DOCSLIB.ORG

2020 Mississippi Bird EA

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
2020 Mississippi Bird EA ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Managing Damage and Threats of Damage Caused by Birds in the State of Mississippi Prepared by United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services In Cooperation with: The Tennessee Valley Authority January 2020 i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Wildlife is an important public resource that can provide economic, recreational, emotional, and esthetic benefits to many people. However, wildlife can cause damage to agricultural resources, natural resources, property, and threaten human safety. When people experience damage caused by wildlife or when wildlife threatens to cause damage, people may seek assistance from other entities. The United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services (WS) program is the lead federal agency responsible for managing conflicts between people and wildlife. Therefore, people experiencing damage or threats of damage associated with wildlife could seek assistance from WS. In Mississippi, WS has and continues to receive requests for assistance to reduce and prevent damage associated with several bird species. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to incorporate environmental planning into federal agency actions and decision-making processes. Therefore, if WS provided assistance by conducting activities to manage damage caused by bird species, those activities would be a federal action requiring compliance with the NEPA. The NEPA requires federal agencies to have available and fully consider detailed information regarding environmental effects of federal actions and to make information regarding environmental effects available to interested persons and agencies. To comply with the NEPA, WS, in cooperation with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), prepared this Environmental Assessment (EA) to determine whether the potential environmental effects caused by several alternative approaches to managing bird damage might be significant, requiring the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Chapter 1 of this EA discusses the need for action and the scope of analysis associated with requests for assistance that WS receives involving several bird species in Mississippi, including requests for assistance to manage damage and threats of damage on properties owned or managed by the TVA. Chapter 2 identifies and discusses the issues that WS and the TVA identified during the scoping process for this EA and through consultation with state and federal agencies. Issues are concerns regarding potential effects that might occur from proposed activities. Federal agencies must consider such issues during the decision-making process required by the NEPA. Chapter 2 also discusses the alternative approaches that WS and the TVA developed to meet the need for action and to address the issues identified during the scoping process. Issues of concern addressed in detail include: 1) effects on target bird populations, 2) effects on non-target species, including threatened and endangered species, 3) effects of management methods on human health and safety, and 4) humaneness and animal welfare concerns of methods. Alternative approaches evaluated to meet the need for action and to address the issues include: 1) continuing the current integrated methods approach to managing damage, 2) using an integrated methods approach using only non-lethal methods, 3) addressing requests for assistance through technical assistance only, and 4) no involvement by WS. Depending on the alternative approach, several methods would be available to manage damage caused by birds in the state. Appendix B discusses the methods that WS could consider when responding to a request for assistance. Chapter 3 provides information needed for making informed decisions by comparing the environmental consequences of the four alternative approaches in comparison to determine the extent of actual or potential impacts on each of the issues. WS and the TVA will use the analyses in this EA to help inform agency decision-makers on the significance of the environmental effects, which will aid the decision- makers with determining the need to prepare an EIS or concluding the EA process with a Finding of No Significant Impact. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS .............................................................................................................................................. iv CHAPTER 1: NEED FOR ACTION AND SCOPE OF ANALYSIS 1.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT ................................................................................................ 2 1.3 PREPARATION OF AN EA INSTEAD OF AN EIS ..................................................................... 7 1.4 NEED FOR ACTION .................................................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER 2: ISSUES AND ALTERNATIVES 2.1 ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH MEETING THE NEED FOR ACTION ..................................... 35 2.2 DESCRIPTION OF THE ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................ 44 CHAPTER 3: ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS 3.1 EVALUATION OF SIGNIFICANCE ........................................................................................... 58 3.2 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES BY ISSUE ANALYZED IN DETAIL ....................... 60 3.3 SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ....................................................... 