Zoology Commons^™

2024–2025 Christmas Bird Counts, Don Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

For the second year in a row, all twenty CBCs [Christmas Bird Counts] were run during the 2024–2025 season. The weather was generally cooperative, although five circles reported fog and two others had rain. Branched Oak-Seward was postponed a week due to icy conditions on the originally scheduled day. The average high temperature for all circles on count day was 41 and the average low temperature was 22. Because December had remained relatively mild, there was a good deal of open water, which encouraged many species of water birds to remain. Consequently, most of the circles reported species totals higher …

Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Treasurer’S Report, December 31, 2024, Jan Johnson

Nebraska Bird Review

No abstract provided.

Winter Field Report, December 2024–February 2025, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

Since I started a few years ago to compare each season’s reports with the status of each species as presented in BONO (Species Accounts – Birds of Nebraska – Online), I had expected that “Routine reports” would apply to an increasing number of species as the BONO database firmed up, but this hasn’t happened. My comments from last winter continue to be valid this winter, now for the third winter in a row: As was the case for winter 2022–2023, the big general story was the large number of reports of tardy fall migrants and unexpectedly northerly occurrences in mid-winter… …

Predation Of The Scorpion Hottentotta Saulcyi (Scorpiones: Buthidae) By The Long-Eared Hedgehog (Hemiechinus Auritus) (Mammalia: Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae) In Şırnak Province, Türkiye, Rıdvan Kurt, Ersen A. Yağmur, Tarkan Yorulmaz

Euscorpius

In this study, we report the predation of Hottentotta saulcyi (Simon, 1880) by the insectivorous mammal Hemiechinus auritus (Gmelin, 1770) in Şırnak Province, southeastern Türkiye. During a nighttime field trip, we observed a long-eared hedgehog biting a H. saulcyi individual on its prosoma. This observation confirms that long-eared hedgehogs feed on and prey upon scorpions.

Current Challenges And Preliminary Morphological Reassessment Of The Genus Chaerilus Simon, 1877 In China (Scorpiones: Chaerilidae), Victoria Tang

Euscorpius

The genus Chaerilus Simon, 1877 in China is preliminarily revised on a morphological basis, derived from the available literature and newly examined specimens. The robustness of several commonly applied species-level diagnostic criteria are evaluated. Ten species are provisionally recognized for China, including one new morphospecies, Chaerilus herta sp. n., described from 9 females, 40 males, and 2 juvenile females collected in Mêdog County. The current study only reveals and resolves several most elementary issues in the taxonomy of Chinese Chaerilus. Further molecular investigations are warranted until topotypes of certain species become available.

Бадхызские Архивы. Том 2, Р. И. Горелова, В. Я. Фет

Books Published by MU Libraries in MDS

Gorelova, RI, Fet V, editors. The Badkhyz Archives, Vol. 2. Huntington, WV: Marshall University Libraries; 2025. 387 p.

This book represents the second volume of the series started in 2021. It compiles memoirs and research information about the unique Badkhyz Natural Reserve, now in Turkmenistan, formerly at the southernmost point of the USSR. Established in 1941, the Reserve—nicknamed a Serengeti of Central Asia— housed many unique and endangered species, with an iconic wild ass, or kulan, preserved only there. The second volume includes unique and otherwise unavailable information about the workers of the Reserve in 1940s-1980s. We continuento publish …

Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part Xxxv. Parabuthus Starhai Sp. N. From Somalia (Puntland) (Buthidae), František Kovařík

Euscorpius

A new species Parabuthus starhai sp. n. from Somalia (Puntland) is described. Combination of two characters, pectine teeth number 56–59 in both sexes and pedipalp chela length/ width ratio 3.65 in male and 5.47 in female differ P. starhai sp. n. from all other species in the region. Included is also a map of distribution of Parabuthus species in the Horn of Africa.

(Winter Skate (Leucoraja Ocellata)) Jaw, Michael A. Birnbaum, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

No abstract provided.

