Dolphins In Space: Quantifying The Relative Positions Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus),
2019
CUNY Hunter College
Dolphins In Space: Quantifying The Relative Positions Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), Megan S. Mcgrath
Theses and Dissertations
Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are socially sophisticated mammals with high fission-fusion dynamics and complex communication. The relative positioning of individual dolphins as they swim within their social group may aid in the expression of social roles. This study sought to quantify relative positioning in a small social group of female bottlenose dolphins at the National Aquarium in Baltimore that included two mother-daughter pairs, maternal and paternal half-sisters, a half-aunt and niece, and one unrelated female. We devised a method for scoring relative positioning in three dimensions. We found that the two mothers and their juvenile and adult daughters …
The Influence Of Pointing Accuracy In An Object-Choice Task With Domestic Horses (Equus Caballus),
2019
CUNY Hunter College
The Influence Of Pointing Accuracy In An Object-Choice Task With Domestic Horses (Equus Caballus), Elizabeth A. Krisch
Theses and Dissertations
This study evaluated the influence of pointing accuracy and experimenter identity on domestic horse (Equus caballus) behavior in an object-choice task. Results suggest that after receiving inaccurate pointing cues, horses adapt their responses based on their familiarity with an experimenter, and exhibit signs of memory retention across test trials.
The Morphology And Evolution Of The Primate Brachial Plexus,
2019
CUNY Graduate Center
The Morphology And Evolution Of The Primate Brachial Plexus, Brian M. Shearer
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Primate evolutionary history is inexorably linked to the evolution of a broad array of locomotor adaptations that have facilitated the clade’s invasion of new niches. Researchers studying the evolution of primates and of their individual locomotor adaptations have traditionally relied on bony morphology – a practical choice given the virtual non-existence of any other type of tissue in the fossil record. However, this focus downplays the potential importance of the many other structures involved in locomotion, such as muscle, cartilage, and neural tissue, which may each be influenced by separate selective forces because of their different roles in facilitating movement. …
Habitat Usage Patterns Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In Terrebonne And Timbalier Bays, Louisiana,
2019
Louisiana State University
Habitat Usage Patterns Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In Terrebonne And Timbalier Bays, Louisiana, Mary Allison Manning
LSU Master's Theses
I coupled fine-scale environmental data with observed behavior and group composition data to examine overall distribution within the bay system and to characterize the habitat associated with foraging and the presence of calves. Semi-isolated populations of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) along Louisiana’s coast are undergoing increased risks from boat traffic, oil spills, land subsidence, and planned water diversions (CPRA 2017). Characterizing the habitat use of bottlenose dolphins in Terrebonne and Timbalier bays, Louisiana, is important given the likely high site fidelity, small home ranges, and low exchange of individuals with nearby coastal populations (Lane et al. 2015, McDonald …
A New Semidesert Microtityus Kjellesvig-Waering, 1966 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Southeast Cuba, Greater Antilles.,
2019
Marshall University
A New Semidesert Microtityus Kjellesvig-Waering, 1966 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Southeast Cuba, Greater Antilles., Rolando Teruel
Euscorpius
A new species of the buthid scorpion genus Microtityus Kjellesvig-Waering, 1966, is herein described from specimens of both sexes collected at three nearby localities in the western part of the Guantánamo Bay Area, southeast Cuba. It belongs in the "jaumei" species-group of the subgenus Microtityus (Parvabsonus) Armas, 1974 and is very peculiar not only by its external morphology (very distinct from its other Cuban congeners), but also by the unusual habitat where it occurs in and seems to be restricted to (dry and hot cactus scrub on volcanic sandy plain). The present contribution reinforces the position of this genus as …
Oregon State Rank Assessment For Clouded Salamander (Aneides Ferreus),
2019
Portland State University
Oregon State Rank Assessment For Clouded Salamander (Aneides Ferreus), Eleanor P. Gaines
Institute for Natural Resources Publications
No abstract provided.