156 CHAPTER 4: RESPONSES TO PUBLIC COMMENTS 4.1 SUMMARY OF PUBLIC COMMENTS AND WS’ RESPONSES TO THE COMMENTS .... 157 CHAPTER 5: LIST OF PREPARERS, REVIEWERS, AND PERSONS CONSULTED 5.1 LIST OF PREPARERS................................................................................................................ 159 5.2 LIST OF PERSONS CONSULTED AND REVIEWERS .......................................................... 159 LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX A LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................... A-1 APPENDIX B METHODS AVAILABLE TO MANAGE BIRD DAMAGE ....................................... B-1 APPENDIX C THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES THAT ARE FEDERALLY LISTED IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI ................................................................................. C-1 APPENDIX D STATE THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES IN MISSISSIPPI .............. D-1 APPENDIX E ADDITIONAL TARGET BIRD SPECIES THAT WS COULD ADDRESS IN MISSISSIPPI .................................................................................................................. E-1 iii ACRONYMS AI Avian Influenza APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service AVMA American Veterinary Medical Association BBS Breeding Bird Survey CBC Christmas Bird Count CEQ Council on Environmental Quality CFR Code of Federal Regulations DNC 4,4'-dinitrocarbanilide EA Environmental Assessment EIS Environmental Impact Statement EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act FEIS Final Environmental Impact Statement FIFRA Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact FR Federal Register FY Fiscal Year HDP 2-hydroxy-4,6-dimethylpyrimidine HP Highly Pathogenic LD Median Lethal Dose LC Median Lethal Concentration MBTA Migratory Bird Treaty Act MDAC Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce MDWFP Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks MOU Memorandum of Understanding NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NWRC National Wildlife Research Center PL Public Law ROD Record of Decision T&E Threatened and Endangered TVA Tennessee Valley Authority UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle USC United States Code USDA United States Department of Agriculture USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service WS Wildlife Services iv CHAPTER 1: NEED FOR ACTION AND SCOPE OF ANALYSIS 1.1 INTRODUCTION Wildlife is an important public resource greatly valued by people. In general, people regard wildlife as providing economic, recreational, emotional, and esthetic benefits. Knowing that wildlife exists in the natural environment provides a positive benefit to many people. However, the behavior of animals may result in damage to agricultural resources, natural resources, property, and threaten human safety. Therefore, wildlife can have either positive or negative values depending on the perspectives and circumstances of individual people. Wildlife damage management is the alleviation of damage or other problems caused by or related to the behavior of wildlife and can be an integral component of wildlife management (Berryman 1991, Reidinger and Miller 2013, The Wildlife Society 2015) and the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation (Organ et al. 2010, Organ et al. 2012). Resolving damage caused by wildlife requires consideration of both sociological and biological carrying capacities. The wildlife acceptance capacity, or cultural carrying capacity, is the limit of human tolerance for wildlife or the maximum number of a given species that can coexist compatibly with local human populations. Biological carrying capacity is the land or habitat’s ability to support healthy populations of wildlife without degradation to the species’ health or their environment during an extended period of time (Decker and Purdy 1988). Those phenomena are especially important because they define the sensitivity
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Docket No. FWS–HQ–ES–2019–0009; FF09E21000 FXES11190900000 167]
    This document is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on 10/10/2019 and available online at https://federalregister.gov/d/2019-21478, and on govinfo.gov DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 [Docket No. FWS–HQ–ES–2019–0009; FF09E21000 FXES11190900000 167] Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Review of Domestic and Foreign Species That Are Candidates for Listing as Endangered or Threatened; Annual Notification of Findings on Resubmitted Petitions; Annual Description of Progress on Listing Actions AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of review. SUMMARY: In this candidate notice of review (CNOR), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), present an updated list of plant and animal species that we regard as candidates for or have proposed for addition to the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Identification of candidate species can assist environmental planning efforts by providing advance notice of potential listings, and by allowing landowners and resource managers to alleviate threats and thereby possibly remove the need to list species as endangered or threatened. Even if we subsequently list a candidate species, the early notice provided here could result in more options for species management and recovery by prompting earlier candidate conservation measures to alleviate threats to the species. This document also includes our findings on resubmitted petitions and describes our 1 progress in revising the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants (Lists) during the period October 1, 2016, through September 30, 2018.
