Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Monitoring For Wolves, Jeff Hansen, Cat Urbigkit

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

Gray wolves (Canis lupus) and Mexican wolves (Canis lupus baileyi) once again roam across landscapes where they have been absent for decades (Figure 1). With wolf range expansion comes increased opportunities for conflicts when wolves harass or prey on domestic livestock or other animals. Wolves have relatively high reproductive and dispersal rates but detecting individual animals in low-density populations is difficult without a concerted monitoring effort. In fact, wolf presence in an area often is not known until there is a confirmed livestock depredation. Ranchers and wildlife damage management experts need not wait for livestock depredations to occur before wolves …

2020-2021 Christmas Bird Counts, Don Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

Fourteen counts were run during the 2020-2021 CBC season, ten of which were run in the period December 14 through December 22. The other four were done December 28 or later. The weather was generally cooperative with little snow cover and some open water. While there were no weather issues that resulted in cancellation or postponement, four counts, Crawford, Harrison, Harlan County, and Omaha, were cancelled over concerns for the Covid situation. It would be expected that running fewer counts would have a noticeable negative impact on this year’s species count and overall numbers. The Harrison and Crawford counts usually …

Apparent Townsend’S X Black-Throated Green Warbler (Setophaga Townsendi X Virens) Hybrids In Kansas And Nebraska, Jon C. King, Terry Swope, Kevin Groeneweg, Pete Janzen, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

The Townsend’s Warbler (Setophaga townsendi), Hermit Warbler (Setophaga occidentalis), Golden-cheeked Warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia), and Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) are similar in appearance and vocalizations. Evaluation of mtDNA suggests that these four species diverged about 1 million years ago during the mid-Pleistocene (Lovette et al. 2010), at which time glaciation separated ancestral forms thus allowing for speciation (Morse and Poole 2020). Under the environmental conditions prevalent today, however, the breeding distribution of Townsend’s Warbler now overlaps to a limited extent with those of the Hermit and Black-throated Green Warblers, and hybridization occurs …

The Nebraska Bird Review, Volume 89 March 2021 Number 1

Nebraska Bird Review

Winter Field Report, Dec. 2020 - Feb. 2021, by W. Ross Silcock …2-17

2020-2021 Christmas Bird Counts …18, 29-40

Annual Color Photo Section …21-28

Apparent Townsend’s x Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga townsendi x virens) hybrids in Kansas and Nebraska, by Jon C. King, Terry Swope, Kevin Groeneweg, Pete Janzen, & Mark A. Brogie … 41

Annual Treasurer's Report for 2020, by Jan Johnson …46.

Subscription and Organization Information …47

Toxicity Of Sodium Nitrite-Based Vertebrate Pesticides For European Starlings (Sturnus Vulgaris), Scott J. Werner, Shelagh T. Deliberto, Hailey E. Mclean, Katherine E. Horak, Kirt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In the 21st century, invasive animals rank second only to habitat destruction as the greatest threat to global biodiversity. Socially-acceptable and cost-effective strategies are needed to reduce the negative economic and environmental impacts of invasive animals. We investigated the potential for sodium nitrite (SN; CAS 7632-00-0) to serve as an avian toxicant for European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris L.). We also assessed the non-target hazard of an experimental formulation of SN that is being developed as a toxicant for invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa L.). In gavage experiments with European starlings, we identified a lowest observed adverse effect level …

Sars-Cov-2 Exposure In Escaped Mink, Utah, Usa, Susan A. Shriner, Jeremy W. Ellis, J. Jeffrey Root, Annette Roug, Scott R. Stopak, Gerald W. Wiscomb, Jared R. Zierenberg, Hon S. Ip, Mia Kim Torchetti, Thomas J. Deliberto

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In August 2020, outbreaks of coronavirus disease were confirmed on mink farms in Utah, USA. We surveyed mammals captured on and around farms for evidence of infection or exposure. Free-ranging mink, presumed domestic escapees, exhibited high antibody titers, suggesting a potential severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 transmission pathway to native wildlife.

