DOCSLIB.ORG

Eastern Spotted Skunk Spilogale Putorius Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia: Carnivora: Mephitidae) Revealed by Camera Trap in Texas, USA

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Eastern Spotted Skunk Spilogale Putorius Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia: Carnivora: Mephitidae) Revealed by Camera Trap in Texas, USA The Journal of Threatened Taxa (JoTT) is dedicated to building evidence for conservaton globally by publishing peer-reviewed artcles OPEN ACCESS online every month at a reasonably rapid rate at www.threatenedtaxa.org. All artcles published in JoTT are registered under Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License unless otherwise mentoned. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of artcles in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton. Journal of Threatened Taxa Building evidence for conservaton globally www.threatenedtaxa.org ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) Note Mating behavior of Eastern Spotted Skunk Spilogale putorius Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia: Carnivora: Mephitidae) revealed by camera trap in Texas, USA Alexandra C. Avrin, Charles E.Pekins & Maximillian L. Allen 26 May 2021 | Vol. 13 | No. 6 | Pages: 18660–18662 DOI: 10.11609/jot.6642.13.6.18660-18662 For Focus, Scope, Aims, and Policies, visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/aims_scope For Artcle Submission Guidelines, visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/submissions For Policies against Scientfc Misconduct, visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/policies_various For reprints, contact <[email protected]> The opinions expressed by the authors do not refect the views of the Journal of Threatened Taxa, Wildlife Informaton Liaison Development Society, Zoo Outreach Organizaton, or any of the partners. The journal, the publisher, the host, and the part- Publisher & Host ners are not responsible for the accuracy of the politcal boundaries shown in the maps by the authors. Member Threatened Taxa Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2021 | 13(6): 18660–18662 ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) OPEN ACCESS htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.6642.13.6.18660-18662 #6642 | Received 31 August 2020 | Final received 16 April 2021 | Finally accepted 30 April 2021 NOTE Matng behavior of Eastern Spoted Skunk Spilogale putorius Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia: Carnivora: Mephitdae) revealed by camera trap in Texas, USA Alexandra C. Avrin 1 , Charles E.Pekins 2 & Maximillian L. Allen 3 1,3 Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, 1102 S. Goodwin, Urbana, IL 61801, U.S.A. 2 Fort Hood Natural Resources Management Branch, United States Army Garrison, 1939 Rod & Gun Club Loop, Fort Hood, TX 76544 3 Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, 1816 S. Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61820, U.S.A. 1 [email protected] (corresponding author), 2 [email protected], 3 [email protected] Eastern Spoted Skunks Spilogale putorius are an nights (Hacket et al. 2007; Eng & Jachowski 2019). understudied small carnivore listed as ‘Vulnerable’ by Minimal focus has been on studying the demographics the Internatonal Union for Conservaton of Nature (IUCN or matng behavior of Eastern Spoted Skunks compared Red List; Gompper & Jachowski 2016), and Vulnerable to areas such as habitat preferences and distributon, or Imperiled in most states across their range (Trani possibly due to the overshadowing knowledge gaps in et al. 2007). Prairie Spoted Skunks Spilogale putorius these areas. Yet, demographic and matng behavioral interrupta are listed as a Species of Concern by the informaton is crucial for efectve management and United States Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS; USFWS conservaton and should be a focal point for species of 2012). Eastern Spoted Skunks were a common furbearer concern. For most solitary carnivores such as skunks, species throughout the eastern and midwestern United the distributon of females determines the distributon States (Kinlaw 1995; Sasse 2017; Eng & Jachowski 2019), of males during the matng season (Sandell 1989), and before sufering a notable range-wide decline in the male Eastern Spoted Skunk home range size grows mid-1900s (Gompper & Hacket 2005). The cause of this substantally during matng season suggestng questng decline and factors shaping their current distributon are behavior (Lesmeister et al. 2009), although no study has not well understood, although overexploitaton, habitat directly examined this. The only detailed demographic loss, and pestcides likely contributed (Thorne et al. 2017; study with cause specifc mortality for Eastern Spoted Eng & Jachowski 2019). As a result, current research has Skunks found a low mean annual survival of 0.354 primarily focused on quantfying abundance, occupancy, (95% CI= 0.339–0.368) with similar estmates across and habitat relatonships (Lesmeister et al. 2009; Thorne age and sex categories (Lesmeister et al. 2010). Two et al. 2017; Perry et al. 2018; Eng & Jachowski 2019), studies monitoring Eastern Spoted Skunk den sites and determining efectve methods of detecton which documented food provisioning by females to juveniles, is ofen as low as 1.6 or 2.8 detectons/100 camera trap demonstratng parental care and providing informaton Editor: Giovanni Amori, CNR-Research Insttute on Terrestrial Ecosystems, Rome, Italy. Date of publicaton: 26 May 2021 (online & print) Citaton: Avrin, A.C., C. Pekins & M.L. Allen (2021). Matng behavior of Eastern Spoted Skunk Spilogale putorius Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia: Carnivora: Mephitdae) revealed by camera trap in Texas, USA. Journal of Threatened Taxa 13(6): 18660–18662. htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.5957.13.6.18660-18662 Copyright: © Avrin et al. 2021. Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of this artcle in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton. Funding: Fort Hood Directorate of Public Works; USA Army Corps of Engineers-Engineering Research and Development Center. Competng interests: The authors declare no competng interests. Acknowledgements: We thank P. Wolf, J. Sperry, M. Ward, and Illinois Natural History Survey for logistcal support. We thank Fort Hood Natural Resources Management Branch for support and funding. 18660 Matng behavior of Eastern Spoted Skunk Avrin et al. J TT Figure 1. Photographs via camera trap of Eastern Spoted Skunks matng on Fort Hood Army Installaton. Photographs show the male on top of the female and bitng her nape in the frst picture but not the second. The date and tme are documented in upper lef corner of each photographs. about prey selecton (mainly herpetofauna and small tme the moton sensor was triggered with no delay mammals in these studies, Sprayberry & Edelman 2016; between triggers. We took a total of 180,562 photos Thorne & Waggy 2017). Like other solitary carnivores, over 4,908 trap nights, including 2,224 independent male Eastern Spoted Skunks likely mate with many capture events of carnivores and 56 independent females during a matng season and do not remain capture events of Eastern Spoted Skunks (minimum with any female or contribute to ofspring care (Sandell tme between independent captures= 30 minutes). 1989). Other similar studies focused primarily on den On 15 April 2020 at 04.57h one of our cameras site selecton which is important for adult survival as captured images of two Eastern Spoted Skunks matng well as the care and protecton of ofspring. Sprayberry (Figure 1). The skunks were in front of the camera for six & Edelman (2018) found that in forests, Eastern Spoted minutes, producing 200 images (Supplementary Material Skunks preferred to den in dense vegetaton with 1 <htps://doi.org/10.6084/m9.fgshare.14650320.v1>). ample understory, likely for protecton from predators. The male appeared to follow the female before wrestling Contrarily, Harris et al. (2020) found that in dry prairies, on top of her at 04.59h and bitng her nape. They mated den site characteristcs were more important than for approximately two minutes, the male maintained a habitat characteristcs and breeding females preferred hold on the female’s nape intermitently throughout. small mammal burrows. To our knowledge, no studies The matng was very actve, and the pair appeared to have been published on Eastern Spoted Skunk matng be wrestling during much of the tme. The female ran or communicaton behaviors. of towards the east once the male let go and the male We used camera traps to monitor wildlife at Fort Hood, departed towards the south. an Army installaton in central Texas, USA. Fort Hood is This observaton adds to the minimal natural history a de-facto bioreserve with diverse habitats, protected knowledge of Eastern Spoted Skunks by providing from surrounding development (Hayden 2014). The insight into their matng behavior. Similar matng Eastern Spoted Skunk populaton decline is likely due behavior, including the male bitng the female while in part to habitat loss, making such bioreserves likely they wrestle, has been documented in Polecats Mustela important refugia for the species (Gompper & Hacket putorius (Blandford 1987) and captve Pygmy Spoted 2005). We set 20 Reconyx (Hyperfre and Ultrafre; Skunks Spilogale pygmaea, though these species Reconyx Inc., Holmen, Wisconsin