Zoology Commons^™

Breeding Status Of Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia Motacilla) In The Niobrara River Valley, North-Central Nebraska, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

An unexpected Louisiana Waterthrush breeding range extension of some 200 miles westward into the Niobrara River Valley was documented in 2021 when Renee Tressler photographed and recorded adults and two fledged young, as well as an adult carrying food, on Fort Falls Trail, Fort Niobrara NWR, Cherry County, 31 May-14 Jun 2021 (Tressler 2021a, 2021b). Around the same time, “at least two singing individual” Louisiana Waterthrushes were found by Paul Dougherty some eight miles to the east at Smith Falls State Park, Cherry County, 7 June 2021, one of which was recorded; no breeding evidence was reported, although the presence …

An Assessment Of Terrestrial Decapoda Diversity Across Three Ecological Zones In Mida Creek, Kenya, Reese Yount

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mangroves make up one of the most effective natural remedies at combating climate change today. They represent great commercial interest worldwide and yet, are being degraded at an unsustainable rate. If successful mangrove conservation plans are to be implemented for our posterity, mangrove ecosystems need to be better understood at the community level. Mangrove crabs make up the most diverse and populace mangrove inhabitants. They are classified as ecosystem engineers and their potential for being used as bioindicators makes them integral to assessing mangrove health. Yet, their diversity and distribution patterns are not well understood. The aim of this study …

Population Dynamics And Dispersal Coalitions In The Cooperatively Breeding Acorn Woodpecker, Natasha Hagemeyer

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Dispersal is a critical life-stage with consequences not only for the individual, but for population dynamics and thus the fate of the whole species. The creation of dispersal coalitions can lead to complex outcomes and affect how changes in abundance occur on the landscape. I examined population dynamics and dispersal coalitions in a population of cooperatively breeding acorn woodpeckers in central California, USA. Using a 34-year dataset on occupancy and abundance, I determined that increases in abundance were determined by dispersal to new locations. This resulted in increased occupancy, rather than increases in group size and larger coalitions. I then …

Unprecedented Migratory Bird Die-Off: A Citizen-Based Analysis On The Spatiotemporal Patterns Of Mass Mortality Events In The Western United States, Di Yang, Anni Yang, Jue Yang, Rongting Xu, Han Qiu

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Extensive, severe wildfires, and wildfire-induced smoke occurred across the western and central United States since August 2020. Wildfires resulting in the loss of habitats and emission of particulate matter and volatile organic compounds pose serious threatens to wildlife and human populations, especially for avian species, the respiratory system of which are sensitive to air pollutions. At the same time, the extreme weather (e.g., snowstorms) in late summer may also impact bird migration by cutting off their food supply and promoting their migration before they were physiologically ready. In this study, we investigated the environmental drivers of massive bird die-offs by …

Genetic Characterization Of Nodular Worm Infections In Asian Apes, Erhan Yalcindag, Peter Stuart, Hideo Hasegawa, Adrian Streit, Jana Doležalová, Helen Morrogh-Bernard, Susan M. Cheyne, Wisnu Nurcahyo, Ivona Foitová

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Parasitic nematodes of Oesophagostomum spp., commonly known, as 'nodular worms' are emerging as the most widely distributed and prevalent zoonotic nematodes. Oesophagostomum infections are well documented in African non-human primates; however, the taxonomy, distribution and transmission of Oesophagostomum in Asian non-human primates are not adequately studied. To better understand which Oesophagostomum species infect Asian non-human primates and determine their phylogeny we analysed 55 faecal samples from 50 orangutan and 5 gibbon individuals from Borneo and Sumatra. Both microscopy and molecular results revealed that semi-wild animals had higher Oesophagostomum infection prevalence than free ranging animals. Based on sequence genotyping analysis targeting …

Morph- And Sex-Specific Differences In Corticosterone Of The Arizona Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma Mavortium Nebulosum), Megan Zerger

Scholars Week

Life history morph, sex, and body condition are traits that may influence stress within salamander populations because of differences in physiology and environmental conditions. Given widespread declines and the effects chronic stress can have on amphibian health, it is important to understand within-population drivers of stress and how population level variation may influence population viability. Thus, the objective of our study was to assess how corticosterone varies within the Arizona tiger salamander (Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum) population at the Mexican Cut Nature Preserve. We used a non-invasive skin swabbing method to collect baseline and elevated corticosterone from paedomorph (aquatic …

Understanding Relationships Between Stress, Snake Fungal Disease, And Parasitism In Wild Cottonmouth Snake Populations, Emma Fehlker Campbell

Scholars Week

Chronically raised stress levels are known to correlate with decreased immune function in vertebrates, possible leading to increased susceptibility to infections including parasitism and Snake Fungal Disease (SFD). Helminth endoparasites and Hemoparasites are frequently found in wild populations but little is known about their physiological effects. Additionally, parasite infection may have interactive effects with diseases including SFD. To our knowledge few studies have assessed potential interactions between SFD and parasites in snakes. Thus, the objective of our study is to assess the individual and interactive effects of Helminth endoparasites, hemoparasites, and snake fungal disease on cottonmouth physiological stress. We are …