    [Show full text]
  • Upland Sandpiper: a Flagship for Jack Pine Barrens Restoration in the Upper Midwest? R
    RESEARCH ARTICLE Upland Sandpiper: A Flagship for Jack Pine Barrens Restoration in the Upper Midwest? R. Gregory Corace III, Jacob L. Korte, Lindsey M. Shartell and Daniel M. Kashian ABSTRACT Fire-dependent ecosystems have been altered across much of North America, and their restoration has the potential to affect many wildlife species, including those of regional conservation priority such as the upland sandpiper (UPSA, Bartra- mia longicauda). In the Upper Midwest, fire-dependent jack pine (Pinus banksiana) barrens were once common and are now a focus of restoration by state, federal, and non-government agencies and organizations. Given UPSA’s association with terrestrial ecosystems such as pastures, hayfields, and barrens, we determined the location of UPSA-occupied areas across multiple states, with special focus on Michigan, to illustrate distributional relationships with specific ecoregions, soils, and land covers while considering what role the species may have as a flagship for barrens restoration. With the exception of Michigan, UPSA-occupied areas in all states studied had greater proportions of agricultural land (National Land Cover Data: pasture/hay and cultivated crops) than other openland cover types. In Michigan, 66% of long-term occupied areas were found in the northern Lower Peninsula, and most often consisted of anthropogenic grasslands pro- viding stable habitat on higher-quality soils. In contrast, short-term occupied areas had a greater proportion of native openlands that were often located on poorer, xeric soils associated with jack pine ecosystems that succeed to closed- canopy forests or shrublands in the absence of fire. Openlands with no UPSA breeding evidence were characterized by intensive agriculture (row crops).
    [Show full text]
  • Status Review and Surveys for Frecklebelly Madtom, Noturus Munitus
    Noturus munitus, Buttahatchee R., Lowndes Co., AL Final Report: Status review and surveys for Frecklebelly Madtom, Noturus munitus. David A. Neely, Ph. D. Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute 175 Baylor School Rd Chattanooga, TN 37405 Background: The frecklebelly madtom, Noturus munitus, was described by Suttkus & Taylor (1965) based largely on specimens from the Pearl River in Louisiana and Mississippi. At that time, the only other known populations occupied the Cahaba and Upper Tombigbee rivers in Alabama and Mississippi. Populations were subsequently discovered in the Alabama, Etowah, and Conasauga rivers (Bryant et. al., 1979). The disjunct distribution displayed by the species prompted an examination of morphological and genetic differentiation between populations of frecklebelly madtom. Between 1997-2001 I gathered morphological, meristic, and mtDNA sequence data on frecklebelly madtoms from across their range. Preliminary morphological data suggested that while there was considerable morphological variation across the range, the populations in the Coosa River drainage above the Fall Line were the most distinctive population and were diagnosable as a distinct form. I presented a talk on this at the Association of Southeastern Biologists meeting in 1998, and despite the lack of a formal description, the published abstract referring to a "Coosa Madtom" made it into the public 1 eye (Neely et al 1998, Boschung and Mayden 2004). This has resulted in substantial confusion over conservation priorities and the status of this form. The subsequent (and also unpublished) mitochondrial DNA data set, however, suggested that populations were moderately differentiated, shared no haplotypes and were related to one another in the following pattern: Pearl[Tombigbee[Cahaba+Coosa]].
    [Show full text]
  • Fish Relationships with Large Wood in Small Streams
    Amencan F~sheriesSociety Symposium 37:179-193, 2003 Fish Relationships with Large Wood in Small Streams USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Department ofFisheries and Wildlife Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, USA USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station 1000 Front Street, Oxford, Massachusetts 38655, USA Abstracf.-Many ecological processes are associated with large wood in streams, such as forming habitat critical for fish and a host of other organisms. Wood loading in streams varies with age and species of riparian vegetation, stream size, time since last disturbance, and history of land use. Changes in the landscape resulting from homesteading, agriculture, and logging have altered forest environments, which, in turn, changed the physical and biological characteristics of many streams worldwide. Wood is also important in creating refugia for fish and other aquatic species. Removing wood from streams typically results in loss of pool habitat and overall complexity as well as fewer and smaller individuals of both coldwater and warmwater fish species. The life histories of more than 85 species of fish have some association with large wood for cover, spawning (egg attachment, nest materials), and feeding. Many other aquatic organisms, such as crayfish, certain species of freshwater mus- sels, and turtles, also depend on large wood during at least part of their life cycles. Introduction Because decay rate and probability of displace- ment are a function of size, large pieces have a Large wood can profoundly influence the struc- greater influence on habitat and physical processes ture and function of aquatic habitats from head- than small pieces. In general, rootwads, branches, waters to estuaries.
