Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Wetland Edge Trampled By American Bison (Bos Bison) Used As Basking Site For Painted Turtles (Chrysemys Picta), Keith Geluso, Carter Kruse, Mary Harner

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Prairies of the Great Plains once were influenced by large-scale disturbances, such as fire and herbivory by large ungulates, that promoted ecosystem functioning. American Bison (Bos bison) created many types of disturbances as they traversed grassland landscapes. Trampling, a common type of bison disturbance, occurred when large herds moved through an area denuding aboveground vegetation, exposing prairie soils, and restarting succession. Bison reintroductions now allow researchers to use contemporary observations to examine influences of these large, hoofed mammals on system functions. Herein, we report on the immediate benefit of trampling along a wetland edge for another vertebrate species. …

Description Of A New Species Of Chrysina Kirby (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) From The Sierra Azul, Oaxaca, Mexico, A New Synonymy, And Notes On Chrysina Species Found In The Sierra Azul, José Monzón Sierra, Julian Federico Blackaller-Bages, David C. Hawks

Insecta Mundi

A new species of Chrysina Kirby, C. clavellina Monzón, Blackaller, and Hawks (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini) is described from Santiago Clavellinas in the Sierra Azul in Oaxaca, Mexico. Chrysina cosijoezai (Ramírez-Ponce and Curoe) is placed as a junior synonym of C. lacordairei (Boucard), and notes on the Chrysina fauna of this mountain range are included.

Se describe una nueva especie de Chrysina Kirby, C. clavellina Monzón, Blackaller, y Hawks (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) de Santiago Clavellinas en la Sierra Azul en Oaxaca, México. Chrysina cosijoezai (Ramírez-Ponce y Curoe) se sitúa como un sinónimo de C. lacordairei (Boucard) y se incluyen notas …

A New Cryptic Species Of Metallic Chrysina Kirby (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) From Western Honduras, José Monzón Sierra, David C. Hawks

Insecta Mundi

A new species of Chrysina Kirby (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae), Chrysina porioni Monzón and Hawks, is described from the Sierra del Merendón west of San Pedro Sula, Honduras. This species is very similar to C. ericsmithi (Monzón and Cano), with which it has long been confused.

Resumen. Se describe una nueva especie de Chrysina Kirby (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae), Chrysina porioni Monzón y Hawks, de la Sierra del Merendón al oeste de San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Esta especies es muy parecida a C. ericsmithi (Monzón y Cano), con la cuál se ha confundido por mucho tiempo.

Asymmetric Benefits Of A Heterospecific Breeding Association Vary With Habitat, Conspecific Abundance And Breeding Stage, Rose J. Swift, Michael J. Anteau, Erin A. Roche, Mark H. Sherfy, Dustin L. Toy, Megan M. Ring

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Heterospecific breeding associations may benefit individuals by mitigating predation risk but may also create costs if they increase competition for resources or are more easily detectable by predators. Our understanding of the interactions among hetero- and conspecifics is often lacking in mixed species colonies. Here, we test how the presence of hetero- and conspecifics influence nest and chick survival for two listed (under the U.S. Endangered Species Act) migratory species breeding on the Missouri River, USA. We monitored 2507 piping plover Charadrius melodus nests and 3245 chicks as well as 1060 least tern Sternula antillarum nests and 1374 chicks on …

New Records Document Cystiphora Sonchi (Vallot) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) And Associated Parasitoids (Hymenoptera) In The Continental United States, Louis S. Hesler, Michael W. Gates, Eric A. Beckendorf

Insecta Mundi

A gall midge, Cystiphora sonchi (Vallot, 1827) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), is reported for the first time in the continental United States of America from the states of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The gall midge is an obligate parasite of Sonchus L., including perennial sowthistle, Sonchus arvensis L., a weed that was the impetus for earlier releases of C. sonchi as a biological control in Canada. Patches of S. arvensis were commonly infested with C. sonchi, and often leaves were densely galled. Dissections of galled leaves led to the novel finding of multiple C. sonchi larvae in some individual …

Tools, Techniques And Teamwork: Transferring New Technologies For Wildlife Management, Conservation And Economic Development, John Eisemann, Gail Keirn

