Biotic Communities of the Nevada Test Site

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Biotic Communities of the Nevada Test Site Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series Volume 2 Number 2 Article 1 2-1963 Biotic communities of the Nevada Test Site Dorald M. Allred D Elden Beck Clive D. Jorgensen Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byuscib Part of the Anatomy Commons, Botany Commons, Physiology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Allred, Dorald M.; Beck, D Elden; and Jorgensen, Clive D. (1963) "Biotic communities of the Nevada Test Site," Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series: Vol. 2 : No. 2 , Article 1. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byuscib/vol2/iss2/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Western North American Naturalist Publications at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. £? - Mf^-T^^ov^ ?.;in ( t^R? BIOLOGICAL SERIES — VOLUME II, NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY, 1963 BIOTIC COMMUNITIES OF THE NEVADA TEST SITE by DORALD M. ALLRED, D ELDEN BECK and CLIVE D. JORGENSEN Brigham Young University Science Bulletin -•^ » ,* >-:.^ «^i 4 .*^ UC"} BIOLOGICAL SERIES — VOLUME II, NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY, 1963 BIOTIC COMMUNITIES OF THE NEVADA TEST SITE fay DORALD M. ALLRED, D ELDEN BECK and CLIVE D. JORGENSEN Brigham Young University Science Bulletin PREFACE This paper constitutes a terminal report to the United States Atomic Energy Commission for Contract AT( 11-1) 786, It provides a listing of the fauna known to occur at the Nevada Test Site, with designation of ecological distribution and relative density. It is designed to serve as the basic faunistic reference source, in subsequent studies, related to geographical and ecological features at the test site. tablf: of contents Page INTRODUCTION 1 EXTENT AND GENERAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE NEVADA TEST SITE 1 CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 4 HISTORY 5 PROCEDURES AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 9 BIOTIC COMMUNITIES - 11 Plant Communities 12 LarreaFranseria Community 12 Grayia-Lyc'ium Community 12 Coleogyne Community 12 Atriplex-Kochia Community 16 Salsola Community 16 Pinyon-Juniper Community 16 Other Habitats 17 Animal Iniiabitants 17 Scorpions 18 Spiders 18 Solpugids 18 Phalangids 18 Isopods 18 Grassiioppers and Crickets 21 Beetles 21 Ants 22 Chilopods 25 Millipeds 26 Lizards 26 Snakes 27 Birds 27 Rabbits 27 Rodents 27 Carnivores 27 Artiodactyls 31 Discussion 31 LITERATURE CITED 32 APPENDICES I. Some common plants of the major commmunities and other habitats at the Nevada Test Site - 35 II. Check-list of animals showing their known distribution by community and other areas at the Nevada Test Site 37 III. Information on new species, including data on locality, date, author, publication, and repository for each species 51 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Geographic location of the Nevada Test Site and the approximate boundary between the Great Basin and Mohave deserts 2 2. Typical landscape of southern Nevada 3 3. Playa of Frenchman Flat 3 4. Principal collecting sites of vertebrates 6 5. Permanent sites for year-round studies of animals and principal sampling stations of invertebrates 7 6. Young-type rodent trap 8 7. Museum Special, break-back traps 8 8. Oneida-Victor carnivore trap 8 9. Can pit-trap 8 10. Berlese funnel 9 11. Grid arrangement of collecting stations at permanent study sites 10 12. Radiating transect arrangement of collecting stations at permanent study and sampling sites 10 13. Paired transect arrangement of collecting stations at sampling sites 10 14. Larrea-Franseria Community 13 15. Grayia-Lycium Community 13 16. Coleogyne Community 14 17. Atriple.x-Kochia Community 14 18. Salsola Community 15 19. Pinyon-Juniper Community 15 20. Cane Springs 16 21. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of solpugids and scorpions 17 22. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of scorpions 18 23. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of phalangids and spiders 19 24. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of spiders 19 25. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of solpugids 20 26. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of isopods and phalangids 20 27. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of isopods, millipeds, and chilopods 21 28. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of grasshoppers and crickets 21 29. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of grasshoppers and crickets 22 30. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of darkling beetles 22 31. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of darkling beetles 23 32. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of ants 24 33. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of ants 24 34. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of chilopods and millipeds 25 35. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of lizards and snakes 25 36. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of snakes and lizards 26 37. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of birds 27 38. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of birds 28 39. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of rabbits, carnivores, and artiodactyls 29 40. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of rabbits 29 41. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of rodents 29 42. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of rodents 30 43. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of carnivores and artiodactyls 31 44. E.xtent of the major plant communities at the Nevada Test Site 53 BIOTIC COMMUNITIES OF Till: NF.VADA TKST SITI-: INTRODUCTION Since the fii'st nuclear detonation at the testing; and (2) establish techniques of pro- Nevada Test Site in January, 1951, many cedure so that studies may be made in similar weapons and experimental devices have been ecological situations where nuclear detonations tested in southern Nevada. The native plants have occurred or may occur. and animals have been disturbed to varying Dining the three years from 1959 to 1962 degrees by the thermal, radiation, and other (hat these studies were in progress, large num- physical effects of these tests. bers of animals were captiued and studied, and In August, 1959, Brigham Young Univer- volumes of data were gathered. The initial sity initiated an ecological survey of the fauna analysis of these data was dependent upon the at the Nevada Test Site to study the effects identification of the organisms collected. Spe- which these nuclear tests have had on the cialists were employed to classify the many native animals. Inasmuch as no basic ecological taxonomic groups. In some groups of the in- investigations were made at the test site before vertebrates specialists were not available who tuiclcar testing commenced, our studies were could identify the species. Some vertebrate ani- designed to develop standards of measurement mal groups were studied in detail, and some of to determine past imclear effects, so far as pos- these data have been published. sible, as well as to measure the effects of future As a basis for reports which are to follow, tests. Subsequently, study sites were established it is the objective of this report to (1) identify, in (1 ) test areas where visible effects of nuclear delineate, and describe the major plant com- detonations were obvious, (2) contiguous areas nnmities of the Nevada Test Site, (2) include a where no physical effects were evident, and (3) listing of the ])redominant animals occurring in areas several miles distant from centers of nu- these connnunities. with a designation of their clear detonations (ground zeros). Principal ob- relative abundance and seasonal occurrence, and jectives of our project were to determine the ( 3 ) list phylogenetically all the species of ani- kinds, population, seasonal occurrence, geo- mals known from the test site and the com- graphic and ecological distribution, migration, munities in which they are found. home range, and related habits of native ani- The delineation of the plant communities is mals in these areas. This woidd facilitate (1) rather general and does not include certain selection of species of animals which would plant associations. Detailed botanical studies serve as standards of measurement to determine continued over several years will perhaps neces- how the ecological structure in a selected com- sitate a refinement of our present plant com- nnmity had been affected by the thermal, radi- mimity designation. Nevertheless, the present ation, and other physical factors in nuclear arrangement fits the needs of the present study. EXTENT AND GENERAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE NEVADA TEST SITE The Nevada Test Site (proving grounds) is LInited States Geological Survey maps of the situated approximately 70 miles northwest of test site area were also used. Figures 4, 5, and Las Vegas, Nevada, in the southeastern part of 44 are composites from these sources which Nye County. It lies alongside northwestern show mountain ranges, valleys, and our desig- Clark
Recommended publications
  • A Checklist of the Non -Acarine Arachnids
    Original Research A CHECKLIST OF THE NON -A C A RINE A R A CHNIDS (CHELICER A T A : AR A CHNID A ) OF THE DE HOOP NA TURE RESERVE , WESTERN CA PE PROVINCE , SOUTH AFRIC A Authors: ABSTRACT Charles R. Haddad1 As part of the South African National Survey of Arachnida (SANSA) in conserved areas, arachnids Ansie S. Dippenaar- were collected in the De Hoop Nature Reserve in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. The Schoeman2 survey was carried out between 1999 and 2007, and consisted of five intensive surveys between Affiliations: two and 12 days in duration. Arachnids were sampled in five broad habitat types, namely fynbos, 1Department of Zoology & wetlands, i.e. De Hoop Vlei, Eucalyptus plantations at Potberg and Cupido’s Kraal, coastal dunes Entomology University of near Koppie Alleen and the intertidal zone at Koppie Alleen. A total of 274 species representing the Free State, five orders, 65 families and 191 determined genera were collected, of which spiders (Araneae) South Africa were the dominant taxon (252 spp., 174 genera, 53 families). The most species rich families collected were the Salticidae (32 spp.), Thomisidae (26 spp.), Gnaphosidae (21 spp.), Araneidae (18 2 Biosystematics: spp.), Theridiidae (16 spp.) and Corinnidae (15 spp.). Notes are provided on the most commonly Arachnology collected arachnids in each habitat. ARC - Plant Protection Research Institute Conservation implications: This study provides valuable baseline data on arachnids conserved South Africa in De Hoop Nature Reserve, which can be used for future assessments of habitat transformation, 2Department of Zoology & alien invasive species and climate change on arachnid biodiversity.