    [Show full text]
  • The All-Bird Bulletin
    Advancing Integrated Bird Conservation in North America Spring 2014 Inside this issue: The All-Bird Bulletin Protecting Habitat for 4 the Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Bolivia The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Conserving the “Jewels 6 Act (NMBCA): Thirteen Years of Hemispheric in the Crown” for Neotropical Migrants Bird Conservation Guy Foulks, Program Coordinator, Division of Bird Habitat Conservation, U.S. Fish and Bird Conservation in 8 Wildlife Service (USFWS) Costa Rica’s Agricultural Matrix In 2000, responding to alarming declines in many Neotropical migratory bird popu- Uruguayan Rice Fields 10 lations due to habitat loss and degradation, Congress passed the Neotropical Migra- as Wintering Habitat for tory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA). The legislation created a unique funding Neotropical Shorebirds source to foster the cooperative conservation needed to sustain these species through all stages of their life cycles, which occur throughout the Western Hemi- Conserving Antigua’s 12 sphere. Since its first year of appropriations in 2002, the NMBCA has become in- Most Critical Bird strumental to migratory bird conservation Habitat in the Americas. Neotropical Migratory 14 Bird Conservation in the The mission of the North American Bird Heart of South America Conservation Initiative is to ensure that populations and habitats of North Ameri- Aros/Yaqui River Habi- 16 ca's birds are protected, restored, and en- tat Conservation hanced through coordinated efforts at in- ternational, national, regional, and local Strategic Conservation 18 levels, guided by sound science and effec- in the Appalachians of tive management. The NMBCA’s mission Southern Quebec is to achieve just this for over 380 Neo- tropical migratory bird species by provid- ...and more! Cerulean Warbler, a Neotropical migrant, is a ing conservation support within and be- USFWS Bird of Conservation Concern and listed as yond North America—to Latin America Vulnerable on the International Union for Conser- Coordination and editorial vation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
    [Show full text]
  • Biogeographical Profiles of Shorebird Migration in Midcontinental North America
    U.S. Geological Survey Biological Resources Division Technical Report Series Information and Biological Science Reports ISSN 1081-292X Technology Reports ISSN 1081-2911 Papers published in this series record the significant find­ These reports are intended for the publication of book­ ings resulting from USGS/BRD-sponsored and cospon­ length-monographs; synthesis documents; compilations sored research programs. They may include extensive data of conference and workshop papers; important planning or theoretical analyses. These papers are the in-house coun­ and reference materials such as strategic plans, standard terpart to peer-reviewed journal articles, but with less strin­ operating procedures, protocols, handbooks, and manu­ gent restrictions on length, tables, or raw data, for example. als; and data compilations such as tables and bibliogra­ We encourage authors to publish their fmdings in the most phies. Papers in this series are held to the same peer-review appropriate journal possible. However, the Biological Sci­ and high quality standards as their journal counterparts. ence Reports represent an outlet in which BRD authors may publish papers that are difficult to publish elsewhere due to the formatting and length restrictions of journals. At the same time, papers in this series are held to the same peer-review and high quality standards as their journal counterparts. To purchase this report, contact the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161 (call toll free 1-800-553-684 7), or the Defense Technical Infonnation Center, 8725 Kingman Rd., Suite 0944, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6218. Biogeographical files o Shorebird Migration · Midcontinental Biological Science USGS/BRD/BSR--2000-0003 December 1 By Susan K.