We report a wildlife epidemiologic investigation of mammals captured on or near properties in Utah, USA, where outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection occurred in farmed mink. Mink farms are relatively common in the United States, and most are small family farms. The US …

Great Expectations: Deconstructing The Process Pathways Underlying Beaver-Related Restoration, Caroline S. Nash, Gordon E. Grant, Susan Charnley, Jason B. Dunham, Hannah Gosnell, Mark B. Hausner, David S. Pilliod, Jimmy Taylor

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Beaver-related restoration is a process-based strategy that seeks to address wide-ranging ecological objectives by reestablishing dam building in degraded stream systems. Although the beaver-related restoration has broad appeal, especially in water-limited systems, its effectiveness is not yet well documented. In this article, we present a process-expectation framework that links beaver-related restoration tactics to commonly expected outcomes by identifying the set of process pathways that must occur to achieve those expected outcomes. We explore the contingency implicit within this framework using social and biophysical data from project and research sites. This analysis reveals that outcomes are often predicated on complex process …

Avian Visual Ecologists Should Consider Uv Absorbance And All Sensory Modalities: A Response To Wisenden Et Al. (2020), Sean T. O'Daniels, Scott J. Werner, Ken Yasukawa

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In a recent publication, Wisenden et al. (2020) examined responses of territorial male Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) to models constructed with ultraviolet (UV)-reflective red epaulets for the purpose of determining if the addition of UV reflectance to epaulets ("UV+") changed the effectiveness of signals to receivers relative to "control" epaulets under field conditions. The authors hypothesized that "UV+epaulet coloration represents a visual signal with increased efficacy in territorial interactions." They presented behavioral data but no visual modeling data. Our aims in this commentary are to suggest alternative terms to those used by the authors, to express concern about the use …

Especies Nuevas De Lasioglossum Curtis De Las Altas Montañas De Las Antillas Mayores Y Estado Actual Del Conocimiento Del Taxon Habralictellus Moure Y Hurd (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Halictidae), Julio A. Genaro

Insecta Mundi

Resumen. Se describen para las Antillas cuatro especies nuevas de Lasioglossum Curtis pertenecientes al taxon Habralictellus Moure y Hurd (Hymenoptera: Halictidae): Lasioglossum (Habralictellus) cuba, Lasio­glossum (Habralictellus) darlingtoni, Lasioglossum (Habralictellus) jagibbsi y Lasioglossum (Habralictellus) laupackeri. Se utiliza como subgénero para mantener la estabilidad taxonómica. Se presenta la historia y el estado actual del conocimiento de Habralictellus, que aún no ha encontrado un lugar justificado y aceptado, al unísono por los especialistas, en la nomenclatura zoológica. Se ofrece un listado de las especies conocidas, sexo y distribución.

Abstract. Four new species of Lasioglossum …

A Brief Review Of The New World Xestipyge Marseul (Coleoptera: Histeridae: Dendrophilinae: Paromalini) With Description Of A New Species From The Southwestern Usa, William B. Warner

Insecta Mundi

New World species of the histerid beetle genus Xestipyge Marseul (Coleoptera: Histeridae: Dendrophilinae: Paromalini) are reviewed, and X. skelleyi, new species, is described. A dichotomous key and illustrations are provided as identification means for the now five included species from the Western Hemisphere.

Xestipyge was erected by Marseul (1862) as a monotypic subgenus of his genus Carcinops for “Carcinops radula Marseul” because of its unusual elytral striae, with fourth dorsal stria arched over the fifth dorsal stria and con­necting to the sutural (= sixth dorsal) stria. Lewis elevated Xestipyge to generic status in 1905. In addition to the different …

Two New Scarab Beetles From The Southwestern Usa (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae And Aphodiinae), William B. Warner

Insecta Mundi

Phyllophaga (Listrochelus) benwarneri new species and Cinacanthus cunninghami new species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) are described from dune systems in northern Arizona and extreme southern Nevada, USA. Habitus and diagnostic characters of these species are illustrated, and couplets from the respective, most recent (sub)generic keys are modified to incorporate the new species. Available habits and habitat information for each species, and a discussion of the Phyllophaga “senex complex” of species are provided.

This work describes two new scarab beetles from the Southwestern USA, which are apparently restricted to dune systems in northern Arizona to extreme southern Nevada: one, an arenophilic …

The Influence Of Juvenile Dinosaurs On Community Structure And Diversity, Katlin Schroeder, S. Kathleen Lyons, Felisa A. Smith

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Despite dominating biodiversity in the Mesozoic, dinosaurs were not speciose. Oviparity constrained even gigantic dinosaurs to less than 15 kg at birth; growth through multiple morphologies led to the consumption of different resources at each stage. Such disparity between neonates and adults could have influenced the structure and diversity of dinosaur communities. Here, we quantified this effect for 43 communities across 136 million years and seven continents. We found that megatheropods (more than 1000 kg) such as tyrannosaurs had specific effects on dinosaur community structure. Although herbivores spanned the body size range, communities with megatheropods lacked carnivores weighing 100 to …

