Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

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 …

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 Nebraska Bird Review (September 2025) 93(3), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

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

First Confirmed Nebraska Breeding Record of the Common Raven (Corvus corax) since the 19th Century, by Eugene A. Huryn and Jacob C. Cooper

2024 (36th) Report of the NOU Records Committee, by Mark A. Brogie

The Official List of the Birds of Nebraska: 2024, compiled by Mark A. Brogie

Subscription and Organization Information

2024 (36th) Report Of The Nou Records Committee, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

The functions and methods of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (NOURC) are described in its bylaws (NOURC 2010). The committee’s purpose is to provide a procedure for documenting unusual bird sightings and to establish a list of all documented birds for Nebraska. Species for which the NOURC seeks documentation (NOURC Review List) can be found at the NOU website: www.NOUbirds.org.

Starting in 2020, the NOURC decided to deal mainly with those species deemed as Accidental on the “Official List of the Birds of Nebraska.” Casual species and out-of- range species are now summarized in the “Seasonal Reports” of the …

Exploring The Role Of Ecological Traits In Shaping Spatial Patterns Of Genetic Diversity, Rilquer Mascarenhas Da Silva

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The field of comparative phylogeography aims at uncovering common underlying causes for shared patterns of diversity and diversification at the population level. However, it is now widely accepted that intraspecific genetic diversity patterns can differ considerably across co-occurring taxa due to ecological processes acting at the population level (and influencing individual movement and abundance). To model the processes underlying lineage diversification and demographic shifts in response to environmental changes, phylogeographers and population geneticists are now faced with the challenge of incorporating measurements of species ecological traits into their molecular studies. This dissertation aimed at investigating how different types of ecological …

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 …

A Review Of Androctonus Of Iran, With Redescription Of A. Crassicauda (Olivier, 1807) And A. Orientalis (Birula, 1900) Stat. N., And Descriptions Of Four New Species (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Ersen A. Yağmur, František Kovařík, Victor Fet, Graeme Lowe, Mohammad Moradi, Farzaneh Kalami

Euscorpius

No abstract provided.

Abiotic Factors Influencing Anuran Occupation Of Neotropical Brazilian Caves, Vinícius F. Sperandei, Willian Vaz-Silva, Tejerina-Garro L. Francisco

International Journal of Speleology

Despite increasing research on the Neotropical underground environment, anurans remain poorly understood in this habitat. It was analyzed scientific literature records of anurans in Brazilian natural caves and performed a redundancy analysis (RDA) to identify the environmental, taxonomic, geographic, geological and land-use variables that influence their cave occupancy. It was examined a total of 247 literature records, encompassing 83 species/morphospecies, which revealed distinct cave-dwelling tendencies. Some anuran species occupy caves at altitudes between 5 to 21 meters above sea level (m asl), in areas characterized by rocky outcrops and grassland. Others are associated with caves surrounded by forest, savanna, pasture …

Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part Xliii. Lanzatus Fuscipalpis Sp. N. From Ethiopia (Buthidae), František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe

Euscorpius

The rare Horn of Africa buthid genus Lanzatus Kovařík, 2001, known only from Somalia and Somaliland, is recorded for the first time from Ethiopia. We describe a new species Lanzatus fuscipalpis sp. n. fully illustrated with color photographs showing its morphology, habitus, hemispermatophore, and collection sites.

Three New Species Of Androctonus From Morocco (Arachnida: Scorpiones: Buthidae), František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe, František Šťáhlavský

Euscorpius

New data are presented on the taxonomy and distribution of the dark species of the genus Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 in Morocco and Western Sahara. Three new species, A. argoubi sp. n., A. stockmanni sp. n., and A. vaneki sp. n. from Morocco are described, characterized by having metasoma I–IV ventrally punctate, a character that is well developed in A. stockmanni sp. n., and A. vaneki sp. n., and weakly developed in A. argoubi sp. n. Dark species from Morocco are compared with A. sergenti Vachon, 1948, and A. bourdoni Vachon, 1948. We describe and compare their …

Isolation And Divergence Of Greater Earless Lizards (Phrynosomatidae: Cophosaurus) In Western North America Support Multiple Diversification Processes And A Complex Demographic History, Christopher Robert Blair, Carlos Joaquín Pavón-Vázquez, Qaantah Rana, Keaka Farleigh, Erika Crispo, Thomas Panzera, Felipe De Medeiros Magalhães, Britt White, Uri Omar Garcia-Vazquez