    [Show full text]
  • Endangered Species
    FEATURE: ENDANGERED SPECIES Conservation Status of Imperiled North American Freshwater and Diadromous Fishes ABSTRACT: This is the third compilation of imperiled (i.e., endangered, threatened, vulnerable) plus extinct freshwater and diadromous fishes of North America prepared by the American Fisheries Society’s Endangered Species Committee. Since the last revision in 1989, imperilment of inland fishes has increased substantially. This list includes 700 extant taxa representing 133 genera and 36 families, a 92% increase over the 364 listed in 1989. The increase reflects the addition of distinct populations, previously non-imperiled fishes, and recently described or discovered taxa. Approximately 39% of described fish species of the continent are imperiled. There are 230 vulnerable, 190 threatened, and 280 endangered extant taxa, and 61 taxa presumed extinct or extirpated from nature. Of those that were imperiled in 1989, most (89%) are the same or worse in conservation status; only 6% have improved in status, and 5% were delisted for various reasons. Habitat degradation and nonindigenous species are the main threats to at-risk fishes, many of which are restricted to small ranges. Documenting the diversity and status of rare fishes is a critical step in identifying and implementing appropriate actions necessary for their protection and management. Howard L. Jelks, Frank McCormick, Stephen J. Walsh, Joseph S. Nelson, Noel M. Burkhead, Steven P. Platania, Salvador Contreras-Balderas, Brady A. Porter, Edmundo Díaz-Pardo, Claude B. Renaud, Dean A. Hendrickson, Juan Jacobo Schmitter-Soto, John Lyons, Eric B. Taylor, and Nicholas E. Mandrak, Melvin L. Warren, Jr. Jelks, Walsh, and Burkhead are research McCormick is a biologist with the biologists with the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Stability, Persistence and Habitat Associations of the Pearl Darter Percina Aurora in the Pascagoula River System, Southeastern USA
    Vol. 36: 99–109, 2018 ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH Published June 13 https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00897 Endang Species Res OPENPEN ACCESSCCESS Stability, persistence and habitat associations of the pearl darter Percina aurora in the Pascagoula River System, southeastern USA Scott R. Clark1,4,*, William T. Slack2, Brian R. Kreiser1, Jacob F. Schaefer1, Mark A. Dugo3 1Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, USA 2US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Environmental Laboratory EEA, Vicksburg, Mississippi 39180, USA 3Mississippi Valley State University, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Itta Bena, Mississippi 38941, USA 4Present address: Department of Biology and Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA ABSTRACT: The southeastern United States represents one of the richest collections of aquatic biodiversity worldwide; however, many of these taxa are under an increasing threat of imperil- ment, local extirpation, or extinction. The pearl darter Percina aurora is a small-bodied freshwater fish endemic to the Pearl and Pascagoula river systems of Mississippi and Louisiana (USA). The last collected specimen from the Pearl River drainage was taken in 1973, and it now appears that populations in this system are likely extirpated. This reduced the historical range of this species by approximately 50%, ultimately resulting in federal protection under the US Endangered Species Act in 2017. To better understand the current distribution and general biology of extant popula- tions, we analyzed data collected from a series of surveys conducted in the Pascagoula River drainage from 2000 to 2016. Pearl darters were captured at relatively low abundance (2.4 ± 4.0 ind.