USA) camera traps exhibited longer matng duratons (18 minutes–1 hour) 500m apart in each of seven grids (n= 140 camera trap than we documented. The captve spoted skunks locatons, we moved cameras every fve weeks) between had low concepton and parturiton success (1 out of December 2019 and May 2020 as part of a larger wildlife 9 pairings produced live ofspring; Teska et al. 1981) monitoring project aimed at understanding carnivore and it is unknown if wild spoted skunks have greater community structure (full details in Avrin et al. In Press). success. Eastern Spoted Skunks mate during March We programmed camera traps to take 10 photos each and April (Kinlaw 1995) similar to other carnivores with Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2021 | 13(6): 18660–18662 18661 J TT Matng behavior of Eastern Spoted Skunk Avrin et al. defned breeding seasons in North America. Although Gompper, M. & D. Jachowski (2016). Spilogale putorius. The IUCN Red we found no research on how Eastern Spoted Skunks List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T41636A45211474. Downloaded on 28 July 2020.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • MINNESOTA MUSTELIDS Young
    By Blane Klemek MINNESOTA MUSTELIDS Young Naturalists the Slinky,Stinky Weasel family ave you ever heard anyone call somebody a weasel? If you have, then you might think Hthat being called a weasel is bad. But weasels are good hunters, and they are cunning, curious, strong, and fierce. Weasels and their relatives are mammals. They belong to the order Carnivora (meat eaters) and the family Mustelidae, also known as the weasel family or mustelids. Mustela means weasel in Latin. With 65 species, mustelids are the largest family of carnivores in the world. Eight mustelid species currently make their homes in Minnesota: short-tailed weasel, long-tailed weasel, least weasel, mink, American marten, OTTERS BY DANIEL J. COX fisher, river otter, and American badger. Minnesota Conservation Volunteer May–June 2003 n e MARY CLAY, DEMBINSKY t PHOTO ASSOCIATES r mammals a WEASELS flexible m Here are two TOM AND PAT LEESON specialized mustelid feet. b One is for climb- ou can recognize a ing and the other for hort-tailed weasels (Mustela erminea), long- The long-tailed weasel d most mustelids g digging. Can you tell tailed weasels (M. frenata), and least weasels eats the most varied e food of all weasels. It by their tubelike r which is which? (M. nivalis) live throughout Minnesota. In also lives in the widest Ybodies and their short Stheir northern range, including Minnesota, weasels variety of habitats and legs. Some, such as badgers, hunting. Otters and minks turn white in winter. In autumn, white hairs begin climates across North are heavy and chunky. Some, are excellent swimmers that hunt to replace their brown summer coat.
    [Show full text]
  • The TXNDD Report
    December, 2014 The Texas Natural Diversity Database Wildlife Diversity Program, Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. The TXNDD Report Data Highlight: Mason Mountain WMA By Michael Warriner, Nongame and Rare Species Program Supervisor This past May, staff from the Wildlife Diversity Program District Species Epithet Common Name and all four Wildlife Division Regions assembled at Ma- son Mountain Wildlife Management Area (WMA) to dis- 1, 4, 7-8 Anthus spragueii Sprague’s Pipit cuss species pending federal listing and develop State 7-8 Calidris canutus Red Knot Wildlife Grant (SWG) priorities for those species. Several 8 Crotaphytus reticulatus Reticulate Collared Lizard dozen species are currently pending review under the U.S. 3-7 Deirochelys reticularia miaria Western Chicken Turtle Endangered Species Act in Texas. A key component of 3 Dipodomys elator Texas Kangaroo Rat federal review is current information on the distribution and status of proposed species. Many of the species cur- 4 Eurycea latitans Cascade Caverns Salamander rently in the federal queue have been little studied in the 4 Eurycea neotenes Texas Salamander state so not much is known regarding how many of these 4 Eurycea robusta Blanco Blind Salamander species are faring. The basic need for most species is 4 Eurycea tridentifera Comal Blind Salamander simply status surveys to assess presence/absence to better 4 Haideoporus texanus Edwards Aquifer Diving Beetle define current distributions. 1, 3-4 Holbrookia lacerata Spot-tailed Earless Lizard 4 Lirceolus smithii Texas Troglobitic Water Slater The aim of the Mason Mountain meeting was to whittle down the list of 50+ species pending federal action to a 8 Notophthalmus meridionalis Black-spotted Newt subset of species that actions could be taken on over Fiscal 4 Phreatodrobia imitata Mimic Cavesnail Year 2015.