Publications and Research

The Southwestern US and northern Mexico continue to serve as ideal regions to elucidate the suite of ecological and evolutionary processes influencing lineage diversification. The complex geological history of arid North America, coupled with paleoclimate change during the Pleistocene and diverse ecoregions makes a multipronged approach to hypothesis testing necessary. We combine thousands of loci from a genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach along with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences from the Greater Earless Lizard (Cophosaurus texanus) to examine diversity and test for cryptic population structure. We also apply recently developed coalescent approaches in a Bayesian framework to estimate migration rates. Population …

First Report Of Fibropapillomatosis And Critical Habitat Use In Green Sea Turtles In Curaçao, M. Tripepi, I. J. R. Van Veghel, A. D. Vreugdenhil, E. Brunelli

College of Life Sciences Faculty Papers

Fibropapillomatosis, a disease affecting green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), has been documented in many regions of the world, including the Caribbean, but has not been scientifically reported in Curaçao until now. The present study utilized VHF telemetry in Caracas Bay, Curaçao, to track green sea turtles, both healthy and affected by fibropapillomatosis, with the objective of ascertaining their foraging locations. VHF telemetry proved to be a pivotal method for assessing habitat use in areas characterized by limited visibility and high boat traffic, conditions that present significant challenges for divers and snorkellers attempting to access the area. The results …

Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part Xlii. Parabuthus Qaraaf Sp. N. From Ethiopia (Buthidae), František Kovařík, Hassan Sh A. Elmi

Euscorpius

No abstract provided.

Site Fidelity, Seasonality, Movement, And Fish Associates Of Sand Tigers Carcharias Taurus In North Carolina, Ara L. Mcclanahan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sand tigers Carcharias taurus are mackerel sharks with a disjunct global distribution in tropical and temperate seas. In the northwest Atlantic, sand tigers migrate along the coast of the eastern United States from the Gulf of Maine to Florida and occupy structurally complex benthic habitats. The long-term, underwater camera installation, SharkCam, at Frying Pan Tower, off Cape Fear, North Carolina, USA, sits atop an expanse of hard bottom reef frequented by sand tigers. The citizen-science platform Spot A Shark USA (SAS USA) uses images of sand tigers to identify and track individuals. This study utilized image encounters from SAS USA …

Coyote (Canis Latrans) And Non-Target Wildlife Responses To Livestock Guardian Dogs At Sheep Grazing Sites On The California Central Coast, Tricia T. Nguyen

Master's Theses

Livestock depredation is one of the oldest and most widespread forms of human-wildlife conflict. The coyote (Canis latrans), a midsized canid, represents a significant proportion of domestic sheep depredations in the United States, costing livestock producers an estimated 24.6 million dollars annually. Management strategies for coyote-sheep depredation vary widely in their effectiveness and in their level of public support. Identifying appropriate strategies for farms, ranches, and other sheep grazing sites remains a pressing need due to the potentially negative consequences for surrounding ecosystems and socioeconomic outcomes for sheep producers. The livestock guardian dog (LGD) is a nonlethal control …

Microbial Guardians Of The Savannah: Unraveling The Gut Microbiome For African Carnivore Conservation, Laura E. Peirson

All NMU Master's Theses

Non-invasive fecal sampling is essential for wildlife gut microbiome (GMB) research, yet field conditions often limit preservation options. I compared gut bacterial communities in paired fecal samples preserved in stabilization tubes and air-dried in paper bags collected from anesthetized African lions (Panthera leo) and spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) in Etosha National Park, Namibia. Additional opportunistic samples from carnivore kill sites were also analyzed. No significant differences in alpha or beta diversity were detected between preserved and dried samples, although bacterial beta diversity differed between preserved and opportunistic samples (PERMANOVA). Core bacterial communities remained consistent across sample …

Gut Passage Time In Small Mammals: Influences Of Small Mammal Traits, Digesta Phase, And Particle Morphology, Noah G. Hale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dispersal is crucial in maintaining healthy ecosystems, but little is known about mechanisms influencing fungal spore dispersal by animals. We aimed to develop a more mechanistic understanding of the influence of fungal spore traits and small mammal traits on gut retention time. We fed three species of small mammals (shrew, mouse, vole), which differ in gut morphologies, digestive strategies, and activity a combination of markers including: liquid digesta phase (CrEDTA), small particle (fungal spores with diverse morphologies), and large particles (glitter and beads, representing plant cells and seeds, respectively). We found that hindgut fermenters selectively retained the liquid markers, spores …

Spatial And Thermal Aspects Of The Ecology Of Three Sympatric Rattlesnakes In The Montane Northern Chihuahuan Desert, Joshua James Mead