    [Show full text]
  • ECOLOGY of NORTH AMERICAN FRESHWATER FISHES
    ECOLOGY of NORTH AMERICAN FRESHWATER FISHES Tables STEPHEN T. ROSS University of California Press Berkeley Los Angeles London © 2013 by The Regents of the University of California ISBN 978-0-520-24945-5 uucp-ross-book-color.indbcp-ross-book-color.indb 1 44/5/13/5/13 88:34:34 AAMM uucp-ross-book-color.indbcp-ross-book-color.indb 2 44/5/13/5/13 88:34:34 AAMM TABLE 1.1 Families Composing 95% of North American Freshwater Fish Species Ranked by the Number of Native Species Number Cumulative Family of species percent Cyprinidae 297 28 Percidae 186 45 Catostomidae 71 51 Poeciliidae 69 58 Ictaluridae 46 62 Goodeidae 45 66 Atherinopsidae 39 70 Salmonidae 38 74 Cyprinodontidae 35 77 Fundulidae 34 80 Centrarchidae 31 83 Cottidae 30 86 Petromyzontidae 21 88 Cichlidae 16 89 Clupeidae 10 90 Eleotridae 10 91 Acipenseridae 8 92 Osmeridae 6 92 Elassomatidae 6 93 Gobiidae 6 93 Amblyopsidae 6 94 Pimelodidae 6 94 Gasterosteidae 5 95 source: Compiled primarily from Mayden (1992), Nelson et al. (2004), and Miller and Norris (2005). uucp-ross-book-color.indbcp-ross-book-color.indb 3 44/5/13/5/13 88:34:34 AAMM TABLE 3.1 Biogeographic Relationships of Species from a Sample of Fishes from the Ouachita River, Arkansas, at the Confl uence with the Little Missouri River (Ross, pers. observ.) Origin/ Pre- Pleistocene Taxa distribution Source Highland Stoneroller, Campostoma spadiceum 2 Mayden 1987a; Blum et al. 2008; Cashner et al. 2010 Blacktail Shiner, Cyprinella venusta 3 Mayden 1987a Steelcolor Shiner, Cyprinella whipplei 1 Mayden 1987a Redfi n Shiner, Lythrurus umbratilis 4 Mayden 1987a Bigeye Shiner, Notropis boops 1 Wiley and Mayden 1985; Mayden 1987a Bullhead Minnow, Pimephales vigilax 4 Mayden 1987a Mountain Madtom, Noturus eleutherus 2a Mayden 1985, 1987a Creole Darter, Etheostoma collettei 2a Mayden 1985 Orangebelly Darter, Etheostoma radiosum 2a Page 1983; Mayden 1985, 1987a Speckled Darter, Etheostoma stigmaeum 3 Page 1983; Simon 1997 Redspot Darter, Etheostoma artesiae 3 Mayden 1985; Piller et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Vernacular Name AMPHIUMA, ONE-TOED (Aka: Congo Eel, Congo Snake, Ditch Eel, Fish Eel and Lamprey Eel)
    1/6 Vernacular Name AMPHIUMA, ONE-TOED (aka: Congo Eel, Congo Snake, Ditch Eel, Fish Eel and Lamprey Eel) GEOGRAPHIC RANGE Eastern Gulf coast. HABITAT Wetlands: slow moving or stagnant freshwater rivers/streams/creeks and bogs, marshes, swamps, fens and peat lands. CONSERVATION STATUS IUCN: Near Threatened (2016). Population Trend: Decreasing. Because of the limited extent of its occurrence and because of the declining extent and quality of its habitat, this species is close to qualifying for Vulnerable. COOL FACTS Amphiumas are commonly known as "Congo eels," a misnomer. First of all, amphiumas are amphibians, rather than fish (which eels are). This notwithstanding, amphiumas bear resemblance to the elongate fishes. It is easy to overlook the diminutive legs, and the lack of any external gills adds to the similarity between the amphiumas and eels. Amphiumas are adapted for digging and tunneling. They seem to spend most of the time in muddy burrows and are rarely observed in the wild. They never fully metamorphose and retain larval characteristics in varying degrees into adulthood: one pair of the larval gill slits is retained and never disappears, no eyelids, no tongue and the presence of 4 gill arches with a single respiratory opening between the 3 rd--4th arches. Amphiumas have two pairs of limbs, and the three species, all of which occur in the S.E. U.S, differ in regard to the number of toes at the ends of these limbs: one, two or three. These amphiumas possess tiny, single-toed limbs, one pair just behind the small gill opening at each side of the neck and another pair just ahead of the longitudinal anal slit .