    [Show full text]
  • Pygmy Hog – 1 Southern Ningaul – 16 Kowari – 9 Finlayson's Squirrel
    Pygmy Hog – 1 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Southern Ningaul – 16 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Kowari – 9 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Finlayson’s Squirrel – 8 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Kodkod – 5 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Least Chipmunk – 12 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Tree Hyrax – 4 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Bank Vole – 13 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Island Fox – 6 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Gray-bellied Caenolestid – 11 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Raccoon Dog – 3 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Northern Short-Tailed Shrew – 14 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Southern African Hedgehog - 7 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Collard Pika - 10 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Pudu – 2 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Seba’s Short-tailed Bat – 15 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Pygmy Spotted Skunk - 16 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Grandidier’s “Mongoose” - 16 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Sloth Bear - 1 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Spotted Linsing - 9 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Red Panda - 8 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size European Badger – 5 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Giant Forest Genet – 12 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size African Civet – 4 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Kinkajou – 13 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense: Size Fossa – 6 Habitat: Diurnal/Nocturnal Defense:
    [Show full text]
  • Eastern Spotted Skunk Spilogale Putorius
    Wyoming Species Account Eastern Spotted Skunk Spilogale putorius REGULATORY STATUS USFWS: Petitioned for Listing USFS R2: No special status USFS R4: No special status Wyoming BLM: No special status State of Wyoming: Predatory Animal CONSERVATION RANKS USFWS: No special status WGFD: NSS3 (Bb), Tier II WYNDD: G4, S3S4 Wyoming Contribution: LOW IUCN: Least Concern STATUS AND RANK COMMENTS The plains subspecies of Eastern Spotted Skunk (Spilogale putorius interrupta) is petitioned for listing under the United States Endangered Species Act (ESA). The species as a whole is assigned a range of state conservation ranks by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database (WYNDD) due to uncertainty concerning the proportion of its Wyoming range that is occupied, the resulting impact of this on state abundance estimates, and, to a lesser extent, due to uncertainty about extrinsic stressors and population trends in the state. NATURAL HISTORY Taxonomy: There are currently two species of spotted skunk commonly recognized in the United States: the Eastern Spotted Skunk (S. putorius) and the Western Spotted Skunk (S. gracilis) 1-3. The distinction between the eastern and western species has been questioned over the years, with some authors suggesting that the two are synonymous 4, while others maintain that they are distinct based on morphologic characteristics, differences in breeding strategy, and molecular data 5-7. There are 3 subspecies of S. putorius recognized by most authorities 3, but only S. p. interrupta (Plains Spotted Skunk) occurs in Wyoming, while the other two are restricted to portions of the southeastern United States 1. Description: Spotted skunks are the smallest skunks in North America and are easily distinguished by their distinct pelage consisting of many white patches on a black background, compared to the large, white stripes of the more widespread and common striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis).