Individual-Level Antibody Dynamics Reveal Potential Drivers Of Influenza A Seasonality In Wild Pig Populations,
2019
USDA National Wildlife Research Center
Individual-Level Antibody Dynamics Reveal Potential Drivers Of Influenza A Seasonality In Wild Pig Populations, Kim M. Pepin, Kerri Pedersen, Xiu-Feng Wan, Fred L. Cunningham, Colleen T. Webb, Mark Q. Wilber
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Swine are important in the ecology of influenza A virus (IAV) globally. Understanding the ecological role of wild pigs in IAV ecology has been limited because surveillance in wild pigs is often for antibodies (serosurveillance) rather than IAVs, as in humans and domestic swine. As IAV antibodies can persist long after an infection, serosurveillance data are not necessarily indicative of current infection risk. However, antibody responses to IAV infections cause a predictable antibody response, thus time of infection can be inferred from antibody levels in serological samples, enabling identification of risk factors of infection at estimated times of infection. Recent …
Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part Xviii. Gint Banfasae Sp. N. From Somaliland (Buthidae),
2019
Marshall University
Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part Xviii. Gint Banfasae Sp. N. From Somaliland (Buthidae), František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe
Euscorpius
Gint banfasae sp. n. from Somaliland is described and compared with other species of the genus. Additional information is provided on the taxonomy and distribution of the genus Gint, 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 Gint.
Activity Budgets And Behavior Of Captive Black-Handed Spider Monkeys (Ateles Geoffroyi) At The Central Florida Zoo And Botanical Gardens,
2019
University of Central Florida
Activity Budgets And Behavior Of Captive Black-Handed Spider Monkeys (Ateles Geoffroyi) At The Central Florida Zoo And Botanical Gardens, Stephanie Hargrave
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Establishing baseline activity budgets for zoo-housed captive animals can be important in tracking behavior changes that may indicate medical or other concerns, as well as assessing overall welfare and the need for implementation of interventions such as increased amounts of enrichment. This study sought to calculate activity budgets for the current spider monkeys residing at the Central Florida Zoo, a father-daughter pair of Ateles geoffroyi. Having a baseline activity budget is also valuable because major changes in behavior may accompany the upcoming introduction of new individuals to this particular group of spider monkeys. BORIS behavior coding software was used to …
Move It Or Lose It: Interspecific Variation In Risk Response Of Pond-Breeding Anurans,
2019
Texas A & M University
Move It Or Lose It: Interspecific Variation In Risk Response Of Pond-Breeding Anurans, Philip Matich, Christopher M. Schalk
Faculty Publications
Changes in behavior are often the proximate response of animals to human disturbance, with variability in tolerance levels leading some species to exhibit striking shifts in life history, fitness, and/or survival. Thus, elucidating the effects of disturbance on animal behavior, and how this varies among taxonomically similar species with inherently different behaviors and life histories is of value for management and conservation. We evaluated the risk response of three anuran species—southern leopard frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus), Blanchard’s cricket frog (Acris blanchardi), and green tree frog (Hyla cinerea)—to determine how differences in microhabitat use (arboreal vs …
Using Dna To Identify The Source Of Invasive Mongooses,
Herpestes Auropunctatus (Carnivora: Herpestidae)
Captured On Kaua‘I, Hawaiian Islands,
2019
USDA National Wildlife Research Center
Using Dna To Identify The Source Of Invasive Mongooses, Herpestes Auropunctatus (Carnivora: Herpestidae) Captured On Kaua‘I, Hawaiian Islands, Darren J. Wostenberg, Matthew W. Hopken, Aaron B. Shiels, Antoinette J. Piaggio
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Two small Indian mongooses (Herpestes auropunctatus) were live-captured in 2012 at separate locations on the Hawaiian Island of Kaua'i, which was previously considered to be free of this invasive species. Genotypes from these two individuals were compared to genotypes of H. auropunctatus from the islands of Hawai'i (n =39), O'ahu (n =91), Maui (n = 39), and Moloka'i (n = 19) to determine the island of origin of the Kaua'i individuals. Genotypes were generated from each individual using five microsatellite loci. Genetic clustering was estimated by Bayesian inference of spatial clustering of individuals and …
Reducing Prairie Dog Populations And Damage By Castration Of Dominant Males,
