Biology Commons^™

A New Intertidal Shore Bug (Heteroptera: Saldidae) From The Philippines, Hendrik Freitag, Herbert Zettel, Clister V. Pangantihon

Biology Faculty Publications

Salduncula carmencitae sp.n. is described, its habitus and the paramere and parandria of the male are illustrated. This shore bug was found on Mindanao Island, the Philippines, in the intertidal zone. Habitat and behaviour of the species are briefly described. The distinguishing diagnostic characters of species of Salduncula Brown, 1954 are discussed.

Ancyronyx Erichson, 1847 (Coleoptera, Elmidae) From Mindoro, Philippines, With Description Of The Larvae And Two New Species Using Dna Sequences For The Assignment Of The Developmental Stages, Hendrik Freitag

Biology Faculty Publications

Ancyronyx buhid sp. n. and Ancyronyx tamaraw sp. n. are described based on adults and larvae, matched using their cox1 or cob DNA sequence data. Additional records of Ancyronyx schillhammeri Jäch, 1994 and Ancyronyx minerva Freitag & Jäch, 2007 from Mindoro are listed. The previously unknown larva of Ancyronyx schillhammeri is also described here, aided by cox1 data. The new species and larval stages are described in detail and illustrated by SEM and stacked microscopic images. Keys to the adult and larval Ancyronyx species of Mindoro and an updated checklist of Philippine Ancyronyx species are provided. The usefulness as bioindicators, …

Hydraena (Hydraenopsis) Ateneo, New Species (Coleoptera, Hydraenidae) And Other Aquatic Polyphaga From A Small Habitat Patch In A Highly Urbanized Landscape Of Metro Manila, Philippines, Hendrik Freitag

Biology Faculty Publications

Seven species of Hydraenidae, Hydrophilidae and Elmidae are recorded from temporary freshwater habitats at the Ateneo de Manila University Campus in the metropolitan area of Manila, Philippines. They were identified as Enochrus (Lumetus) fragiloides d’Orchymont, Helochares (Hydrobaticus) lepidus d’Orchymont, Helochares (Helochares) pallens (MacLeay), Hydraena (Hydraenopsis) scabra d’Orchymont, Hydraena (Hydraenopsis) palawanensis Freitag & Jäch (new record for Luzon Island), Stenelmis sp. A further hydraenid species was unknown to science and is newly described: Hydraena (Hydraenopsis) ateneo Freitag, sp. n. Aedeagus, gonocoxite, spermatheca, and female tergite X are illustrated by …

Comparison Of Th1 Cytokines And T Cell Markers Gene Expressions Between Virulent And An Attenuated Eiav Vaccine Strain, Talia R. Henkle

Lewis Honors College Capstone Collection

The equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is closely related to HIV and has been used as a model to identify protective mechanisms against lentivirus infection. In horses, EIA infection progresses for about a year before infected horses manage to control virus replication. This naturally-gained protection is absolutely dependent on active immune responses as evidenced by the fact that immunosuppressive drugs can induce the recurrence of disease. As the resolution of initial viremia correlates with the appearance of virus specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), we believe that cellular immune responses play a key role in controlling EIAV in the horse. In …

White Bass Assessment In Regards To Changes In Water Level On Lake Traverse, Aaron Wilson

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Until recently the white bass Morone chrysops has been somewhat ignored by anglers, more so in Minnesota than other states; most likely due to their limited distribution throughout the state. However, with more anglers becoming aware of the sporting and culinary potentials of white bass, interests have risen. With this rise in angler interest, there should be a rise in white bass assessments. Knowing what factors may be influencing white bass population dynamics will allow fisheries professionals to better manage and protect white bass fisheries. White bass are often found in rivers and impoundments were dams are present and water …

No Evidence For A Relationship Between Hemolymph Ecdysteroid Levels And Female Reproductive Behavior In Schizocosa Wolf Spiders, Reed M. Stubbendieck, Anthony J. Zera, Eileen A. Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