    [Show full text]
  • Optimization of Camera Trapping Methods for Surveying Mesopredators in the Appalachian Foothills
    Eastern Kentucky University Encompass Honors Theses Student Scholarship Spring 2018 Optimization of Camera Trapping Methods for Surveying Mesopredators in the Appalachian Foothills Courtney R. Hayes Eastern Kentucky University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://encompass.eku.edu/honors_theses Recommended Citation Hayes, Courtney R., "Optimization of Camera Trapping Methods for Surveying Mesopredators in the Appalachian Foothills" (2018). Honors Theses. 553. https://encompass.eku.edu/honors_theses/553 This Open Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at Encompass. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of Encompass. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Eastern Kentucky University Optimization of Camera Trapping Methods for Surveying Mesopredators in the Appalachian Foothills Honors Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of HON 420 Spring 2018 By Courtney R. Hayes Mentor Dr. Luke E. Dodd Department of Biological Sciences ii ABSTRACT Optimization of camera trapping methods for surveying mesopredators in the Appalachian foothills Courtney R. Hayes Dr. Luke E. Dodd, Department of Biological Sciences The global decline of apex predators has allowed mesopredator populations to increase, a phenomenon described by the mesopredator release hypothesis (MRH). Some mesopredator species, however, are of conservation concern, such as the eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius). To assess camera deployment strategies and survey for the presence of eastern spotted skunks in the Appalachian Foothills, I conducted baited camera trap surveys in Kentucky, a state for which systematic methodological data is lacking. I surveyed 64 sites across 10 counties over more than 1,200 trap days from October 2017 to April 2018.
    [Show full text]
  • Mammal Species Native to the USA and Canada for Which the MIL Has an Image (296) 31 July 2021
    Mammal species native to the USA and Canada for which the MIL has an image (296) 31 July 2021 ARTIODACTYLA (includes CETACEA) (38) ANTILOCAPRIDAE - pronghorns Antilocapra americana - Pronghorn BALAENIDAE - bowheads and right whales 1. Balaena mysticetus – Bowhead Whale BALAENOPTERIDAE -rorqual whales 1. Balaenoptera acutorostrata – Common Minke Whale 2. Balaenoptera borealis - Sei Whale 3. Balaenoptera brydei - Bryde’s Whale 4. Balaenoptera musculus - Blue Whale 5. Balaenoptera physalus - Fin Whale 6. Eschrichtius robustus - Gray Whale 7. Megaptera novaeangliae - Humpback Whale BOVIDAE - cattle, sheep, goats, and antelopes 1. Bos bison - American Bison 2. Oreamnos americanus - Mountain Goat 3. Ovibos moschatus - Muskox 4. Ovis canadensis - Bighorn Sheep 5. Ovis dalli - Thinhorn Sheep CERVIDAE - deer 1. Alces alces - Moose 2. Cervus canadensis - Wapiti (Elk) 3. Odocoileus hemionus - Mule Deer 4. Odocoileus virginianus - White-tailed Deer 5. Rangifer tarandus -Caribou DELPHINIDAE - ocean dolphins 1. Delphinus delphis - Common Dolphin 2. Globicephala macrorhynchus - Short-finned Pilot Whale 3. Grampus griseus - Risso's Dolphin 4. Lagenorhynchus albirostris - White-beaked Dolphin 5. Lissodelphis borealis - Northern Right-whale Dolphin 6. Orcinus orca - Killer Whale 7. Peponocephala electra - Melon-headed Whale 8. Pseudorca crassidens - False Killer Whale 9. Sagmatias obliquidens - Pacific White-sided Dolphin 10. Stenella coeruleoalba - Striped Dolphin 11. Stenella frontalis – Atlantic Spotted Dolphin 12. Steno bredanensis - Rough-toothed Dolphin 13. Tursiops truncatus - Common Bottlenose Dolphin MONODONTIDAE - narwhals, belugas 1. Delphinapterus leucas - Beluga 2. Monodon monoceros - Narwhal PHOCOENIDAE - porpoises 1. Phocoena phocoena - Harbor Porpoise 2. Phocoenoides dalli - Dall’s Porpoise PHYSETERIDAE - sperm whales Physeter macrocephalus – Sperm Whale TAYASSUIDAE - peccaries Dicotyles tajacu - Collared Peccary CARNIVORA (48) CANIDAE - dogs 1. Canis latrans - Coyote 2.