Holocene Records Of Nebraska Mammals, Hugh H. Genoways

Zea E-Books Collection

A survey of the archeological and paleontological literature allowed a compilation of Holocene records of mammals in Nebraska. This survey identified Holocene records from 338 sites in 62 of the 93 Nebraska counties. These counties were located throughout state, but there was a concentration of sites in southwestern Nebraska where there were 27 fossil sites in Frontier County and 22 in Harlan County. Fossils sites were underrepresented in the Sand Hills region. Records of fossil mammals covered the entire Holocene period from 13,000 years ago until AD 1850. A minimum of 57 species (with eight additional species potentially present) representing …

First Description Of Deep Benthic Habitats And Communities Of Oceanic Islands And Seamounts Of The Nazca Desventuradas Marine Park, Chile, Jan M. Tapia-Guerra, Ariadna Mecho, Erin E. Easton, María De Los Ángeles Gallardo, Matthias Gorny, Javier Sellanes

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Seamounts and oceanic islands of the Chilean Exclusive Economic Zone at the intersection of the Nazca and Salas y Gómez ridges lie within one of the least explored areas in the world. The sparse information available, mainly for seamounts outside Chilean jurisdiction and shallow-water fauna of the Desventuradas Islands, suggests that the area is a hotspot of endemism. This apparent uniqueness of the fauna motivated the creation of the large Nazca-Desventuradas Marine Park (NDMP, ~ 300,000 km2) around the small islands San Felix and San Ambrosio in 2015. We report for the first time a detailed description of benthic microhabitats …

Protura (Arthropoda: Hexapoda) In Slovenian Caves, Loris Galli, Franc Janžekovič, Peter Kozel, Tone Novak

International Journal of Speleology

Protura is a small class of Hexapoda, generally poorly known, and rather scarce data on its occurrence in caves are scattered throughout literature on fauna in caves and in some papers on Protura. Although the cave-dwelling fauna is relatively well studied in Slovenia, published records on Protura are rare. In this paper, data on the occurrence and abundance of Protura in Slovenian caves are considered. Various statistical analyses were performed to compare caves with Protura to those without in 60 intensively monitored cavities to detect any differences in the selected environmental conditions. No significant difference was obtained. Samples collected from …

Traffic Related Air Pollution Exposure Effect On Circulating White Blood Cell Counts In Healthy Individuals, Anjam Shezadi, Muhammad Shahbaz, Irfan Baboo, Faiza Shakir, Misbah Shoukat, Maryam Anwar, Badra Younis, Rabia Akbar, Amna Benish, Lubna Mumtaz, Zahid Farooq

Journal of Bioresource Management

During this short term study a total of 110 samples were collected from the selected individuals of study area. This study was aimed to count the White blood cells in the blood samples of individuals, who were mostly exposed to exhaust fumes (air pollution), like traffic constables, cooks and shopkeepers. For this purpose blood samples were taken into an evacuee container having anticoagulant Ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) so to prevent coagulation of blood, for the count of WBCs, heamocyto-meter was used. During the study the body mass index and blood pressure was also measured by digital blood pressure measuring …

Epidemiology And Risk Factor Analysis Of Fasciolosis In Buffaloes In District Bagh, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, Sadaf Fayyaz, Muhammad Shahbaz, Irfan Baboo, Shazia Nazir, Misbah Shaukat

Journal of Bioresource Management

Fasciolosis is a cosmopolitan parasitic disorder cause great economic decline in cattle and buffaloes in terms of poor carcasses quality decrease in meat and milk production, malfunctioning of livers and weight loss. This research work was carried out in district Bagh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan, extending from December 2016 to May 2017. During this study 200 fecal sample from Buffaloes (Bablus bubalis) of the study area were collected, it was found that 40 percent fecal samples contain eggs of Fasciola hepatica and 60 percent fecal samples were negative. Liver samples of slaughtered buffaloes were also examined during …

Microhabitat Selection Of A Sicilian Subterranean Woodlouse And Its Implications For Cave Management, Giuseppe Nicolosi, Stefano Mammola, Salvatore Costanzo, Giorgio Sabella, Rosolino Cirrincione, Giovanni Signorello, Marco Isaia

International Journal of Speleology

Human activities in subterranean environments can affect different ecosystem components, including the resident fauna. Subterranean terrestrial invertebrates are particularly sensitive to environmental change, especially microclimatic variations. For instance, microclimate modifications caused by the visitors may directly affect local fauna in caves opened to the public. However, since numerous factors act synergistically in modulating the distribution and abundance of subterranean species, it remains challenging to differentiate the impact of human intervention from that of other factors. Therefore, evidence of the impact of tourism on cave invertebrate fauna remains scarce. Over a year and with approximately two visits a month, we investigated …

Sex-Specific Variation Of Social Play In Wild Immature Tibetan Macaques, Macaca Thibetana, Tong Wang, Xi Wang, Paul A. Garber, Bing-Hua Sun, Lixing Sun, Dong-Po Xia, Jin-Hua Li

Biology Faculty Scholarship

Theories proposed to explain social play have centered on its function in establishing social relationships critical for adulthood, its function in developing motor skills needed to survive, and promoting cognitive development and social learning. In this study, we compared variations in social play among infant and juvenile male and female Macaca thibetana. Given that this species is characterized by female philopatry and male dispersal, we hypothesized that immature females use social play as a mechanism to develop bonds that persist through adulthood whereas immature males use play to develop social skills needed to successfully enter new groups. The results indicated …

Caracuel_ Spiny Dogfish (Squalus Acanthias) Jaw, Nicolas M. Caracuel, David W. Kerstetter

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

Female Spiny Dogfish (Squalus acanthias) jaw collected in MBIO 3910 Lab on 11/03/2021 by Nicolas M. Caracuel.

