher rate (sometimes paired) than the call of L. chaquensis. Call duration, call rate, and position of the dominant harmonic change with the strength of the stimulus that the …

The Mayfly Newsletter, Peter M. Grant

The Mayfly Newsletter

The Mayfly Newsletter is the official newsletter of the Permanent Committee of the International Conferences on Ephemeroptera.

Taxonomy Of Short-Tailed Shrews (Genus Blarina) In Florida, Russell A. Benedict, Hugh H. Genoways, Jerry R. Choate

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Three nominal taxa of short-tailed shrews historically were recognized in Florida: Blarina carolinensis carolinensis in the north, Blarina carolinensis peninsulae on the southern peninsula, and Blarina carolinensis shermani in the vicinity of Fort Myers. The taxonomy of these shrews is complex, and researchers have suggested they may represent one, two, or even three species. To assess relationships among these taxa, we measured eight cranial characters on 363 specimens from Florida and used discriminant function analysis to characterize the mensural features of reference samples and to assign unknown specimens to a particular taxon. The reference sample of shermani averaged 7.8% larger …

Bats Of Antigua, Northern Lesser Antilles, Scott C. Pedersen, Peter A. Larsen, Hugh H. Genoways, Kevel Lindsay, Matthew Morton, Rick Adams, Vicki J. Swier, Jon Appino

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

No comprehensive survey of the chiropteran fauna of the Antillean island of Antigua has been undertaken in the past. Seven species of bats have been reported in the literature from the island previously, but these have appeared in scattered reports. The first report of bats from Antigua was by Allen (1 890) when he reported a single specimen of Noctilio leporinus and two of Artibeus jamaicensis obtained during an ornithological survey of Antillean islands. Subsequent collections of bats on Antigua were incidental to herpetological work or paleontological surveys of Antiguals limestone cave systems. We found 138 voucher specimens from Antigua …

Assessment Of Anadromous Alewife And Blueback Herring Populations In Connecticut Coastal Streams And Connecticut River Tributaries, Justin P. Davis, Eric T. Schultz

EEB Articles

Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (A. aestivalis) occur in anadromous populations that have a largely overlapping distribution from Florida to Newfoundland (Loesch 1987). Anadromous populations of these species are commonly collectively referred to as “river herring”. Adults inhabit coastal shelf waters until sexual maturity is reached at age 3-5 (Neves 1981). Sexually mature individuals make spawning migrations, commonly referred to as “runs”, into freshwater systems during spring months (Loesch 1987). Spawners can survive and return to spawn in subsequent years (Mullen et al. 1986). Juveniles reside in freshwater for 3-7 months, at which time they undertake a gradual migration …

Prevalence And Serovars Of Salmonella In The Feces Of Free-Ranging White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) In Nebraska, David G. Renter, David P. Gnad, Jan M. Sargeant, Scott E. Hygnstrom

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

To determine the prevalence and serovars of Salmonella in free-ranging deer, we cultured feces from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) harvested by hunters during a regular firearm season in southeastern Nebraska (USA). We recovered Salmonella from 5 (1%; 95% confidence interval: 0.37– 2.20%) of 500 samples and identified four different Salmonella enterica serovars [Litchfield (1), Dessau (1), Infantis (2), and Enteritidis (1)]. Although the prevalence of Salmonella in free-ranging deer appears to be low, the serovars recovered are known to be pathogenic to humans and animals.

Status Survey Of The Peppered Shiner, Notropis Perpallidus Hubbs And Black, In Arkansas And Oklahoma, Henry W. Robison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The peppered shiner, Notropis perpallidus Hubbs and Black, is a small, silvery, upland stream fish found only in southwestern Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. This fish species was studied from 1999-2001 to determine its distribution, habitat, and conservation status. A total of81 collections was made during the 2-year study; however, only 17 specimens were collected. The present distribution of the peppered shiner in Arkansas and Oklahoma is described as well as the conservation status of this cyprinid in both states.