2019
USDA/APHIS National Wildlife Research Center
Reducing Prairie Dog Populations And Damage By Castration Of Dominant Males, Gary W. Witmer
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) occur widely across the prairie states of North America. They compete with livestock for forage, transmit plague, and damage lawns, landscaping, and property. Interest in non-lethal methods, such as immunocontraception, is growing; however, reductions in the population due to contraception may be offset by increases in survival because adults and yearlings are not subject to the energetic demands of reproduction, and lower densities may increase the amount of resources available to growing offspring. Surgical sterilization provides a means for modeling these effects. Thus, we castrated males prior to the 1998 breeding season to simulate the …
White-Nose Syndrome And Immune Responses In A Resistant Bat Species (Eptesicus Fuscus),
2019
Missouri State University
White-Nose Syndrome And Immune Responses In A Resistant Bat Species (Eptesicus Fuscus), Keslie Skye Naffa
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
White-nose syndrome (WNS) has had a large negative impact on bat populations across eastern North America since its arrival in 2006. Bats affected by WNS appear to die of starvation, possibly due to the increased arousals during hibernation when there is no food present to replace the energy used to arouse. During hibernation, the bat’s immune system should be suppressed. However, once a bat of a susceptible species is exposed to the fungus that causes WNS, Psuedogymnoascus destructans (Pd), the immune system seems to respond, potentially causing an elevation in metabolic rate, which may cause the bat to …
Trade-Offs Shape Carotenoid-Based Color Variation In Redheaded Pine Sawfly (Neodiprion Lecontei) Larvae,
2019
University of Kentucky
Trade-Offs Shape Carotenoid-Based Color Variation In Redheaded Pine Sawfly (Neodiprion Lecontei) Larvae, Maranda Gaines
Lewis Honors College Capstone Collection
Carotenoids serve various ecological roles in animals including coloration, immune responses, and vision. Carotenoid-derived coloration is greatly emphasized in the literature, particularly relating to mate choice and aposematic warning. However, the trade-offs between the color and non-color functions of carotenoids are not thoroughly explored. In the redheaded pine sawfly (Neodiprion lecontei), some larval populations have yellow pigmentation, using carotenoids derived from their diets for aposematic warning coloration. Other larval populations are white in color, having genetically lost the ability to produce the yellow pigment. Because carotenoids are essential to life functions in both the yellow and white populations, we aim …
Fall Field Report, August - November 2019,
2019
Nebraska Ornithological Union
Fall Field Report, August - November 2019, W. Ross Silcock
Nebraska Bird Review
By far the most striking feature of this fall’s report is the large number of lingering migrants, a trend that is continuing and apparently increasing, especially among passerines. Editor Jan Paseka counted 17 uses of the word “tardy” and 43 of “late” or “latest”. It is tempting to relate this to the warmer environment and resulting increased availability of food items at higher latitudes and later dates than in previous years. A sad note: a startling occurrence in Gering, Scotts Bluff 20 Aug was described by Marie Smith: “We had a huge hailstorm around 10:30. The hail was probably pea …
Novel Habitat Causes A Shift To Diurnal Activity In A Nocturnal Species,
2019
University of South Florida
Novel Habitat Causes A Shift To Diurnal Activity In A Nocturnal Species, J. Sean Doody, Colin R. Mchenry, David Rhind, Simon Clulow
USF St. Petersburg Campus Faculty Publications
Plastic responses may allow individuals to survive and reproduce in novel environments, and can facilitate the establishment of viable populations. But can novel environments reveal plasticity by causing a shift in a behavior as fundamental and conspicuous as daily activity? We studied daily activity times near the invasion front of the cane toad (Rhinella marina), an invasive species that has colonized much of northern Australia. Cane toads in Australia are nocturnal, probably because diurnal activity would subject them to intolerably hot and dry conditions in the tropical savannah during the dry season. Our study can demonstrate, however, that upon reaching …
Long-Tailed Weasel (Mustela Frenata) Distribution Survey In Arkansas: Challenges In Detecting A Rare Species,
2019
Tennessee Tech University
Long-Tailed Weasel (Mustela Frenata) Distribution Survey In Arkansas: Challenges In Detecting A Rare Species, Suzanne D. Johnston, D. Blake Sasse, Robert E. Kissell Jr.
Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science
Long-tailed weasels (Mustela frenata) have one of the widest distributions of mustelids in the western hemisphere and were distributed across a majority of the American continents ranging from Canada through the contiguous United States, Mexico, and into northern South America. However, on a local scale they are considered uncommon and rare. We assessed the distribution of long-tailed weasels across Arkansas to determine occupancy in each ecoregion of Arkansas, and determined the detectability on two local, adjacent sites. No long-tailed weasels were detected within the ecoregions, but the species was detected with intensive sampling on one local site. It …
Plains Spotted Skunk Pelt Purchase Trends In The Ozarks And Ouachitas, 1943-1990,
2019
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Plains Spotted Skunk Pelt Purchase Trends In The Ozarks And Ouachitas, 1943-1990, D. Blake Sasse
Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science
The Plains spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius interrupta) is a small carnivore that has experienced population declines across much of its range and is currently being considered for listing as an endangered species. I utilized harvest data on pelts from the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas and the Ouachita mountains in Arkansas that were purchased by fur dealers from 1943-1990 to examine trends in harvest levels over time. Purchases in all three regions declined in the late 1940s and early 1950s, but purchases in the Arkansas returned to near or at historic levels in the early 1960s and the …
Bilateral Diaphyseal Chondrodysplasia And Polymorphic Osteodysplasia Of The Tibiofibulas In A Southern Leopard Frog, Lithobates Sphenocephalus (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae),
2019
Arkansas State University (Emeritus)
Bilateral Diaphyseal Chondrodysplasia And Polymorphic Osteodysplasia Of The Tibiofibulas In A Southern Leopard Frog, Lithobates Sphenocephalus (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae), Stanley E. Trauth, Malcolm L, Mccallum
Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science
Much attention has been focused on limb malformations in anurans following the startling discovery of major limb deformities in Northern Leopard Frogs (Rana pipiens) in Minnesota in 1995. The numerous causes for these malformations can be attributed to a number of natural phenomena, or they can be considered as being manmade. In the present study, we report on a previously undescribed type of limb abnormality in a single individual of the Southern Leopard Frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus) from Arkansas. Histological examination of left tibiofibula revealed a complete disruption of the normal diaphyseal bone structure in this adult …
Large Pelvic Tubercle In Orangutans Relates To The Adductor Longus Muscle,
2019
CUNY Graduate Center
Large Pelvic Tubercle In Orangutans Relates To The Adductor Longus Muscle, Brian M. Shearer, Magdalena Muchlinski, Ashley S. Hammond
Publications and Research
Orangutan pelves commonly exhibit a large, projecting tubercle in the iliopubic region, historically assumed to homologous to the pubic tubercle in humans. However, it is not clear whether this tubercle is a unique feature of Pongo, or if it is anatomically homologous with the human pubic tubercle when considered as a soft tissue attachment point. To clarify this issue, we dissected orangutan and other ape cadaveric specimens to evaluate the pelvic brim soft tissues and how they may relate to the tubercle (when present). We additionally conducted a broad osteological survey of pelvic brim morphology across 28 primate genera …