ʽAmqa: Faunal Remains From The Late Fatimid–Early Crusader Periods, Nimrod Marom

Qadum: Journal of Excavation Reports from Israel

This report analyzes faunal remains found in a building complex at ‘Amqa, primarily from the late Fatimid–early Crusader periods (eleventh–twelfth centuries CE). The assemblage consists mainly of cattle, sheep and goats, with a smaller number of camel, wild boar, equid, chicken and tortoise remains. Cattle bones, particularly from young individuals, are most prevalent, suggesting a focus on cattle rearing. Butchery marks indicate the use of tools for carcass processing, and bone fragmentation patterns suggest both intentional breakage and natural weathering. Comparisons with other sites from the same period highlight the unique predominance of cattle in ‘Amqa, possibly due to the …

А Review Of Scorpiofauna Of China: Nomenclatural Notes And Updated Faunistic Catalogue (Arachnida: Scorpiones), Victoria Tang

Euscorpius

Two genera associated with the Chinese scorpiofauna are reviewed, Razianus Farzanpay, 1987 and Reddyanus Vachon, 1972. Holotype female of Razianus xinjianganus Lourenço et al., 2010 is presumed to be lost, as well as all type material of other Chinese scorpions described before 2020. Comments are given on the species composition of genus Reddyanus with a new synonym: Isometrus (Reddyanus) tibetanus Lourenço & Zhu, 2008 = Reddyanus assamensis (Oates, 1888) syn. n. Reddyanus kanak Lourenço, 2023 is tentatively considered as a nomen dubium. An updated catalogue of Chinese scorpiofauna is provided, including their type locality and type depository, protonym, synonym(s), …

The Manipulation Of Odor Availability Of Training Aids Used In Detection Canine Training, Katylynn B. Sloan, Michele N. Maughan, Caitlin E. Sharpes, Robin R. Greubel, Shawna F. Gallegos, Aleksandr E. Miklos, Lindsay D. Waldrop

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Detection canines can identify numerous substances for which they have been trained. Historically, and a point of ongoing contention, detection canine threshold (i.e., sensitivity or limit of detection) training has primarily focused on changing the weight of the training aid substance used. There has been minimal focus on other principles, such as surface area, confinement, and temperature, which can be manipulated to affect odor availability. That said, trainers have been manipulating odor availability for years without necessarily understanding the governing scientific principles. The aim of this review is to highlight the principles that control odor availability of a substance and …

Differentiation Of Mullus Barbatus And Mullus Surmuletus (Perciformes, Mullidae) From Turkish Waters Of The Mediterranean Sea Using Otolith Shape Analyses, Semra Saygin

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Red mullet (Mullus barbatus) and surmullet (Mullus surmuletus) are valuable components of the commercial fishery industry in the Mediterranean Sea in Türkiye. To date, morphological and genetic characteristics have been used to distinguish these species. This study aimed to determine whether it was possible to distinguish between the two species using the morphometric features of their sagittal otoliths. Sagittal otoliths were subjected to elliptic Fourier analysis, wavelet analysis, and analysis of otolith shape indices for 117 specimens from the Mediterranean Sea coast of Türkiye (Mullus barbatus: 53 individuals; Mullus surmuletus: 64 individuals). Overall, canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) demonstrated strong discrimination …

The Effects Of Active Substances Of Clinically Important Drugs On The Survival, Development, And Some Adult Traits Of Drosophila Melanogaster Meigen (Diptera: Drosophilidae), Gökçe Üstündağ, Kemal Büyükgüzel, Ender Büyükgüzel

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera: Drosophilidae) was used as a model organism and fed on an artificial diet with different clinically important drugs under laboratory conditions. The effects of fluconazole, acyclovir, and piperazine on the survivorship, development, adult longevity, fecundity, and hatching rate of the insect were investigated. The results showed that the highest concentration of fluconazole (1250 mg/L) significantly decreased both the rate of larvae reaching the 3rd instar and the rate of pupation from 93.00 ± 2.95% to 11.00 ± 2.59% (χ2 = 134.696; df = 1; p = 0.0001). The highest concentration of acyclovir (200 mg/L) significantly reduced …

A Study Of The Dormant Period Of Thaumetopoea Pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) In Bulgaria, Gergana Zaeмdzhikova, Md Habibur Rahman Salman

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The pine processionary moth (PPM), Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Denis et Schiffermuller), is a significant pest affecting conifer forests in the Mediterranean region. This study investigated the diapause mechanisms and survival strategies of PPM in summer and winter feeding populations in Bulgaria. The research was conducted from February to April 2021 at five pine plantation sites known for T. pityocampa activity in southwest Bulgaria. Herein, 1224 specimens were collected across different developmental stages. The sampled populations included those exhibiting typical winter feeding as well as atypical summer feeding. Morphological assessments and monitoring of the development of the individuals were conducted under controlled …

Testing And Optimizing Methodologies For Microplastic Extractions From Owl Pellets, Merve Seyfe, Meli̇ke Seyfe, Tolga Kankiliç, Ülkü Ni̇han Tavşanoğlu