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Did you ever wonder who invented radio telemetry? Or breakaway snares? What about the bird repellent methyl anthranilate or the livestock protection collar? These and many other tools used in wildlife damage management resulted from creative thinking by biologists, technicians, researchers and managers working to solve complex wildlife issues. Over the past 90 years, these “aha moments” within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services program have ranged from developing novel scare devices, traps and vaccines to exploiting an animal’s visual capabilities to stop unwanted behaviors. Once discovered, these unique ideas may lead to practical, feasible and cost-effective wildlife damage …

Instability Of Glucocorticoid Metabolites In Coyote Scats: Implications For Field Sampling, Erika T. Stevenson, Eric M. Gese, Lorin A. Neuman-Lee, Susannah S. French

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Studying physiologic stress responses can assist in understanding the welfare of animals. One method of measuring the physiologic stress response is evaluating concentrations of glucocorticoid metabolites in feces. Previously, using an adrenocorticotropic hormone challenge, we found fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels were a reliable indicator of physiologic stress response in coyotes (Canis latrans). We determine whether glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations remain stable when collecting feces over a 2-week period, a timeframe commonly used in scat surveys for wild canids. We collected feces from 6 captive coyotes maintained at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Predator …

Two New Species Of Corynellus Bates, 1885 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae), Antonio Santos-Silva, James E. Wappes

Insecta Mundi

Two new species of Corynellus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae) are described: C. rebeccae Santos-Silva and Wappes, from Bolivia; and C. elianae Santos-Silva and Wappes, from Panama. A key to species of Corynellus is provided.

The Matsucoccus Cockerell, 1909 Of Florida (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Matsucoccidae): Potential Pests Of Florida Pines, Muhammad Z. Ahmed, Charles H. Ray, Matthew R. Moore, Douglass R. Miller

Insecta Mundi

Matsucoccus krystalae Ahmed and Miller, new species, (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Matsucoccidae) is described based on morphological characters of adult females and third-instar males. We designate the lectotype of Matsucoccus alabamae Morrison. Matsucoccus alabamae Morrison and M. gallicolus Morrison are redescribed, also based on adult females and third-instar males. Detailed illustrations and descriptions are presented for each species and an identification key for the five species occurring in the eastern U.S. is provided. Analysis of 18S, 28S D2/D3, and 28S D10 loci were performed to support morphological determination. Barcodes using 5′ COI of M. alabamae and M. krystalae were generated, the …

New State And Island Records Of Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) In Hawai‘I, Usa, Louis S. Hesler, William D. Perreira, Dana Anne Yee, Joshua H.S. Silva

Insecta Mundi

Three new records of Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) are recorded within the state of Hawai‘i, USA. Diomus roseicollis (Mulsant, 1853) is newly recorded from the state based on four specimens collected on the island of O‘ahu. Cycloneda sanguinea sanguinea (Linnaeus, 1763) and Brumoides suturalis (Fabricius, 1789), both already established in the state, are newly recorded from the island of Hawai‘i. Additional sampling is recommended to determine the distribution of D. roseicollis within the island of O‘ahu. Further surveys are warranted to determine particular habitats and prey for D. roseicollis, C. sanguinea sanguinea, and B. suturalis in …

A New Species Of Cymatodera Gray (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Tillinae) From Baja California, Mexico, Jacques Rifkind

Insecta Mundi

The Cymatodera Gray fauna of Baja California (the Mexican states of Baja California and Baja California Sur) comprises fifteen species, of which six (C. minacis Barr, C. intermedia Barr, C. fascifera LeConte, C. santarosae Schaeffer, C. cephalica Schaeffer, and C. purpuricollis Horn) are endemic to the peninsula. Three of these endem­ics (C. intermedia, C. cephalica, and C. purpuricollis) are apterous. The remaining nine species are more broadly distributed, with ranges that extend north into the U.S. border states. This paper describes a new species of fully winged, endemic Baja Cymatodera. The new species is …

New Species, New Records And Synonymy Of Mexican Corthylus Erichson, 1834 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), Thomas H. Atkinson

Insecta Mundi

Ten new species of Corthylus Erichson (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) are described from Mexico: Corthylus spinosulus, new species, C. cristatus, new species, C. cristatulus, new species, C. granu­locristatus, new species, C. poblanus, new species, C. ibarrai, new species, C. latisetosus, new species, C. burgosi, new species, C. granulosus, new species, and C. microcorthyloides, new species. Corthylus uniseptis Schedl, 1961 is synonymized with C. parvulus Blandford, 1904, new synonymy. Additional distribution …