    [Show full text]
  • Oak Woodland Litter Spiders James Steffen Chicago Botanic Garden
    Oak Woodland Litter Spiders James Steffen Chicago Botanic Garden George Retseck Objectives • Learn about Spiders as Animals • Learn to recognize common spiders to family • Learn about spider ecology • Learn to Collect and Preserve Spiders Kingdom - Animalia Phylum - Arthropoda Subphyla - Mandibulata Chelicerata Class - Arachnida Orders - Acari Opiliones Pseudoscorpiones Araneae Spiders Arachnids of Illinois • Order Acari: Mites and Ticks • Order Opiliones: Harvestmen • Order Pseudoscorpiones: Pseudoscorpions • Order Araneae: Spiders! Acari - Soil Mites Characteriscs of Spiders • Usually four pairs of simple eyes although some species may have less • Six pair of appendages: one pair of fangs (instead of mandibles), one pair of pedipalps, and four pair of walking legs • Spinnerets at the end of the abdomen, which are used for spinning silk threads for a variety of purposes, such as the construction of webs, snares, and retreats in which to live or to wrap prey • 1 pair of sensory palps (often much larger in males) between the first pair of legs and the chelicerae used for sperm transfer, prey manipulation, and detection of smells and vibrations • 1 to 2 pairs of book-lungs on the underside of abdomen • Primitively, 2 body regions: Cephalothorax, Abdomen Spider Life Cycle • Eggs in batches (egg sacs) • Hatch inside the egg sac • molt to spiderlings which leave from the egg sac • grows during several more molts (instars) • at final molt, becomes adult – Some long-lived mygalomorphs (tarantulas) molt after adulthood Phenology • Most temperate
    [Show full text]
  • SEVEN PREVIOUSLY UNDOCUMENTED ORTHOPTERAN SPECIES in LUNA COUNTY, NEW MEXICO Niccole D
    International Journal of Science, Environment ISSN 2278-3687 (O) and Technology, Vol. 10, No 4, 2021, 105 – 115 2277-663X (P) SEVEN PREVIOUSLY UNDOCUMENTED ORTHOPTERAN SPECIES IN LUNA COUNTY, NEW MEXICO Niccole D. Rech1*, Brianda Alirez2 and Lauren Paulk2 1Western New Mexico University, Deming, New Mexico 2Early College High School, Deming, New Mexico E-mail: [email protected] (*Corresponding Author) Abstract: The Chihuahua Desert is the largest hot desert (BWh) in North America. Orthopterans are an integral part of desert ecosystems. They include grasshoppers, katydids and crickets. A large section of the Northern Chihuahua Desert is in Luna County, New Mexico. There is a dearth of information on the Orthopterans in this area. Between May and October of 2020, sixty adult grasshoppers, two katydids and one camel cricket were captured from a 5-hectare (ha) area at base of the Florida Mountains, which is the extreme southern portion of Luna County. Luna County was in a severe drought during 2020. The insects were identified using several taxonomic keys (Cigliano, Braun, Eades & Otte, 2018; Guala & Doring, 2019; Triplehorn & Johnson, 2005; Richman, Lightfoot, Sutherland & Fergurson, 1993, Otte, 1984, 1981; Tinkham, 1944). A previous New Mexico State University (NMSU) survey from 1993 had only documented grasshoppers in the Acrididae and Romaleidae families. The objective of this continuing study is to identify and document all species of Orthopterans found in Luna County, and correlate the populations with changing weather patterns. In this portion of the study, the majority of Orthopterans captured were Leprus wheeleri (Thomas), a previously documented specie. However, seven undocumented species were also captured.
