Physiology Commons^™

Patterns Of Morphological And Molecular Evolution In The Antillean Tree Bat, Ardops Nichollsi (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae), Roxanne J. Larsen, Peter A. Larsen, Caleb D. Phillips, Hugh H. Genoways, Gary G. Kwiecinski, Scott C. Pedersen, Carleton J. Phillips, Robert J. Baker

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Species endemic to oceanic islands offer unique insights into the mechanisms underlying evolution and have served as model systems for decades. Often these species show phenotypic variation that is correlated with the ecosystems in which they occur and such correlations may be a product of genetic drift, natural selection, and/or environmental factors. We explore the morphologic and genetic variation within Ardops nichollsi, a species of phyllostomid bat endemic to the Lesser Antillean islands. Ardops nichollsi is an ideal taxon to investigate the tempo of evolution in Chiroptera, as it: is a recently derived genus in the family Phyllostomidae; contains …

Determining Sex Of Plains Pocket Gophers By Incisor Width, Ronald M. Case, Alan B. Sargeant

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Biologists studying food habits of predators can often determine the prey species but not the sex of the prey from remains found at dens, in stomachs, scats, or pellets of predators. Knowledge of the sex of prey is useful in evaluating predator food habits as well as indicating sex specific differences in prey behavior.

Plains pocket gophers, Geomys bursarius, can be easily identified by the presence of two prominent grooves on the face of each upper incisor. This makes them ideal specimens for studying prey remains. In this paper, we present data that can be used to identify the …

Morphological Variation In The Southeastern Pocket Gopher, Geomys Pinetis (Mammalia: Rodentia), Stephen L. Williams, Hugh H. Genoways

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

The nominal species of southeastern pocket gophers (Geomys pinetis, G. colonus, G. cumberlandius, and G. fontanelus), which collectively occupy a geographic range on the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plain of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, were examined for morphological variation. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine age, sexual, individual, and geographic variation in G. pinetis. Significant differences were found among different age classes and between sexes. Males displayed higher individual variation than females and external measurements were more variable than cranial measurements. Of the four named species in the pinetis-species group (colonus …

Cytotypes And Morphometrics Of Two Phyllostomatid Bats, Micronycteris Hirsuta And Vampyressa Pusilla, Robert J. Baker, Hugh H. Genoways, William J. Bleier, Jerry W. Warner

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

As pointed out by Jackson (1971) and Patton (1972), the key to understanding mechanisms of chromosomal evolution lies in studies of chromosomal variation within populations that can hybridize. Hybrids between cytotypes contain the answer to problems of meiotic pairing and reduced fertility, as well as information concerning the nature of zones of contact. However, before detailed studies can be initiated, chromosomal races and hybrid zones must be located. Few chromosomal races have been described for bats (Baker, 1970a). Within the family Vespertilionidae, five species are known to have such races (Baker, 1970a) and races have been reported in two species …