A New Genus And 37 New Noctuoid Species From Peninsular Florida And The Keys (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea), J. T. Troubridge

Insecta Mundi

A new genus, Janzena (Erebidae), and 37 new species of Noctuoidea (Lepidoptera) are described from Florida as well as two species elevated from synonymy to species status. Bleptina biformata, Bleptina ex­tincta, Bleptina flavivena, Bleptina verticalis, Lascoria coma, Janzena pyraliformis, Sigela sordes, Sigela minuta, Sigela incisa, Sigela subincisa, Sigela rosea, Sigela lynx, Dyspyralis ocala, Metalectra nigrior, Metalectra dixoni, Melipotis florida, Doryodes acta, Doryodes unica, Doryodes fulva, Toxonprucha killamae, Zale lafontainei, Zale vargoi, Zale clandestina, Athyrma fakahatchee, Antiblemma perva, Antiblemma carolae, …

A New Species Of The Spittlebug Genus Clastoptera Germar (Hemiptera: Cercopoidea: Clastopteridae) On Florida Oaks, Vinton Thompson, Susan E. Halbert, Mark Rothschild

Insecta Mundi

Over the past decade, a previously unrecorded spittlebug of the genus Clastoptera Germar (Hemip­tera: Cercopoidea: Clastopteridae) has been observed in abundance on oaks (Quercus L. spp., Fagaceae) in several Florida counties. We describe this spittlebug as a new species, Clastoptera querci Thompson, Halbert and Rothschild, new species, provide information on its life history, host plants and distribution, and place it in the context of other members of the genus. Clastoptera spp. can transmit Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al., a bacterial pathogen that causes bacterial leaf scorch associated with oak decline. Thus C. querci should be monitored as a …

Review Of Species Of Anelaphus Linsley And Its New Synonym Gymnopsyra Linsley From The United States And Canada With Description Of A New Species, Synonymies, Distributional Notes And An Illustrated Identification Key (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Elaphidiini), Steven W. Lingafelter

Insecta Mundi

A review and illustrated key to Anelaphus Linsley, 1936 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Elaphidiini) of the United States and Canada is provided, along with taxonomic and distributional notes. Gymnopsyra Linsley, 1937, is a new synonym of Anelaphus. Gymnopsyra chemsaki Linsley, 1963 is a new synonym of Gymnopsyra magnipunctatus (Knull, 1934). Anelaphus hoferi (Knull, 1934) and Anelaphus tuckeri (Casey, 1924) are new synonyms of Anelaphus simile (Schaeffer, 1908). Anelaphus parallelus (Newman, 1840), An­elaphus rusticus (LeConte, 1850), and Anelaphus davisi Skiles, 1985 are new synonyms of Anelaphus villosus (Fabricius, 1792). Anelaphus aspera (Knull, 1962), Anelaphus bupalpa (Chemsak, 1991), and Anelaphus mag­nipunctatus (Knull, 1934) …

On Speciation And Hybridization Among Closely Related Species: Establishing An Experimental Breeding Lineage Between Two Species Of Automeris Hübner Moths (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) And Implications For Taxonomy, Andrei Sourakov, Cassandra Doll, Alyssa M. Quinn, Lei Xiao, Eric Anderson

Insecta Mundi

Many species of plants and a few species of animals are believed to have resulted from hybridization of parental species, and the ability of species to occasionally hybridize in captivity and in nature is even more widespread. In the present study, we describe a hybridization experiment conducted in the laboratory between the sexually dimorphic Automeris io (Fabricius), a widespread, variable species ranging from Canada to Costa Rica, and its congener A. louisiana (Ferguson and Brou), a more local, sexually monomorphic species (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). The A. louisiana populations occur in a highly specialized habitat—the coastal marshland along the Gulf of Mexico …

Systematic Status Of The Chilean Genus Carlota Arias-Bohart, 2014 (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Agrypninae: Agrypnini), Elizabeth T. Arias-Bohart

Insecta Mundi

The click beetle genus Carlota Arias-Bohart (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Agrypninae: Agrypnini) was considered as a junior synonym of Candanius Hayek recently. However, there are deep morphological differences between these genera which justify the validity of Carlota. The morphology of this genus was re-examined in detail and based on the short and shallow antennal grooves, strongly serrate antennae from antennomeres 3 through 10, subquadrate pronotum with four distinct subcircular depressions, and straight prosternal process not bent dorsally, I resurrect the genus Carlota from synonymy.