    [Show full text]
  • Chassahowitzka Chassahowitzka Plan Comprehensive Conservation
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Chassahowitzka NationalWildlifeRefuge Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge Refuge Manager: Michael Lusk, (Project Leader) 1502 S.E. Kings Bay Drive Crystal River, FL 34429 Phone: (352) 563-2088 / ext. 202 Fax: (352) 795-7961 E-mail: [email protected] U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1 800/344 WILD http://www.fws.gov Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive ConservationPlan September 2012 Comprehensive Conservation Plan USFWS Photos Photo Credits: Operation Migration, by Keith Ramos Dog Island, by Amber Breland Chass Aerial, by Joyce Kleen Comprehensive Conservation Plans provide long-term guidance for manage- ment decisions; set forth goals, objectives, and strategies needed to accom- plish refuge purposes; and identify the Fish and Wildlife Service’s best esti- mate of future needs. These plans detail program planning levels that are sometimes substantially above current budget allocations and, as such, are primarily for Service strategic planning and program prioritization purposes. The plans do not constitute a commitment for staffing increases, operational and maintenance increases, or funding for future land acquisition. Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region September 2012 COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN CHASSAHOWITZKA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Citrus and Hernando Counties, Florida U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia September
    [Show full text]
  • Mississippi Natural Heritage Program Listed Species of Mississippi - 2018
    MISSISSIPPI NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM LISTED SPECIES OF MISSISSIPPI - 2018 - GLOBAL STATE FEDERAL STATE SPECIES NAME COMMON NAME RANK RANK STATUS STATUS ANIMALIA BIVALVIA UNIONOIDA UNIONIDAE ACTINONAIAS LIGAMENTINA MUCKET G5 S1 LE CYCLONAIAS TUBERCULATA PURPLE WARTYBACK G5 S1 LE ELLIPTIO ARCTATA DELICATE SPIKE G2G3Q S1 LE EPIOBLASMA BREVIDENS CUMBERLANDIAN COMBSHELL G1 S1 LE LE EPIOBLASMA PENITA SOUTHERN COMBSHELL G1 S1 LE LE EPIOBLASMA TRIQUETRA SNUFFBOX G3 S1 LE LE EURYNIA DILATATA SPIKE G5 S1 LE HAMIOTA PEROVALIS ORANGE-NACRE MUCKET G2 S1 LT LE MEDIONIDUS ACUTISSIMUS ALABAMA MOCCASINSHELL G2 S1 LT LE PLETHOBASUS CYPHYUS SHEEPNOSE G3 S1 LE LE PLEUROBEMA CURTUM BLACK CLUBSHELL GH SX LE LE PLEUROBEMA DECISUM SOUTHERN CLUBSHELL G2 S1 LE LE PLEUROBEMA MARSHALLI FLAT PIGTOE GX SX LE LE PLEUROBEMA OVIFORME TENNESSEE CLUBSHELL G2G3 SX LE PLEUROBEMA PEROVATUM OVATE CLUBSHELL G1 S1 LE LE PLEUROBEMA RUBRUM PYRAMID PIGTOE G2G3 S2 LE PLEUROBEMA TAITIANUM HEAVY PIGTOE G1 SX LE LE PLEURONAIA DOLABELLOIDES SLABSIDE PEARLYMUSSEL G2 S1 LE LE POTAMILUS CAPAX FAT POCKETBOOK G2 S1 LE LE POTAMILUS INFLATUS INFLATED HEELSPLITTER G1G2Q SH LT LE PTYCHOBRANCHUS FASCIOLARIS KIDNEYSHELL G4G5 S1 LE THELIDERMA CYLINDRICA CYLINDRICA RABBITSFOOT G3G4T3 S1 LT LE THELIDERMA METANEVRA MONKEYFACE G4 SX LE THELIDERMA STAPES STIRRUPSHELL GH SX LE LE MALACOSTRACA DECAPODA CAMBARIDAE CREASERINUS GORDONI CAMP SHELBY BURROWING CRAWFISH G1 S1 LE INSECTA COLEOPTERA SILPHIDAE NICROPHORUS AMERICANUS AMERICAN BURYING BEETLE G2G3 SX LE LE LEPIDOPTERA NYMPHALIDAE NEONYMPHA MITCHELLII MITCHELLII MITCHELL’S SATYR G2T2 S1 LE LE 24 September 2018 Page | 1 Page | 1 Cite the list as: Mississippi Natural Heritage Program, 2018. Listed Species of Mississippi. Museum of Natural Science, Mississippi Dept.
    [Show full text]