    [Show full text]
  • Arachnids (Excluding Acarina and Pseudoscorpionida) of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma
    OCCASIONAL PAPERS THE MUSEUM TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY NUMBER 67 5 SEPTEMBER 1980 ARACHNIDS (EXCLUDING ACARINA AND PSEUDOSCORPIONIDA) OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS WILDLIFE REFUGE, OKLAHOMA JAMES C. COKENDOLPHER AND FRANK D. BRYCE The Wichita Mountains are located in eastern Greer, southern Kiowa, and northwestern Comanche counties in Oklahoma. Since their formation more than 300 million years ago, these rugged mountains have been fragmented and weathered, until today the highest peak (Mount Pinchot) stands only 756 meters above sea level (Tyler, 1977). The mountains are composed predominantly of granite and gabbro. Forests of oak, elm, and walnut border most waterways, while at elevations from 153 to 427 meters prair­ ies are the predominant vegetation type. A more detailed sum­ mary of the climatic and biotic features of the Wichitas has been presented by Blair and Hubbell (1938). A large tract of land in the eastern range of the Wichita Moun­ tains (now northeastern Comanche County) was set aside as the Wichita National Forest by President McKinley during 1901. In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt created a game preserve on those lands managed by the Forest Service. Since 1935, this pre­ serve has been known as the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Numerous papers on Oklahoma spiders have been published (Bailey and Chada, 1968; Bailey et al., 1968; Banks et al, 1932; Branson, 1958, 1959, 1966, 1968; Branson and Drew, 1972; Gro- thaus, 1968; Harrel, 1962, 1965; Horner, 1975; Rogers and Horner, 1977), but only a single, comprehensive work (Banks et al., 1932) exists covering all arachnid orders in the state. Further additions and annotations to the arachnid fauna of Oklahoma can be found 2 OCCASIONAL PAPERS MUSEUM TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY in recent revisionary studies.
    [Show full text]
  • 1. Padil Species Factsheet Scientific Name: Common Name Image
    1. PaDIL Species Factsheet Scientific Name: Sassacus vitis (Cockerell, 1894) (Araneae: Salticidae: Dendryphantinae: Dendryphantini) Common Name Jumping Spider Live link: http://www.padil.gov.au/maf-border/Pest/Main/140697 Image Library New Zealand Biosecurity Live link: http://www.padil.gov.au/maf-border/ Partners for New Zealand Biosecurity image library Landcare Research — Manaaki Whenua http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/ MPI (Ministry for Primary Industries) http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/ 2. Species Information 2.1. Details Specimen Contact: MAF Plant Health & Environment Laboratory - [email protected] Author: MAF Plant Health & Environment Laboratory Citation: MAF Plant Health & Environment Laboratory (2011) Jumping Spider(Sassacus vitis)Updated on 5/1/2014 Available online: PaDIL - http://www.padil.gov.au Image Use: Free for use under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY- NC 4.0) 2.2. URL Live link: http://www.padil.gov.au/maf-border/Pest/Main/140697 2.3. Facets Commodity Overview: Horticulture Commodity Type: Grapes Groups: Spiders Status: NZ - Exotic Pest Status: 0 Unknown Distribution: 0 Unknown Host Family: 0 Unknown 2.4. Other Names Dendryphantes apachecus Chamberlin, 1925 Dendryphantes mathetes Chamberlin, 1925 Dendryphantes melanomerus Chamberlin, 1924 Dendryphantes vitis Cockerell, 1894 Metaphidippus vitis (Cockerell, 1894) Gertsch, 1934 Sassacus vitis (Cockerell, 1894) Hill, 1979 2.5. Diagnostic Notes **Adult** Body elongated and covered with golden scales especially on the abdomen and usually (but not always) has a patch of light-coloured scales posterior to each posterior lateral eye. Front legs normal and without fringes. 1st tibia with 2-2-2 ventral macrosetae. Abdomen usually without inverted stylized lily-like marking.