Designación Del Lectotipo De Ectinogonia Costata (Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), Y Descripción De Una Nueva Especie De Ectinogonia (Ectinogonia) Spinola De Chile, Cristian Pineda, José Mondaca

Insecta Mundi

El tipo primario de Psiloptera costata Fairmaire, actualmente en Ectinogonia Spinola (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), fue descubierto y se designa lectotipo. Como la descripción original es incompleta, la especie es brevemente redescrita e ilustrada en función del lectotipo. Adicionalmente, con base en ejemplares de Ectinogonia Spinola recolectados en planicies litorales de las regiones de Atacama y Coquimbo, se describe una nueva especie del desierto costero de Chile, E. gigantea Pineda y Mondaca, nueva especie. Se presentan caracteres diagnósticos, fotografías de los adultos y de los órganos genitales del macho y la hembra, junto a observaciones sobre el hábitat, historia natural, …

The Psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) Of Florida: Newly Established And Rarely Collected Taxa And Checklist, Susan E. Halbert, Daniel Burckhardt

Insecta Mundi

Psyllids are an economically important group of insects. Several species are serious emerging pests with regulatory significance. About 20 adventive species have been discovered in Florida in the past 20 years, including several pests. Additionally, five species new to science have been found. We provide an annotated checklist of Florida species with taxonomic information and identification tools, including keys to Florida genera and known species. Seventy species of Psylloidea currently are reported from Florida. Forty-one are native to Florida, with 12 endemic to the state. Twenty are adventive, the majority being from the Neotropics. One was introduced deliberately for biological …

Apiomerus Cazieri Berniker And Szerlip (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae) Predaceous On Trichodes Ornatus Say (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae), Jacques Rifkind

Insecta Mundi

The assassin bug Apiomerus cazieri Berniker and Szerlip (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) was observed to prey on the clerid beetle Trichodes ornatus Say (Coleoptera: Cleridae). This observation is the first recorded instance of Trichodes Herbst as a prey insect, and the second record for reduviid predation on Cleridae.

Host-Use Patterns Of Canopy-Inhabiting Click Beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae) In A Lowland Rainforest In Southern Venezuela, Susan Kirmse, Paul J. Johnson

Insecta Mundi

The arboreal click beetle fauna (Coleoptera: Elateridae) in a lowland tropical rainforest in south­ern Venezuela was observed and collected by means of a tower crane for a full year. The evaluation of the elaterid assemblage is part of a general survey of Coleoptera associated with several canopy trees. The Elat­eridae represented the tenth most species-rich beetle family in the canopy of the crane plot and was therefore selected for a detailed analysis of host-use patterns. In total, 20 species of Elateridae with 402 adult indi­viduals were sampled, including seven singletons. Species were either flower visiting (Aeolus Eschscholtz and Cosmesus …

Taxonomic Revision Of The Western Hemisphere Checkered Beetle Genus Axina Kirby (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae), Weston Opitz

Insecta Mundi

The New World genus Axina Kirby (Coleoptera: Cleridae) is revised for the first time. Thirty-two new species are described: Axina acutipennis, A. adelosa, A. atmis, A. bahia, A. bella, A. brunnea, A. chiasta, A. furcula, A. heveli, A. ignota, A. klisis, A. latilinea, A. lobispinula, A. luzia, A. macilenta, A. megaspina, A. minas, A. ochra, A. oligocheia, A. ordinis, A. …

Notes On The Taxonomy And Distribution Of Xylocopa Coronata Smith, 1860, A Large Carpenter Bee From Maluku, Indonesia (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae), Jonathan R. Mawdsley

Insecta Mundi

The recently rediscovered female holotype of Xylocopa coronata Smith, 1860, (Hymenoptera: Apidae) collected by Alfred Russel Wallace at the type locality of “Kaisaa” (= modern-day Kaioa, Maluku, Indonesia) is illustrated for the first time. Dorsal and lateral images of males and females of X. coronata and a map showing the known distribution of the species are provided. Females of this species exhibit geographic color variation in dorsal pubescence patterns and wing iridescence. At the present time, two subspecies are recognized: X. coronata combinata Ritsema from the island of Obi, Maluku, Indonesia, and X. coronata coro­nata Smith from …