This study used radioimmunoassay (RIA) to explore the relationship between levels of hemolymph ecdysteroids and female reproductive behavior in Schizocosa wolf spiders. Specifically, we investigated the relationship between circulating ecdysteroid concentrations in females and 1) likelihood to copulate, or female receptivity [Experiment I— Schizocosa avida (Walckenaer 1837)], 2) time post copulation (Experiment 2— Schizocosa rovneri Uetz & Dondale 1979) and 3) exposure to conspecific male courtship (Experiment 3— Schizocosa uetzi Stratton 1997). In Experiment 1, we expected higher levels of circulating ecdysteroids in receptive versus unreceptive females, based upon prior research demonstrating an increase in receptivity following injections of 20-hydroexyedysone …

Brown Trout Spawning Location And Relationship To Suitable Winter Habitat, Matthew L. Skoog

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Brown trout are a popular game fish throughout much of the world. Understanding habitat requirements is necessary for the successful management of brown trout. This study looks at the spawning habitat preferences and relationship of redd location to wintering habitat of brown trout in the Straight River, Minnesota. Brown trout in the Straight River were found to spawn in similar habitat to brown trout looked at in previous literature. All redds were located on gravel substrate. Seventy eight percent of redds were associated with some sort of cover. Water velocities at the redd sites. (mean=0.456 ms/cm), dissolved oxygen (mean=9.78 mg/L), …

Comparison Of A Length Size Limit Of Northern Pike Population On Two Lakes In North Central Minnesota, Ethan A. Puttonen

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Fisheries managers use length size limits on northern pike (Esox lucis) to improve the size structure in select lakes. The objective of this study was to compare two similar lakes, one with a length size limit and one without, to determine if a length size limit is improving the northern pike size structure. Blueberry Lake showed a higher abundance of larger fish than Stocking Lake. Of the fish caught, 25% in Blueberry Lake were over 600 mm (24 in), and were in the protected slot. Stocking Lake had a smaller portion of fish of this size with only …

Investigating The Role Of Epibiotic Bacteria In Defense Against Chytridiomycosis In The Green Frog, Lithobates Clamitans, Sarah Nalven

Honors Theses

Amphibian populations have been declining for several decades, in part due to the emerging fungal skin disease, chytridiomycosis, caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Chytridiomycosis has caused extinctions and extirpations in many parts of the world, but its influence varies across species, populations, and individuals. The Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans), which inhabits the eastern half of the United States, seems capable of sustaining Bd infections without experiencing die-offs. It is possible that the Green Frog's epibiotic bacteria are contributing to its defense against Bd as the epibiotic bacteria of several amphibian species are known to play …

Biology Department Newsletter, No. 3, Sacred Heart University

Biology Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Landscape Characteristics Of Upland Sandpiper Habitat In Michigan, Jacob Lawrence Korte

Wayne State University Theses

Grassland bird populations have declined across North America due to habitat loss but at a disproportionately higher rate in the midwestern United States, where extensive coverage of grasslands and other open land ecosystems have been converted to other land cover types. The upland sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda Bechstein, UPSA) is a migratory, area-sensitive, terrestrial shorebird that breeds in grasslands and other open land ecosystem types across their North American range. Although breeding habitats of the Great Plains contain the greatest concentrations of this species, anthropogenic openings such as hayfields and pastures serve as surrogate habitat elsewhere, as do remnant patches …

The Consumption Of Mechanically Resistant Foods By Anthropoid Primates And Its Influence On Cranial Integration And Variation, Jana Makedonska

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

ABSTRACT

Parsimony And Model-Based Analyses Of Indels In Avian Nuclear Genes Reveal Congruent And Incongruent Phylogenetic Signals, Tamaki Yuri, Rebecca T. Kimball, John Harshman, Rauri C.K. Bowie, Michael J. Braun, Jena L. Chojnowski, Kin-Lan Han, Shannon J. Hackett, Christopher J. Huddleston, William S. Moore, Sushma Reddy, Frederick H. Sheldon, David W. Steadman, Christopher C. Witt, Edward L. Braun

Natural Sciences Faculty Publications

Insertion/deletion (indel) mutations, which are represented by gaps in multiple sequence alignments, have been used to examine phylogenetic hypotheses for some time. However, most analyses combine gap data with the nucleotide sequences in which they are embedded, probably because most phylogenetic datasets include few gap characters. Here, we report analyses of 12,030 gap characters from an alignment of avian nuclear genes using maximum parsimony (MP) and a simple maximum likelihood (ML) framework. Both trees were similar, and they exhibited almost all of the strongly supported relationships in the nucleotide tree, although neither gap tree supported many relationships that have proven …