    [Show full text]
  • Abundance and Community Composition of Arboreal Spiders: the Relative Importance of Habitat Structure
    AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Juraj Halaj for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Entomology presented on May 6, 1996. Title: Abundance and Community Composition of Arboreal Spiders: The Relative Importance of Habitat Structure. Prey Availability and Competition. Abstract approved: Redacted for Privacy _ John D. Lattin, Darrell W. Ross This work examined the importance of structural complexity of habitat, availability of prey, and competition with ants as factors influencing the abundance and community composition of arboreal spiders in western Oregon. In 1993, I compared the spider communities of several host-tree species which have different branch structure. I also assessed the importance of several habitat variables as predictors of spider abundance and diversity on and among individual tree species. The greatest abundance and species richness of spiders per 1-m-long branch tips were found on structurally more complex tree species, including Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco and noble fir, Abies procera Rehder. Spider densities, species richness and diversity positively correlated with the amount of foliage, branch twigs and prey densities on individual tree species. The amount of branch twigs alone explained almost 70% of the variation in the total spider abundance across five tree species. In 1994, I experimentally tested the importance of needle density and branching complexity of Douglas-fir branches on the abundance and community structure of spiders and their potential prey organisms. This was accomplished by either removing needles, by thinning branches or by tying branches. Tying branches resulted in a significant increase in the abundance of spiders and their prey. Densities of spiders and their prey were reduced by removal of needles and thinning.
    [Show full text]
  • The Phylogenetic Distribution of Sphingomyelinase D Activity in Venoms of Haplogyne Spiders
    Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B 135 (2003) 25–33 The phylogenetic distribution of sphingomyelinase D activity in venoms of Haplogyne spiders Greta J. Binford*, Michael A. Wells Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA Received 6 October 2002; received in revised form 8 February 2003; accepted 10 February 2003 Abstract The venoms of Loxosceles spiders cause severe dermonecrotic lesions in human tissues. The venom component sphingomyelinase D (SMD) is a contributor to lesion formation and is unknown elsewhere in the animal kingdom. This study reports comparative analyses of SMD activity and venom composition of select Loxosceles species and representatives of closely related Haplogyne genera. The goal was to identify the phylogenetic group of spiders with SMD and infer the timing of evolutionary origin of this toxin. We also preliminarily characterized variation in molecular masses of venom components in the size range of SMD. SMD activity was detected in all (10) Loxosceles species sampled and two species representing their sister taxon, Sicarius, but not in any other venoms or tissues surveyed. Mass spectrometry analyses indicated that all Loxosceles and Sicarius species surveyed had multiple (at least four to six) molecules in the size range corresponding to known SMD proteins (31–35 kDa), whereas other Haplogynes analyzed had no molecules in this mass range in their venom. This suggests SMD originated in the ancestors of the Loxoscelesy Sicarius lineage. These groups of proteins varied in molecular mass across species with North American Loxosceles having 31–32 kDa, African Loxosceles having 32–33.5 kDa and Sicarius having 32–33 kDa molecules.