Summer Field Report, June-July 2020, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

Overall, this was a fairly routine summer although birders in Nebraska know that “routine” still holds promise of a few happenings out of the ordinary. The summer season primarily examines new breeding records, range expansions, and changes in numbers, up or down. Mississippi Kites were conspicuous, a pair providing Scottsbluff’s first breeding record, but a repeating pair in Lincoln, Lancaster lost its nest in a windstorm. The first nesting record for Violet-Green Swallow for Sheridan, 7th nesting for White-winged Dove, and 9th for Short-eared Owl were all encouraging, as was an apparent family group of Northern Saw-whet Owls in Sioux. …

Robert Wolcott And The Art Of Nest Records, Thomas E. Labedz

Nebraska Bird Review

The autumn of 1894 was fortuitous for Nebraska ornithology because it is when Robert Henry Wolcott accepted an assistantship at the University of Nebraska, moving to Lincoln from the University of Michigan (Swenk 1935). Wolcott, from that point onward, made significant contributions to our knowledge of Nebraska birds (Bruner et al. 1903, Wolcott 1909, 1919), was a founding member of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union (NOU), and was editor for the first three Proceedings of the NOU from 1899-1902. His work expanded beyond local focus and he eventually authored a text on animal biology (Wolcott 1933). The topic of this paper, …

The Nebraska Bird Review, Volume 88 September 2020, Number 3

Nebraska Bird Review

Summer Field Report, June - July 2020, by W. Ross Silcock …94.

Robert Wolcott and the Art of Nest Records, by Thomas E. Labedz …112

2019 (31st) Report of the NOU Records Committee, by Mark A. Brogie …124

Subscription and Organization Information …135

The Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) Of Iowa: An Annotated Checklist, Edwin L. Freese, Doug A. Veal, Paul K. Lago

Insecta Mundi

An annotated checklist of 227 species of Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) known to occur in Iowa is presented, including seven families and 79 genera. This list was developed from information gleaned during literature review, from examination of specimens deposited in 22 regional and comprehensive collections, as well as from several years of active collecting conducted by the authors around the state. Thirty-six species included here represent new state records.

Challenging The Wallacean Shortfall: A Total Assessment Of Insect Diversity On Guadeloupe (French West Indies), A Checklist And Bibliography, François Meurgey, Thibault Ramage

Insecta Mundi

This work is the first attempt to integrate into one list and quantify all the known species of Guade­loupean insects. It includes all the species known to us to be reported for the island of Guadeloupe until the 31^st of December 2019. A total of 3097 valid species are listed, of which the largest component is the beetles (1447 species). Preliminarily, 632 species (20%) are considered to be strictly endemic to Guadeloupe, and 250 species are recognized as adventive or introduced. The bibliography complements the taxonomic information and includes over 350 titles. Brief annotations are also given on the …

Vampire Bats: Preparing For Range Expansion Into The U.S., Michael J. Bodenchuk, David L. Bergman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The common vampire bat apparently is expanding its range northwards in Mexico and seems poised to enter the southern United States. Climate models predict suitable habitat in the U.S. in south Texas and parts of southern Arizona. While vampire bats’ northward range expansion is not unexpected, the fact that this species brings a strain of rabies that impacts livestock and people warrants a strategic response. Annual economic damages from bats are estimated between $7M and $9M, largely associated with deaths of livestock from rabies. To prepare for the emerging rabies issue, USDA Wildlife Services programs in Texas and Arizona have …

Characteristics Of A River Otter (Lontra Canadensis) Maternal Den In The Central Platte River Valley, Ne, Jenna M. Malzahn, Andrew J. Caven, Joshua D. Wiese

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

River otters (Lontra canadensis) encompass a broad geographic range including coastal, riverine, and lacustrine systems. However, knowledge of reproductive behavior and structural den characteristics remain relatively few in the literature, particularly in the Great Plains. Distinctions between the terms “den”, “den site”, “natal den”, and “maternal den” are often ambiguous, obscuring our understanding of river otter’s young-rearing behavior. We used observations and descriptions regarding a single maternal den site and a broad reading of the mustelid literature to propose a more standardized maternal den definition for river otters and specify hypotheses for future research. From 25 April to …