The Effect Of Visual Wulst Lesions And Trigeminal Nerve Sectioning On The Discrimination Of Magnetic Inclination In The Homing Pigeon (Columba Livia), Merissa Acerbi

Honors Projects

The ability of homing pigeons to return to their loft from unknown places has fascinated scientists for centuries. It is well established that homing pigeons, like migratory birds, posses an innate magnetic inclination compass to determine direction by measuring the angle between the magnetic field vector and the Earth's surface. Recent work has indicated that the avian magnetic compass is light mediated and appears to mediate magnetic information to the brain. This occurs via a visual pathway with processing in the visual Wulst area of the forebrain. There is, however, also evidence from other avian species that magnetic direction may …

Exploring The Sulfide Tolerance Of Ectosymbiotic Niphargus Amphipods From The Frasassi Caves, Central Italy, Jan Bauermeister, Karoline Assig, Sharmishtha Dattagupta

International Journal of Speleology

Two species of the crustacean amphipod genus Niphargus inhabit the sulfidic groundwaters of the Frasassi caves in central Italy, and both harbor filamentous, sulfide-oxidizing Thiothrix ectosymbionts. As sulfide is toxic to most aerobic organisms, it appeared possible that the ectosymbionts could help their Niphargus hosts with detoxification processes. In this study, mortality due to sulfide was compared between Niphargus individuals with ectosymbionts and individuals whose ectosymbionts had been killed by antibiotic treatment. Both Frasassi-dwelling Niphargus species revealed exceptionally high tolerances to sulfide compared to other amphipod species studied so far. Niphargus individuals without viable ectosymbionts tolerated sulfide levels exceeding those …

Equine Serum Antibody Responses To Streptococcus Equi And Streptococcus Zooepidemicus, Rafaela De Negri

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Streptococcus zooepidemicus (Sz) and Streptococcus equi (Se) share 98% DNA sequence homology, but display different pathogenic properties. Infection by one organism does not cross-protect against the other. To better understand pathogenic differences between these organisms and gain information about which proteins are expressed in horses infected experimentally with Se, intrauterine Sz or naturally with respiratory Sz we compared antibody specificities of convalescent sera using ELISA. These comparisons were based on sets of 8 and 14 immunoreactive recombinant proteins of Se strain CF32 and Sz strain NC78, respectively. Sera from donkeys that were previously naturally affected with strangles and later developed …

Breeding Biology Of Chuck-Will's-Widows: Incubation, Brooding, And Provisioning Behavior And Characteristics Of Nest Sites, Ryan Sean O'Connor

Online Theses and Dissertations

Chuck-will's-widows (Antrostomus carolinensis) are cryptically colored grounding-nesting nightars that breed throughout much of the eastern United States, primarily in mixed-forest habitat. Because of their cryptic plumage and nocturnal habits, little is known about their behavior, particularly their breeding and nesting behavior. Thus, my objectives were to: (1) quantify patterns of incubation behavior (e.g., on bouts vs. off bouts) and the respective roles of males and females, (2) quantify the brooding and provisioning behavior of males and females, and, (3) compare the characteristics of nest sites and randomly selected unused sites to determine those features important in nest site selection.

My …

Spatial And Seasonal Signals In Stable Isotopes Of Incisor Enamel From Free-Ranging, Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrels, Jacob Andrew Brassington

Honors Theses

From early May through late September, 2012, we captured, tagged, and collected body masses from multiple, free-ranging thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) in southwestern Michigan, with 14 individuals recaptured 1 or more times through the season. Beginning in mid-June, we captured and euthanized 12 or these individuals (on average, about 1 per week) to allow study of their lower incisors. We serially micro-sampled enamel along squirrel incisors using laser ablation and determined stable isotope ratios (d13 and d18 O) with gas chromatography-isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (GC-IRMS). The resulting values fell into two spatial groups. Specimens collected within 25 m of a …