2 cm tall at the center/middle of the jaw.

3.1cm tall at the hinges.

7.9 cm long from hinge to hinge.

Recent Genetic Connectivity And Clinal Variation In Chimpanzees, Jack D. Lester, Linda Vigilant, Paolo Gratton, Maureen S. Mccarthy, Christopher D. Barratt, Paula Dieguez, Anthony Agbor, Paula Alvarez-Varona, Samuel Angedakin, Emmanuel Ayuk Ayimisin, Emma Bailey, Mattia Bessone, Gregory Brazzola, Rebecca Chancellor, Heather Cohen, Emmanuel Danquah, Tobias Deschner, Villard Ebot Egbe, Manasseh Eno-Nku, Annemarie Goedmakers, Anne-Celine Granjon, Josephine Head, Daniela Hedwig, R. Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar, Kathryn J. Jeffery, Sorrel Jones, Jessica Junker, Parag Kadam, Michael Kaiser, Ammie K. Kalan, Laura Kehoe, Ivonne Kienast, Kevin E. Langergraber, Juan Lapuente, Anne Laudisoit, Kevin Lee, Sergio Marrocoli, Vianet Mihindou, David Morgan, Geoffrey Muhanguzi, Emily Neil, Sonia Nicholl, Christopher Orbell, Lucy Jayne Ormsby, Liliana Pacheco, Alex Piel, Martha M. Robbins, Aaron S. Rundus, Crickette Sanz, Lilah Sciaky, Alhaji M. Siaka, Veronika Staedele, Fiona Stewart, Nikki Tagg, Els Ton, Joost Van Schijndel, Magloire Kambale Vyalengerera, Erin G. Wessling, Jacob Willie, Roman M. Wittig, Yisa Ginath Yuh, Kyle Yurkiw, Klaus Zuberbuehler, Christophe Boesch, Hjalmar S. Kuehl, Mimi Arandjelovic

Psychology Faculty Publications

Much like humans, chimpanzees occupy diverse habitats and exhibit extensive behavioural variability. However, chimpanzees are recognized as a discontinuous species, with four subspecies separated by historical geographic barriers. Nevertheless, their range-wide degree of genetic connectivity remains poorly resolved, mainly due to sampling limitations. By analyzing a geographically comprehensive sample set amplified at microsatellite markers that inform recent population history, we found that isolation by distance explains most of the range-wide genetic structure of chimpanzees. Furthermore, we did not identify spatial discontinuities corresponding with the recognized subspecies, suggesting that some of the subspecies-delineating geographic barriers were recently permeable to gene flow. …

Effects Of Varying Heat Indexes On Habitat Utilization And Behavior On Captive Red-Ruffed Lemurs (Varecia Rubra), Jeffrey Gammon

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

The two captive red-ruffed lemurs (Varecia rubra) at the Central Florida Zoo experienced a more temperate climate and utilized a differing habitat than they would in their native range, Madagascar. Proper management of the species in captivity is crucial for its long-term survival as they are critically endangered. Over a four month period, heat index temperature, lemur behavior, and habitat utilization data were collected via an instantaneous scan sample. Variables were analyzed to characterize how variations in heat index alter habitat utilization and behavior of the captive lemurs. As the heat index increased, habitat use became more restricted …

Phenology Of Antler Casting And Occurrence Of Late-Breeding In Nebraska White-Tailed Deer, Brian C. Peterson, Patrick D. Farrell, Dave Fehlhafer, Miranda C. Reinson, Dustin H. Ranglack

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Nebraska primarily breed in November (stimulated by photoperiod), but this season extends into December and January for unfertilized females and healthy fawns reaching the appropriate breeding weight by winter. Variation in the typical mating period can be attributed to geographic region, skewed sex ratios, and fawns reaching sexual maturity during their first year of birth. During April of 2019, we observed late season breeding by a male white-tailed deer in the central Platte River valley and documented late antler casting for this same late-copulating male. An additional male was observed in April of …

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 …

Winter Field Report, December 2020-February 2021, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

Thanks to the increasing numbers of observers taking time to report to eBird, social media, and NEBIRDS, this season, as is true of recent seasons, turned up some fascinating trends. The 96 cited observers, as well as several not cited, all contributed to the firmness of the database that allows better-supported conclusions to be drawn than from our past reliance all too often on anecdotal supposition.

Overwhelmingly clear this winter was the large number of taxonomically diverse species found north and west of expected winter ranges, and a surprising number of passerines reported for the first time in mid-winter. It …