A New Vaejovis C.L. Koch From The Sierra Madre Occidental Of Durango, Mexico (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Jessica S. Azzinnari, Robert W. Bryson, Matthew R. Graham, Carlos Solís-Rojas, W. David Sissom

Insecta Mundi

A new montane species of Vaejovis C.L. Koch (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) is described from the Si­erra Madre Occidental of Durango, Mexico. Vaejovis baggins Azzinnari, Bryson, Graham, Solís-Rojas, and Sissom, new species, is similar to mexicanus group species in the mountain range, including V. montanus Graham and Bryson, V. sierrae Sissom, Graham, Donaldson, and Bryson, and V. mcwesti Sissom, Graham, Donaldson, and Bryson, but differs from these species based on aspects of body size, pedipalp carination, chelae granulation, morphometrics, and setal patterns on the metasoma. A molecular clock estimate indi­cates that the new species shared a common ancestor with V. mcwesti …

Factors Leading To Successful Island Rodent Eradications Following Initial Failure, Araceli Samaniego, Peter Kappes, Keith Broome, Steve Cranwell, Richard Griffiths, Grant Harper, Pete Mcclelland, Russell Palmer, Gerard Rocamora, Keith Springer, David Will, Shane Siers

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Island rodent eradications are increasingly conducted to eliminate the negative impacts of invasive rodents. The success rate in the tropics has been lower than in temperate regions, triggering research and reviews. Environmental factors unique to the tropics (e.g., land crabs and year-round rodent breeding) have been associated with eradication failure. Operational factors have also been important, but these have not been comprehensively assessed. The environmental and operational factors using global cases where rodent eradication initially failed and subsequent attempts occurred were compared. It was determined whether operational factors explained the initial failures, whether operational improvements explained subsequent successes, and whether …

Observations On The Distribution And Status Of Selected Nebraska Mammals, Zachary P. Roehrs, Russell A. Benedict, Thomas E. Labedz, Hugh H. Genoways

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Information on the distribution and current status of 25 species or subspecies of mammals occurring in Nebraska are presented. The species covered include one shrew, an armadillo, eight bats, 10 rodents (including two subspecies of one species), three carnivores, and one artiodactyl. Distributional information reported includes the first state record for one species (Sorex nanus) and new county records for 18 species. In Nebraska, we know that mammals are shifting their geographic ranges with some extending populations into the state, whereas others are expanding their geographic ranges within the state. The current status of six additional mammalian taxa …

Enoclerus Hefferni, A New Species Of Checkered Beetle (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae) From Honduras, With Additions To The Honduran Enoclerus Gahan Fauna, Jacques Rifkind

Insecta Mundi

Enoclerus hefferni Rifkind, new species (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae), is described from Hon­duras. This beetle represents the second known Honduran endemic Enoclerus Gahan species. New country records for 12 species of Enoclerus are presented for Honduras.

The Enoclerus Gahan fauna of Honduras is poorly known, and heretofore only seven species (E. gibbus Ekis, 1976, E. hoegei (Gorham, 1882), E. irregularis Barr, 1978, E. nigromaculatus (Chevrolat, 1843), E. pilatei (Chevrolat, 1874), E. salvini (Gorham, 1876), and E. zebra (Chevrolat, 1843)) have been recorded for that country. Most of these species have broader distributions north into Guatemala and southern Mexico, or south …

New Species, New Records And Synonymy Of Brazilian Species Of Hypothenemus Westwood, 1834 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), Thomas H. Atkinson, Carlos A.H. Flechtmann

Insecta Mundi

Eight new species of Hypothenemus Westwood (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) are de­scribed from Brazil and Peru: H. subsulcatus Atkinson and Flechtmann new species, H. wilsoni Atkinson and Flechtmann new species, H. murariae Atkinson and Flechtmann new species, H. lunzi Atkinson and Flechtmann new species, H. cordeiroi Atkinson and Flechtmann new species, H. concavodeclivis Atkinson and Flechtmann new species, H. foelkelae Atkinson and Flechtmann new species, H. olzenoi Atkinson and Flechtmann new species. Fifteen species are recorded from Brazil for the first time, including H. aulmanni …

Occurrence Status Of The Fall Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) In South Korea, Soo-Jung Suh, Deuk-Soo Choi, Sol-Moon Na

Insecta Mundi

To respond to the growing risk from Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), the migratory fall ar­myworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), the National Fall Armyworm Surveillance Program (NFASP) for early detection for this pest ran from April to November during 2019 and 2020. The fall armyworm surveillance program involved seasonal monitoring of the pest with pheromone traps placed in fields of cereal crops at high-risk locations. The trapping season ran from early spring to late autumn, with a total deployment of 396 traps. During the survey of 2019 to 2020, a total of 120 male adults of S. frugiperda were captured in these …