Predation And Cathemerality. Comparing The Impact Of Predators On The Activity Patterns Of Lemurids And Ceboids., Ian C. Colquhoun

Anthropology Publications

The removal, or absence, of predatory species could be a contributing proximate factor to the rise of primate cathemerality. But predators themselves can also be cathemeral, so cathemerality could well be an evolutionary stable strategy. From a comparative perspective, it appears that the effect of predatory species cannot provide a unitary explanation for cathemerality. Varying distributions and population densities of predators, especially raptors, may be key factors in owl monkey (Aotus) cathemerality, but temperature and lunar cycle variation have also been implicated. In Madagascar, while raptors are potential predators of lemur species, the cathemerality of Eulemur species coincides with that …

Differential Expression Of Immune Response Genes In Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias Jubatus): An Indicator Of Ecosystem Health?, Lizabeth Bowen, Brian Aldridge, Kimberlee Beckmen, Tom Gelatt, Lorrie Rea, Kathy Burek, Ken Pitcher, Jeffrey L. Stott

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

Characterization of the polygenic and polymorphic features of the Steller sea lion major histocompatibility complex (MHC) provides an ideal window for evaluating immunologic vigor of the population and identifying emergence of new genotypes that reflect ecosystem pressures. MHC genotyping can be used to measure the potential immunologic vigor of a population. However, since ecosystem-induced changes to MHC genotype can be slow to emerge, measurement of differential expression of these genes can potentially provide real-time evidence of immunologic perturbations. MHC DRB genes were cloned and sequenced using peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes derived from 10 Steller sea lions from southeast Alaska, Prince …

Sexually Dimorphic Social Development And Female Intrasexual Chemical Signaling Of African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana), Jordana M. Meyer

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's abstract: African elephants are a polygynous species in which males and females carry out dimorphic lifestyles. Males search and compete for reproductively active females, while females care for offspring and facilitate group cohesion. The objectives of this study was a) to compare the development of sexually dimorphic behaviors and developmental trends between young male and female wild African elephants and b) to determine the ability of captive female African elephants to discern between the follicular and luteal phase of conspecifics through trunk-tip contacts and the investigation of urine, and whether the reproductive phase of the receiver affected the response …

Characterization Of 35 Microsatellite Loci In The Pacific Lion-Paw Scallop (Nodipecten Subnodosus) And Their Cross-Species Amplification In Four Other Scallops Of The Pectinidae Family, Ana M. Ibarra, Jessica Lynn Petersen, Thomas R. Famula, Bernie May

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Four microsatellite-enriched DNA libraries yielded 35 microsatellite loci from 100 primer pairs designed for Pacific lion-paw scallop, Nodipecten subnodosus. The number of alleles ranged from four to 28. Three of the 35 loci were not in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and linkage disequilibrium was found for one pair of loci. These microsatellites will be used to analyze the population structure of the species in Mexico’s Baja Peninsula to propose management strategies for scallop aquaculture development. Twenty-six primer pairs cross-amplified in Nodipecten nodosus, whereas none (Argopecten ventricosus) or few cross-amplified in the Argopecten species.

Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Of The Strawberry River System In North-Central Arkansas, George L. Harp, Henry W. Robison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Strav/berry River has been designated an Extraordinary Resource Water, an Ecologically Sensitive Water Body, and a Natural and Scenic Waterway. As such, it is particularly important that the biodiversity of this river system be documented thoroughly. The purpose of this research was to develop a comprehensive list of the aquatic macroinvertebrates of the Strawberry River and its major tributaries. The information was developed from a thorough literature review and by examining specimens housed in various collections of the Arkansas State University Museum of Zoology and collections of the authors. The latter included 9 collections at 4 sites along the …

Status And Distribution Of The Arkansas Darter (Etheostoma Cragini) In Arkansas, Brian K. Wagner, Mark D. Kottmyer

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Arkansas darter, Etheostoma cragini, has an extremely limited distribution in Arkansas and is designated as a andidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act. It was first discovered in the state in 1979 in Wilson Spring near Fayetteville and has since been found in4 additional headwater streams in Benton and Washington counties prior to this study. A study in 1997 (bund the species in3 of the 5 historic streams, but one stream yielded only a single individual. This study sought to reassess the status of the 5 historically known populations and sample additional spring-run habitats in the Arkansas River …

Documentation Of The First Known Occurrence Of The Broad-Billed Hummingbird (Cynanthus Latirostris) In Arkansas, Robert H. Doster, Dan Scheiman, E. Pershing Floyd, Kenny Nichols, Ladonna Nichols