Cooperative Breeding And Long-Distance Dispersal: A Test Using Vagrant Records, Caroline L. Rusk, Eric L. Walters, Walter D. Koenig

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Cooperative breeding is generally associated with increased philopatry and sedentariness, presumably because short-distance dispersal facilitates the maintenance of kin groups. There are, however, few data on long-distance dispersal in cooperative breeders-the variable likely to be important for genetic diversification and speciation. We tested the hypothesis that cooperative breeders are less likely to engage in long-distance dispersal events by comparing records of vagrants outside their normal geographic range for matched pairs (cooperatively vs. non-cooperatively breeding) of North American species of birds. Results failed to support the hypothesis of reduced long-distance dispersal among cooperative breeders. Thus, our results counter the conclusion that …

Carcass Feeding For Captive Vultures: Testing Assumptions About Zoos And Effects On Birds And Visitors, Hannah Gaengler

Dissertations and Theses

Carcass feeding is a potentially controversial feeding method for zoo animals. The common assumption is that many North American zoos refrain from feeding large carcasses to their carnivorous animals because zoo visitors might not approve of this feeding method. However, since there are several species of carnivores in zoos that feed from large carcasses in nature, this food type also has the potential to be beneficial to their welfare. In intelligent and usually inquisitive scavengers like vultures, a lack of activity and behavioral opportunities could be a welfare problem in captivity; providing them with a more complex food item might …

Influences Of Ecological Light Pollution On Advertisement Calls Of Spea Multiplicata (Amphibia: Anura: Scaphiopodidae) In Rural And Urban Populations In The Northern Chihuahuan Desert And An Evaluation Of Hybrid S. Bombifrons X S. Multiplicata Calls, Katie Anderson

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Spea is a genus of toad-like, arid adapted frogs distributed throughout much of the western U.S. and northern Mexico. Two species, (S. Bombifrons and S. Multiplicata) are syntopic throughout most of the northern Chihuahuan Desert, a region that is experiencing rapid urbanization. For this study, I examined 936 male advertisement calls from urban and rural populations of S. multiplicata, and a rural population of S. bombifrons in west Texas and south-central New Mexico. Advertisement calls from urban and rural S. multiplicata were compared against light level to assess the potential influence ecological light pollution plays in sexual …

Influence Of Latitude On The Winter Abundance Of Red-Tailed Hawks (Buteo Jamaicensis) And American Kestrels (Falco Sparverius) In Illinois, Given Harper, Anna Groves, Vic Berardi, Paul Sweet, Jance Sweet, Angelo Capparella

Scholarship

We use five years of data from 18 routes surveyed to determine the temporal stability of a first reported 100 years pattern, and reconfirmed that the abundance of winter 50 years ago tailed Hawk and American Kestrel decreases with increasing latitude, being more high in the central regions of Illinos in the northern regions. Trained volunteers conducted sampling ( n  = 143) a month driving along selected routes from December to February, from 2004-2005 to 2008-2009. We found significant increases in the abundance of both species from the northern regions to the central regions of Illinois. No significant effects of …

Worms, Nematoda, Scott Lyell Gardner

Scott L. Gardner Publications

Nematodes are the most speciose phylum of metazoa on earth. Not only do they occur in huge numbers as parasites of all known animal groups, but also they are found in the soils, as parasites of plants, and in large numbers in the most extreme environments, from the Antarctic dry valleys to the benthos of the ocean. They are extremely variable in their morphological characteristics, with each group showing morphological adapta­tions to the environment that they inhabit. Soil-dwelling forms are extremely small; many marine species have long and complex setae; and parasitic species man­ifest amazingly great reproductive potential and large …

Factors Shaping The Ontogeny Of Vocal Signals In A Wild Parrot, Karl S. Berg, Steven R. Beissinger, Jack W. Bradbury

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Parrots rely heavily on vocal signals to maintain their social and mobile lifestyles. We studied vocal ontogeny in nests of wild green-rumped parrotlets (Forpus passerinus) in Venezuela. We identified three successive phases of vocal signaling that corresponded closely to three independently derived phases of physiological development. For each ontogenetic phase, we characterized the relative importance of anatomical constraints, motor skills necessary for responding to specific contexts of the immediate environment, and the learning of signals that are necessary for adult forms of communication. We observed shifts in the relative importance of these three factors as individuals progressed from …