Three New Species Of Phaea Newman (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), With Discussion Of The Need For And Designation Of A Lectotype For Phaea Rufiventris Bates, James E. Wappes, Antonio Santos-Silva

Insecta Mundi

Three new species of Phaea Newman, 1840 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) are described from Me­xico: P. quadrimaculata Wappes and Santos-Silva, new species; P. aurantia Wappes and Santos-Silva, new species; and the third, P. tavakiliani Wappes and Santos-Silva, new species, whose specimens were found within the type series of Phaea rufiventris Bates, 1872. Hence, a lectotype is designated for the latter and the new species is described herein.

On The Transference Of Ataxia Tibialis Schaeffer To Bisaltes (Bisaltes) Thomson With Synonymies And New Records In The Genus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), Antonio Santos-Silva, James E. Wappes

Insecta Mundi

Ataxia tibialis Schaeffer, 1908 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Pteropliini) is transferred to Bisaltes (Bisaltes) Thomson, 1868 (Apomecynini), new combination; the female is described for the first time. This extends the range of the genus, previously only known as far north as Costa Rica, to southern Texas. Bisaltes (Bisaltes) obliquatus Breuning, 1940 is found to be conspecific with Bisaltes (Bisaltes) uniformis Breuning, 1939, new synonymy, and recorded from Argentina and the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The ho­lotypes of Esthlogena pulverea Bates, 1866, and Bisaltes posticalis Thomson, 1868 (currently, both synonyms of Bisaltes (Bisaltes …

Recharacterization Of Stenaspis Audinet-Serville, 1834 With A New Species From Mexico (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Trachyderini), Bryan K. Eya

Insecta Mundi

The genus Stenaspis Audinet-Serville, 1834 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Trachy­derini) is recharacterized by providing additional morphological features to enhance the definition of this genus. Stenaspis plagiata Waterhouse, 1877 is transferred to Crioprosopus Audinet-Serville, 1834, new com­bination, and the latest key to species of Crioprosopus is modified. A key to the genera of Group III-Stenaspes with “abruptly separated anteocular space,” and a key to species of Stenaspis is provided. Color illustrations of the available species are included. Stenaspis lingafelteri Eya, new species, from Mexico is described.

A New Genus And Species Of Tiger Beetle, Pseudocollyris Shooki (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae), From Yunnan, China, Wen-Xuan Bi, Jürgen Wiesner

Insecta Mundi

A new genus, Pseudocollyris Bi and Wiesner, is established for the new species Pseudocollyris shooki Bi and Wiesner (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae), from Western Yunnan, China. A description, diagnostic features and illustrations of habitus are provided.

In 2017, the first author collected one remarkable tiger beetle during a survey in Western Yunnan, China. The beetle shows an elongated body, a metallic purple elytral surface with a pair of bright median spots and coarse punctation. Such appearance superficially resembles species of the tribe Collyridini (e.g. Collyris Fabricius, 1801 or Neocollyris Horn, 1901). However, detailed investigations of the beetle indicate it belongs to …

Taxonomic Revision Of Eunota Togata (Laferté-Sénectère, 1841) (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) In North America With A New Subspecies From Western Texas And New Mexico, United States, Robert E. Acciavatti

Insecta Mundi

Within Nearctic Cicindelidae, Cicindelini, Eunota togata (LaFerté-Sénectère, 1841) (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) exists as several distinct phenotypes, some described as subspecies whose taxonomic status has been misinterpreted. Eunota togata togata applies to adults marked with broadly sinuate inner margins on shiny brown elytra common across northern coastal Gulf of Mexico. Eunota togata fascinans (Casey, 1914), new synonymy, incorrectly applied to populations in western Texas and New Mexico, United States, is considered a junior synonym of E. togata globicollis (Casey, 1913), the predominant subspecies with broadly sinuate inner margins on coppery elytra found from eastern New Mexico and western Texas into the …

Production Of Embryos And A Live Offspring Using Post Mortem Reproductive Material From Bison (Bison Bison Bison) Originating In Yellowstone National Park, Usa, Hayley M. Benham, Matthew P. Mccollum, Pauline Nol, Rebecca K. Frey, P. Ryan Clarke, Jack C. Rhyan, Jennifer P. Barfield