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Ichthyofaunal Assemblages In Three Approximate But Ecologically Diverse Streams In Clark County, Arkansas, C. Renn Tumlison, Scott Jordan, Lesley Self, Henry W. Robison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Three tributaries to the Ouachita River in eastern Clark County, Arkansas, empty into the river within a collective distance of about 9 km. The streams drain basins derived from the Wilcox formation, partially overlain by terrace and alluvial deposits. Despite their proximity, the streams are very different: L'Eau Frais has a gravel substrate and was recognized by the French as a cool water stream, Tupelo Creek is a bottomland stream from which numerous Water Tupelo (Nyssa aquatica) emerge, and Saline Bayou was named due to its marked salinity. We studied the assemblages of fishes in these 3 very different drainages …

Noteworthy Geographic Distribution Records For The Golden Topminnow, Fundulus Chrysotus (Cyprinodontiformes: Fundulidae), From Arkansas, Chris T. Mcallister, Henry W. Robison, Thomas M. Buchanan

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Distribution Of An Invasive Fish Species, Pseudorasbora Parva (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846) In Turkey, Fi̇tnat Güler Ekmekçi̇, Şeri̇fe Gülsün Kirankaya

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Pseudorasbora parva is a small cyprinid fish native to East Asia. In 1982, the occurrence of this species was first recorded from the Thrace region of Turkey and in 1996, from Aksu Stream. In this study, specimens collected from various localities in central and west Anatolia, such as the Sakarya River Basin, Kızılırmak River Basin, and Bakırçay River Basin, between 1999 and 2004, were used to show the rapid invasion of P. parva in Turkish freshwater systems. This species is regarded as a pest and the rapid P. parva invasion throughout Anatolia could pose a threat to the diversity of …

Population Dynamics Of Adults And Immature Stages Of Mosquitoes (Diptera:Culicidae) In Gölbaşı District, Ankara, Adnan Aldemi̇r, Ayşe Boşgelmez

Turkish Journal of Zoology

In studies carried out from January 2001 to December 2002 in Ankara-Gölbaşı district, 9 mosquito species (Anopheles sacharovi, An. maculipennis, An. claviger, Culex mimeticus, Cx. pipiens, Cx. theileri, Culiseta annulata, Cs. longiareolata and Ochlerotatus caspius) were determined. The population estimations of immature stages were performed in 15 breeding habitats such as lake edge, swamp, wet pasture, canal and pond. The species that had the most sampled immature stages was Cx. pipiens (29.30%); An. sacharovi (18.93%) and An. maculipennis (17.47%) followed it. The samplings of adult mosquitoes were performed in 5 stables and 5 light traps. The most abundant species collected …

Food And Feeding Habits Of The Pikeperch, Sander Lucioperca (Linnaeus, 1758), Population From Lake Eğirdir (Turkey), İsmet Balik, Hidir Çubuk, Belgi̇n Karaşahi̇n, Remzi̇ye Özkök, Rahmi̇ Uysal, Ahmet Alp

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The stomach contents of 986 pikeperch, Sander lucioperca (Linnaeus, 1758), collected from Lake Eğirdir in Turkey were investigated between March 2001 and February 2002. Thirteen taxonomic categories were identified from the 1745 prey items analysed. It was determined that the diet of pikeperch in Lake Eğirdir consisted of some fish species (Knipowitschia sp., Aphanius anatoliae anatoliae, Gambusia affinis, Nemacheilus lendli, Carassius gibelio, and Sander lucioperca), odonats (Calopteryx splendens), mysids (Mysis), amphipods (Gammarus) and dipterans (Chironomus). Of these prey categories, fish was more important than the others. In particular, Knipowitschia sp. and A. a. anatoliae were the primary prey for the …

Reproduction Properties Of Pike (Esox Lucius L., 1758) Population In Lake Karamık (Afyonkarahisar/Turkey), İsmet Balik, Hidir Çubuk, Remzi̇ye Özkök, Rahmi̇ Uysal

Turkish Journal of Zoology

In this study, the spawning period, length at first sexual maturity and fecundity of the pike (Esox lucius L., 1758) population in Lake Karamık between March 2002 and February 2003 were investigated. Mean length at first reproduction (L_m) was determined as 19.7 cm for female pike. The monthly values of the gonadosomatic index indicated that spawning occurred between February and March. The relative fecundity was determined as 45.7 ± 4.9 eggs g^{-1} total body weight. Fecundity (F) - fork length (L) and Fecundity - weight (W) relationships were estimated as F = 2.8963 L^{2.3722} (r = 0.590) and F = …

Prey Selection By African Catfish Clarias Gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) Larvae Fed Different Feeding Regimes, Erdal Yilmaz, Ahmet Bozkurt, Kaya Gökçek

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Live prey selection by African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, larvae was examined under laboratory conditions. Larvae were offered plankton, plankton + trout starter (TS) and plankton + betaine supplemented trout diet (BTS) for 7 days after exogenous feeding. Five larvae were sampled to determine their gut contents and selectivity index for each treatment 15 min after the feeding. It was observed that dry diets (TS and BTS) improved the growth (P < 0.05), but did not significantly influence the prey selection of the larvae. It was determined that African catfish larvae preferred Copepods and Rotaria sp. to other zooplankton species for all feeding regimes.