Variations Of Ghrelin, Growth Hormone, And Insulin-Like Growth Factor I In The West Indian Manatee (Trichechus Manatus), Rachel Lynn Cimino

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The metabolic hormones ghrelin, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor I are influenced by developmental age, sex, and nutritional status in domestic and free-ranging species. However the role these hormones play has not previously been explored in sub-tropical/ tropical mammals. Furthermore, the seasonality of species with less dynamic environmental cues, such as the West Indian manatee, have not been studied. The West Indian manatee is and endangered species distributed in the southeastern United States and throughout the Caribbean basin, and its nutritional physiology is influenced by environmental factors. Understanding the hormone response to nutritional status in this species and its …

Impact Of Nutritional Status On The Somatotropic Axis And Ghrelin In Phocid Seals, Rachael Dailey

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Metabolic hormones and their axes, including the target tissues and receptors, regulate the tissue specific utilization of nutrients with in the body. The purpose of this research was to understand the hormonal control of complex nutrient partitioning mechanisms involved in young, growing animals. Specifically, this involved the investigation of metabolic hormones and the regulation of growth in two common species of phocids (true seals): harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) and Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) pups. This longitudinal study examines young phocids from nutritional nadir through realimentation (realimentation) to investigate how metabolic hormones involved in both food intake and nutrient partitioning …

The Influence Of Different Cover Types On American Robin Nest Success In Organic Agroecosystems, John E. Quinn, Amy Oden, James R. Brandle

Biology Publications

There are many opportunities for biodiversity conservation in organic farm systems. Successful and sustainable conservation efforts in organic systems, however, need to measure appropriate outcomes. In particular, data are needed on the breeding success of associated wildlife species. We measured nesting success of the American Robin (Turdus migratorius) in woodlands embedded within eight organic farms in eastern Nebraska. We modeled daily nest survival rate to identify land use and land cover patterns that optimize conservation of birds in organic farm systems. The percentage of a crop in the fields adjacent to linear woodlands best predicted daily survival rate. …

The Debate On Marine Mammals In Captivity, Lorna C. Scribner

Honors Theses

Are marine mammal species better off today because of captivity? Is captivity ethical and should it be continued? As this debate grows stronger, both of these sides of the argument offer substantial evidence in their favor. In this paper, I discuss data for both sides and evaluate the justifications of marine mammal captivity. Ideally, no matter the outcome, this research will educate the public on influential factors of wild and captive populations.

Influences Of A Cladophora Bloom On The Diets Of Amblema Plicata And Elliptio Dilatata In The Upper Green River, Kentucky, Jennifer Maria Yates

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Freshwater mussels are the most imperiled group of freshwater invertebrates globally. Recent research suggests a better understanding of mussel feeding ecology may facilitate and improve conservation efforts. The use of stable isotopes is becoming an increasingly common method to study aquatic food webs. Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) are two of the most frequently employed elements in food web studies. Differences in natural abundance of ¹³C/¹²C can indicate which food sources are the basal sources of carbon incorporated into a consumer’s tissue, while the ratio of ¹⁵N /¹⁴N provides a method of assessing trophic …

Molecular Phylogeny Of Microhylid Frogs (Anura: Microhylidae) With Emphasis On Relationships Among New World Genera, Rafael O. De Sá, Jeffrey W. Streicher, Relebohile Sekonyela, Mauricio C. Forlani, Simon P. Loader, Eli Greenbaum, Stephen Richards, Célio F.B. Haddad

Biology Faculty Publications

Background: Over the last ten years we have seen great efforts focused on revising amphibian systematics. Phylogenetic reconstructions derived from DNA sequence data have played a central role in these revisionary studies but have typically under-sampled the diverse frog family Microhylidae. Here, we present a detailed phylogenetic study focused on expanding previous hypotheses of relationships within this cosmopolitan family. Specifically, we placed an emphasis on assessing relationships among New World genera and those taxa with uncertain phylogenetic affinities (i.e., incertae sedis).

Results: One mitochondrial and three nuclear genes (about 2.8 kb) were sequenced to assess phylogenetic relationships. We utilized an …