    [Show full text]
  • The Placement of the Spider Genus Periegops and the Phylogeny of Scytodoidea (Araneae: Araneomorphae)
    Zootaxa 3312: 1–44 (2012) ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) www.mapress.com/zootaxa/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2012 · Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) The placement of the spider genus Periegops and the phylogeny of Scytodoidea (Araneae: Araneomorphae) FACUNDO M. LABARQUE1 & MARTÍN J. RAMÍREZ1 1Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Av. Ángel Gallardo 470, C1405DJR, Buenos Aires, Argentina. [email protected] / [email protected] Abstract The relationships of Scytodoidea, including the families Drymusidae, Periegopidae, Scytodidae and Sicariidae, have been con- tentious for a long time. Here we present a reviewed phylogenetic analysis of scytodoid spiders, emphasizing Periegops, the only genus in the family Periegopidae. In our analysis the Scytodoidea are united by the fusion of the third abdominal entapo- physes into a median lobe, the presence of female palpal femoral thorns and associated cheliceral stridulatory ridges, a mem- branous lobe on the cheliceral promargin, and the loss of minor ampullate gland spigots. A basal split within Scytodoidea defines two monophyletic groups: Sicariidae and a group formed by Scytodidae as the sister group of Periegopidae plus Dry- musidae, all united by having bipectinate prolateral claws on tarsi I–II, one major ampullate spigot accompanied by a nubbin, and the posterior median spinnerets with a mesal field of spicules. Periegops is the sister group of Drymusidae, united by the regain of promarginal cheliceral teeth and a triangular cheliceral lamina, which is continuous with the paturon margin. Key words: Drymusa, Drymusidae, Haplogyne, morphology, Scytodes, Stedocys, Scytodidae, Sicariidae, Sicarius, Loxosceles Introduction The family Periegopidae currently comprises only the genus Periegops, with two species: the type species Perie- gops suteri (Urquhart) from the Banks Peninsula on the South Island of New Zealand (Vink 2006), and Periegops australia Forster, from southeastern Queensland (Forster 1995).
    [Show full text]
  • Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Bibliography Compiled and Edited by Jim Dice
    Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center University of California, Irvine UCI – NATURE and UC Natural Reserve System California State Parks – Colorado Desert District Anza-Borrego Desert State Park & Anza-Borrego Foundation Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Bibliography Compiled and Edited by Jim Dice (revised 1/31/2019) A gaggle of geneticists in Borrego Palm Canyon – 1975. (L-R, Dr. Theodosius Dobzhansky, Dr. Steve Bryant, Dr. Richard Lewontin, Dr. Steve Jones, Dr. TimEDITOR’S Prout. Photo NOTE by Dr. John Moore, courtesy of Steve Jones) Editor’s Note The publications cited in this volume specifically mention and/or discuss Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, locations and/or features known to occur within the present-day boundaries of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, biological, geological, paleontological or anthropological specimens collected from localities within the present-day boundaries of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, or events that have occurred within those same boundaries. This compendium is not now, nor will it ever be complete (barring, of course, the end of the Earth or the Park). Many, many people have helped to corral the references contained herein (see below). Any errors of omission and comission are the fault of the editor – who would be grateful to have such errors and omissions pointed out! [[email protected]] ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS As mentioned above, many many people have contributed to building this database of knowledge about Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. A quantum leap was taken somewhere in 2016-17 when Kevin Browne introduced me to Google Scholar – and we were off to the races. Elaine Tulving deserves a special mention for her assistance in dealing with formatting issues, keeping printers working, filing hard copies, ignoring occasional foul language – occasionally falling prey to it herself, and occasionally livening things up with an exclamation of “oh come on now, you just made that word up!” Bob Theriault assisted in many ways and now has a lifetime job, if he wants it, entering these references into Zotero.
    [Show full text]
  • A Protocol for Online Documentation of Spider Biodiversity Inventories Applied to a Mexican Tropical Wet Forest (Araneae, Araneomorphae)
    Zootaxa 4722 (3): 241–269 ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) https://www.mapress.com/j/zt/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2020 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4722.3.2 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6AC6E70B-6E6A-4D46-9C8A-2260B929E471 A protocol for online documentation of spider biodiversity inventories applied to a Mexican tropical wet forest (Araneae, Araneomorphae) FERNANDO ÁLVAREZ-PADILLA1, 2, M. ANTONIO GALÁN-SÁNCHEZ1 & F. JAVIER SALGUEIRO- SEPÚLVEDA1 1Laboratorio de Aracnología, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología Comparada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior s/n, Colonia Copilco el Bajo. C. P. 04510. Del. Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, México. E-mail: [email protected] 2Corresponding author Abstract Spider community inventories have relatively well-established standardized collecting protocols. Such protocols set rules for the orderly acquisition of samples to estimate community parameters and to establish comparisons between areas. These methods have been tested worldwide, providing useful data for inventory planning and optimal sampling allocation efforts. The taxonomic counterpart of biodiversity inventories has received considerably less attention. Species lists and their relative abundances are the only link between the community parameters resulting from a biotic inventory and the biology of the species that live there. However, this connection is lost or speculative at best for species only partially identified (e. g., to genus but not to species). This link is particularly important for diverse tropical regions were many taxa are undescribed or little known such as spiders. One approach to this problem has been the development of biodiversity inventory websites that document the morphology of the species with digital images organized as standard views.