Notes On The Mammals Found In Kazdağı National Park And Its Environs, Nuri̇ Yi̇ği̇t, Ali̇ Demi̇rsoy, Ahmet Karataş, Şaki̇r Özkurt, Ercüment Çolak

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The present study is based on species collected and observed in Kazdağı National Park and its surroundings. Field collections yielded 40 mammal species from 6 orders: Insectivora (4), Chiroptera (14), Lagomorpha (1), Rodentia (11), Carnivora (8), and Artiodactyla (2), Of the species recorded in this study, 6 were new records from north-west Anatolia: Sorex volnuchini, Rhinolophus hipposideros, Myotis emarginatus, Eptesicus serotinus, Hypsugo savii, and Microtus subterraneus.

Distribution And Ecology Of Freshwater Ichthyofauna Of The Biga Peninsula, North-Western Anatolia, Turkey, Hasan Musa Sari, Süleyman Balik, Mustafa Ruşen Ustaoğlu, Ali̇ İlhan

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This research was carried out at 35 stations in 16 different streams on the Biga Peninsula during the spring and summer of 2000 and 2001 to determine the freshwater ichthyofauna and community features. In addition, some physical and chemical parameters of the streams were determined in their natural environment. Fourteen taxa belonging to 5 families were determined. Leuciscus cephalus, Petroleuciscus borysthenicus, Rhodeus amarus, Phoxinus phoxinus, Chalcalburnus chalcoides, Barbus tauricus escherichi, Gobio gobio, Capoeta capoeta bergamae, Vimba vimba, Cobitis fahirae and Neogobius fluviatilis are recorded for the first time from the Biga Peninsula. The most abundant species in the study area …

On Specimens Of Darevskia Armeniaca (Sauria: Lacertidae: Darevskia) Collected From Ardahan, Çeti̇n Ilgaz

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Forty-seven Darevskia armeniaca specimens collected from 2 different localities in Ardahan were examined in terms of pholidosis characters, morphometric measurements and colour-pattern features. The 2 populations were differentiated from one another in terms of the number of supraciliar plates (left-right) (SCPa-SCPb), supralabial plates (left-right) (SRLa-SRLb) and transversal series of ventral plates (TVP) according to the results of the Mann-Whitney U test. An independent t-test based on morphometric measurements revealed significant differences in terms of the head index (HI) between the 2 populations. Regarding pholidosis characters, morphometric measurements and colour-pattern features, specimens collected from the 2 localities showed a similarity to …

Amblyseius Californicus (Mcgregor, 1954) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), A New Record For The Turkish Fauna, İbrahi̇m Çakmak, Sultan Çobanoğlu

Turkish Journal of Zoology

During 2001-2003, Amblyseius californicus (McGregor) was collected from the strawberry, peach, bean and pepper, where it was associated with Tetranychus urticae and Panonychus ulmi in Kuşadası, Aydın, Turkey. The descriptions and drawings of male and female A. californicus, which is a new record for the Turkish fauna, are given.

Growth And Reproduction Of Por's Goatfish (Upeneus Pori Ben-Tuvia & Golani, 1989) In İskenderun Bay, The Eastern Mediterranean, Ali̇ İşmen

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The age composition, growth parameters, spawning season, sex ratio, length at first sexual maturity and fecundity of por's goatfish (Upeneus pori) caught from the Bay of İskenderun in the eastern Mediterranean Sea were investigated. Females and males made up 52.6% and 47.4%, respectively, of the particular population of the species. The total length of females ranged from 7.0 cm to 17.0 cm, and of males from 6.6 cm to 15.1 cm. The length (L) - weight (W) relationships for males and females were estimated as W = 0.0108*L^{2.99} and W = 0.0097*L^{3.03}, respectively. The age data derived from otolith readings …