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Bison from Yellowstone National Park (YNP) have an important genetic history. As one of the few wild herds of bison with no evidence of cattle DNA introgression and a large enough population to maintain genetic diversity, they are considered a conservation priority for the species. Unfortunately, there is a high prevalence of the zoonotic disease brucellosis in the herd. Part of the management strategy for controlling the disease and herd size in YNP is to remove bison from the population during the winter migration out of the park. This interagency management cull provides an opportunity to collect a large number …

Dispersal And Land Cover Contribute To Pseudorabies Virus Exposure In Invasive Wild Pigs, Felipe A. Hernandez, Amanda N. Carr, Michael P. Milleson, Hunter R. Merrill, Michael L. Avery, Brandon M. Parker, Cortney L. Pylant, James D. Austin, Samantha M. Wisely

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We investigated the landscape epidemiology of a globally distributed mammal, the wild pig (Sus scrofa), in Florida (U.S.), where it is considered an invasive species and reservoir to pathogens that impact the health of people, domestic animals, and wildlife. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that two commonly cited factors in disease transmission, connectivity among populations and abundant resources, would increase the likelihood of exposure to both pseudorabies virus (PrV) and Brucella spp. (bacterial agent of brucellosis) in wild pigs across the Kissimmee Valley of Florida. Using DNA from 348 wild pigs and sera from 320 individuals at 24 sites, we …

Precise Multispecies Agricultural Gas Flux Determined Using Broadband Open-Path Dual-Comb Spectroscopy, D. I. Herman, C. Weerasekara Et Al.

School of Natural Resources: Documents and Reviews

No abstract provided.

Dog And Owner Characteristics Predict Training Success, Jeffrey R. Stevens, London M. Wolff, Megan Bosworth, Jill Morstad

Jeffrey Stevens Publications

Teaching owners how to train their dogs is an important part of maintaining the health and safety of dogs and people. Yet we do not know what behavioral characteristics of dogs and their owners are relevant to dog training or if owner cognitive abilities play a role in training success. The aim of this study is to determine which characteristics of both dogs and owners predict success in completing the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen training program. Before the first session of a dog training course, owners completed surveys evaluating the behavior and cognition of their dog and themselves. …

Are Capuchin Monkeys (Sapajus Spp.) Sensitive To Lost Opportunities? The Role Of Opportunity Costs In Intertemporal Choice, Elsa Addessi, Valeria Tierno, Valentina Focaroli, Federica Rossi, Serena Gastaldi, Francesca De Petrillo, Fabio Paglieri, Jeffrey R. Stevens

Jeffrey Stevens Publications

Principles of economics predict that the costs associated with obtaining rewards can influence choice. When individuals face choices between a smaller, immediate option and a larger, later option, they often experience opportunity costs associated with waiting for delayed rewards because they must forego the opportunity to make other choices. We evaluated how reducing opportunity costs affects delay tolerance in capuchin monkeys. After choosing the larger option, in the High cost condition, subjects had to wait for the delay to expire, whereas in the Low cost different and Low cost same conditions, they could perform a new choice during the delay. …

Impact Of Maize Hybrid Selection On Water Productivity Under Deficit Irrigation In Semiarid Western Nebraska, Strahinja Stepanovic, Daran Rudnick, Greg R. Kruger

West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte

The future economic and agricultural sustainability of semiarid western Nebraska will largely depend on more efficient utilization of the declining groundwater resources. The scope of this research was to evaluate the maize hybrid yield, water productivity (WP; i.e. grain yield produced per unit of water consumed), and irrigation water productivity (IWP; i.e. increase in grain yield per unit of irrigation water applied) across a range of semiarid climatic conditions (i.e. drought, normal, and wet) and irrigation treatments. Total of 13 maize hybrids were evaluated under full irrigation (FI), deficit irrigation (DI, receiving ~50% less irrigation water than FI), and dryland …

Visual Control Of Refuge Recognition In The Whip Spider Phrynus Marginemaculatus, Kaylyn A.S. Flanigan, Daniel D. Wiegmann, Patrick Casto, Vincent J. Coppola, Natasha R. Flesher, Eileen Hebets, Verner Peter Bingman

Eileen Hebets Publications

Amblypygids, or whip spiders, are nocturnally active arachnids which live in structurally complex environments. Whip spiders are excellent navigators that can re-locate a home refuge without relying on visual input. Therefore, an open question is whether visual input can control any aspect of whip spider spatial behavior. In the current study, Phrynus marginemaculatus were trained to locate an escape refuge by discriminating between differently oriented black and white stripes placed either on the walls of a testing arena (frontal discrimination) or on the ceiling of the same testing arena (overhead discrimination). Regardless of the placement of the visual stimuli, the …