    [Show full text]
  • A Summary List of Fossil Spiders
    A summary list of fossil spiders compiled by Jason A. Dunlop (Berlin), David Penney (Manchester) & Denise Jekel (Berlin) Suggested citation: Dunlop, J. A., Penney, D. & Jekel, D. 2010. A summary list of fossil spiders. In Platnick, N. I. (ed.) The world spider catalog, version 10.5. American Museum of Natural History, online at http://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog/index.html Last udated: 10.12.2009 INTRODUCTION Fossil spiders have not been fully cataloged since Bonnet’s Bibliographia Araneorum and are not included in the current Catalog. Since Bonnet’s time there has been considerable progress in our understanding of the spider fossil record and numerous new taxa have been described. As part of a larger project to catalog the diversity of fossil arachnids and their relatives, our aim here is to offer a summary list of the known fossil spiders in their current systematic position; as a first step towards the eventual goal of combining fossil and Recent data within a single arachnological resource. To integrate our data as smoothly as possible with standards used for living spiders, our list follows the names and sequence of families adopted in the Catalog. For this reason some of the family groupings proposed in Wunderlich’s (2004, 2008) monographs of amber and copal spiders are not reflected here, and we encourage the reader to consult these studies for details and alternative opinions. Extinct families have been inserted in the position which we hope best reflects their probable affinities. Genus and species names were compiled from established lists and cross-referenced against the primary literature.
    [Show full text]
  • Sistemática Y Ecología De Las Hormigas Predadoras (Formicidae: Ponerinae) De La Argentina
    UNIVERSIDAD DE BUENOS AIRES Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales Sistemática y ecología de las hormigas predadoras (Formicidae: Ponerinae) de la Argentina Tesis presentada para optar al título de Doctor de la Universidad de Buenos Aires en el área CIENCIAS BIOLÓGICAS PRISCILA ELENA HANISCH Directores de tesis: Dr. Andrew Suarez y Dr. Pablo L. Tubaro Consejero de estudios: Dr. Daniel Roccatagliata Lugar de trabajo: División de Ornitología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” Buenos Aires, Marzo 2018 Fecha de defensa: 27 de Marzo de 2018 Sistemática y ecología de las hormigas predadoras (Formicidae: Ponerinae) de la Argentina Resumen Las hormigas son uno de los grupos de insectos más abundantes en los ecosistemas terrestres, siendo sus actividades, muy importantes para el ecosistema. En esta tesis se estudiaron de forma integral la sistemática y ecología de una subfamilia de hormigas, las ponerinas. Esta subfamilia predomina en regiones tropicales y neotropicales, estando presente en Argentina desde el norte hasta la provincia de Buenos Aires. Se utilizó un enfoque integrador, combinando análisis genéticos con morfológicos para estudiar su diversidad, en combinación con estudios ecológicos y comportamentales para estudiar la dominancia, estructura de la comunidad y posición trófica de las Ponerinas. Los resultados sugieren que la diversidad es más alta de lo que se creía, tanto por que se encontraron nuevos registros durante la colecta de nuevo material, como porque nuestros análisis sugieren la presencia de especies crípticas. Adicionalmente, demostramos que en el PN Iguazú, dos ponerinas: Dinoponera australis y Pachycondyla striata son componentes dominantes en la comunidad de hormigas. Análisis de isótopos estables revelaron que la mayoría de las Ponerinas ocupan niveles tróficos altos, con excepción de algunas especies arborícolas del género Neoponera que dependerían de néctar u otros recursos vegetales.
    [Show full text]