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

To understand how animals coexist on the landscape, the individual aspects of a species life history must first be understood. Animals need to find locations that provide the resources they need to survive. Movement, microhabitats, and temperature can alter such areas where animals occur. Understanding animal movements provide important information on space use and microhabitats on the landscape. Ectothermic animals must acquiesce to ambient temperatures or use behavioral modifications to alter their body temperature. The ability to maintain suitable body temperature is essential for physiological function, reproduction, and ability to avoid predation. Research on the variation in a species ecology …

Temporal Partitioning And Coexistence Among Four Sympatric Felid Species In The Northern Jaguar Reserve, Kylie Marie Rezendes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Coexistence among sympatric carnivores is shaped by behavioral strategies that mediate competition and mortality risk in heterogeneous landscapes. Understanding how sympatric carnivores, such as felids, use space and time in relation to one another requires models that account for both spatial and temporal overlap across landscapes. Models incorporating time-to-event probabilities provide a powerful framework for detecting behavioral dynamics across shared landscapes. This study evaluated the spatiotemporal responses of two apex predators â?? the jaguar (Panthera onca) and mountain lion (Puma concolor) - and two mesopredators - bobcat (Lynx rufus) and ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) - across five years of camera trap …

Phylogenetics And Integrative Taxonomy Of The Lang's Reed Frog Species Complex (Anura: Hyperoliidae: Hyperolius Langi), Dominic Troiani

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The genus Hyperolius (Rapp, 1842) is the most speciose amphibian genus in sub-Saharan Africa. The genus has a complex taxonomic history because of its extensive intraspecific and interspecific morphological variation, large geographic distribution of many taxa, gaps in sampling, and the discovery of significant cryptic diversity within many species. The goal of this study is to understand the relationships and taxonomy of Hyperolius langi via an integrative taxonomic approach that combines molecular, morphological, and bioacoustics data to clarify the systematics of the geographically widespread species Hyperolius langi. Two mitochondrial (16S and cyt b) and one nuclear (RAG1) gene were used …

Distributional Records Of Blanding’S Turtles (Emydoidea Blandingii) In Nebraska, Sam Thede, Dan Fogell, Keith Geluso

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) is a species of concern in North America as many populations have declined across its distribution. Environmental factors associated with alteration of natural ecosystems have played a role in declines leading to many isolated populations. Most populations exist in the Great Lakes region with a number of outlying populations, such as Nebraska. Understanding the current distribution of the species will facilitate regional management strategies to protect this species into the future. In Nebraska, Blanding’s Turtles were known from 23 counties prior to this study. Herein, we report on eight new county records, five (Blaine, …

Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part Xli. Pandinops Sahil Sp. N. From Somaliland (Scorpionidae), František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Pandinops sahil sp. n. from Somaliland is described and compared with other species of the genus, fully complemented with color photos of specimens of both sexes of the new species, as well as of their habitat. Pandinops bambii Rossi, 2017 is synonymyzed with Pandinops turieli Kovařík, 2016, syn. n. A key for the species of Pandinops and a map of the distribution of the genus are provided.

Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part Xl. Barbaracurus Lowei Sp. N. From Ethiopia (Buthidae), František Kovařík, Hassan Sh A. Elmi

Euscorpius

Barbaracurus lowei sp. n. from Ethiopia is described and compared with other species of the genus, fully complemented with color photos of specimens of both sexes of the new species, as well as of their habitat. Included is a key for Barbaracurus and a map of the distribution of the genus in the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa.

First Case Of Sexual Cannibalism In Leiurus Abdullahbayrami Yağmur, Koç & Kunt, 2009 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Lebanon, Rami Khashab

Euscorpius

This study presents the first report of sexual cannibalism in the medically significant scorpion Leiurus abdullahbayrami Yağmur, Koç & Kunt, 2009, that was recorded during a herpetological field trip to the semi-desert area in northern Lebanon. It broadens the understanding of sexual cannibalism in scorpions and adds a new prey item to the dietary spectrum of the scorpion.

Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part Xxxix. Buthus Pygmaeus Sp. N. From Somaliland (Buthidae), František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe, František Šťáhlavský, Hassan Sh A. Elmi

Euscorpius

New data are presented on the distribution of the genus Buthus Leach, 1815 in the Horn of Africa, mainly in Somaliland. B. pygmaeus sp. n. is described, fully complemented with color photographs of live and preserved specimens, as well as their habitats. In addition to the analysis of external morphology and hemispermatophors, we provide a description of the karyotype of B. pygmaeus sp. n. (2n=22). A key and distribution map of Buthus in the Horn of Africa (six species) are included