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Microplastic pollution is a pressing global environmental concern, potentially threatening ecosystems and entering the food chain. Owls, as nocturnal carnivorous birds, are at significant risk of ingesting microplastics due to their diverse foraging habits. This study aimed to identify the most suitable procedure for extracting microplastics from owl pellets, focusing on efficiency, functionality, and cost and ensuring the extraction of both prey and microplastics without damage. Experiments were conducted on pellets from long-eared owl (Asio otus) collected from three different habitats in Ankara, Türkiye. The extraction of microplastics was then tested using various treatments (n = 25), involving different durations, …

Lack Of Consistent Diurnal Trends In Acoustic Metrics From Restored Coral Reefs, Jeremy Velázquez-Alvarado, Valentina Pérez-García, Javier S. Tellechea, Joni T. Backstrom, Alex Mercado-Molina

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Once vibrant ecosystems, coral reefs are degrading at unprecedented rates due to natural and human—induced disturbances, necessitating immediate restoration and conservation efforts. Evaluating the success of these projects often involves assessing changes in reef biodiversity. Bioacoustics has emerged as a promising, non—invasive method for such evaluations, though its efficacy remains debated. This study aimed to determine whether the diurnal soundscapes of restored coral reefs are consistent across different time frames (months) and spatial scales (reefs), which is crucial for developing reliable monitoring tools for reef health. To achieve this, 2 commonly used acoustic indices, the Acoustic Complexity Index (ACI) and …

Diversification Of Avifauna In The Darién Highland Region: Ecological Niche Modeling, Phylogeography And Morphology To Explore Speciation In The Montane Species Myadestes Coloratus, Chlorospingus Tacarcunae And Margarornis Bellulus., Jorge L. Garzon Vasquez Mrs

Theses and Dissertations

Montane regions in the Neotropics are hotspots of endemism and biodiversity, yet their species are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and geographic isolation. This thesis investigates the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of three bird species endemic to the Darién Highlands of eastern Panama: Myadestes coloratus, Chlorospingus tacarcunae, and Margarornis bellulus. Through an integrative approach combining ecological niche modeling, morphometric analysis, and genomic data from ultraconserved elements (UCEs) and mitochondrial DNA, the study explores the historical biogeography, current distribution patterns, population structure, and phenotypic differentiation of these montane taxa. Ecological niche models revealed that suitable habitat …

Bat Species Diversity In The Klamath Basin Prior To Dam Removals, Ryan Page Matilton

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

River ecosystems make up a small percentage of the earth’s surface, but they support high levels of biodiversity and attract high levels of human use. Dams, for example, disrupt a river’s natural course and flow, alter water temperatures in the stream, redirect river channels, transform floodplains, and fragment river continuity, which affects ecological balance and food webs. The Klamath River in northern California, which has been dammed for the last century, experienced dramatic disruptions including a large fish die-off in 2002. With the negative impacts of the Klamath dams apparent, multiple entities negotiated to remove the dams and restore the …

If You Give A Tadpole A Chemosensory Stimulus: Detection Of Invasive Predatory Cues And Signs Of Conspecific Communication In Pseudacris Sierra Tadpoles, Faben Tesfazion

Scripps Senior Theses

Amphibians are at disproportionately higher risks of extinction than all other vertebrate classes, and a major causing factor is invasive predation. The American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), native to Eastern North America, is a notorious invasive species which preys on native Sierran treefrogs (Pseudacris sierra) in Northern and Central California. These treefrogs have yet to be placed on any Special Animals List, suggesting the presence of adopted behaviors against predation. Past studies have documented the importance of chemical sensing in anuran tadpoles as predator detection tools. This study tests if Sierran treefrog tadpoles can recognize invasive chemical …

‘Who’S Your Daddy?’: Ddradseq Parentage In Broodstock-Offspring Pairs Of Diadema Antillarum In A Population Restoration Initiative, Bianca R. Rosendahl

Undergraduate Scholarship and Creative Works

In the early 1980s Diadema antillarum, or the long-spined urchin, was hit by a catastrophic mass mortality event across the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, inclusive of the Florida Keys. The cause of this die-off event was likely triggered by a pathogen or environmental stressor that decimated native populations by up to 98%. The species has not yet fully recovered and is struggling with recruitment success which is why it may benefit from an ex-situ recovery program. In this study, I used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to identify genetic variation and analyze parentage in a captive population of …