    [Show full text]
  • The Biogeography of the Butterfly Fauna of Vietnam with a Focus on the Endemic Species (Lepidoptera)
    Chapter 5 The Biogeography of the Butterfly Fauna of Vietnam With a Focus on the Endemic Species (Lepidoptera) A.L. Monastyrskii and J.D. Holloway Additional information is available at the end of the chapter http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/55490 1. Introduction Long term studies of Vietnamese Rhopalocera suggest that by using a taxonomic composition analysis of the modern fauna, with ecological and biogeographical characteristics and comparative data with butterfly faunas of adjacent regions, it is possible to offer a plausible account of the history and derivation of the Vietnamese fauna. In former works on the butterfly fauna of Vietnam and of the Oriental tropics generally, we completed the first steps in understanding possible derivation mechanisms for the group. In particular, all Vietnamese butterfly species have been classified according to their global geographical ranges (Holloway, 1973; 1974; Spitzer et al., 1993; Monastyrskii, 2006; 2007), from the most restricted to the most widespread (Methods). A similar approach for notodontid moths in Thailand has been adopted by Schintlmeister & Pinratana (2007). Moreover, depending on the representation of various species distribution range categories, a scheme of biogeographical zonation has been suggested (Monastyrskii, 2006; 2007). In continuing studies on the specificity and derivation of the modern Vietnam butterfly fauna, aspects of species range configuration and other parameters of butterfly distribu‐ tions are considered in the current work. For example, it is possible to assign genera to groups according to both their overall range and variation of their species-richness across that range (Holloway, 1969, 1974) or according to representation of particular species range types within the genera (Holloway, 1998).
    [Show full text]
  • Cranial Morphological Distinctiveness Between Ursus Arctos and U
    East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works 5-2017 Cranial Morphological Distinctiveness Between Ursus arctos and U. americanus Benjamin James Hillesheim East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the Biodiversity Commons, Evolution Commons, and the Paleontology Commons Recommended Citation Hillesheim, Benjamin James, "Cranial Morphological Distinctiveness Between Ursus arctos and U. americanus" (2017). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3261. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3261 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Cranial Morphological Distinctiveness Between Ursus arctos and U. americanus ____________________________________ A thesis presented to the Department of Geosciences East Tennessee State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science in Geosciences ____________________________________ by Benjamin Hillesheim May 2017 ____________________________________ Dr. Blaine W. Schubert, Chair Dr. Steven C. Wallace Dr. Josh X. Samuels Keywords: Ursidae, Geometric morphometrics, Ursus americanus, Ursus arctos, Last Glacial Maximum ABSTRACT Cranial Morphological Distinctiveness Between Ursus arctos and U. americanus by Benjamin J. Hillesheim Despite being separated by millions of years of evolution, black bears (Ursus americanus) and brown bears (Ursus arctos) can be difficult to distinguish based on skeletal and dental material alone. Complicating matters, some Late Pleistocene U. americanus are significantly larger in size than their modern relatives, obscuring the identification of the two bears.
    [Show full text]
  • Inventory of Mammals at Walnut Canyon, Wupatki, and Sunset Crater National Monuments
    National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Program Center Inventory of Mammals at Walnut Canyon, Wupatki, and Sunset Crater National Monuments Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/SCPN/NRTR–2009/278 ON THE COVER: Top: Wupatki National Monument; bottom left: bobcat (Lynx rufus); bottom right: Wupatki pocket mouse (Perogna- thus amplus cineris) at Wupatki National Monument. Photos courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey/Charles Drost. Inventory of Mammals at Walnut Canyon, Wupatki, and Sunset Crater National Monuments Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/SCPN/NRTR—2009/278 Author Charles Drost U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center 2255 N. Gemini Drive Flagstaff, AZ 86001 Editing and Design Jean Palumbo National Park Service, Southern Colorado Plateau Network Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, Arizona December 2009 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Program Center Fort Collins, Colorado The National Park Service, Natural Resource Program Center publishes a range of reports that address natural resource topics of interest and applicability to a broad audience in the National Park Service and others in natural resource management, including scientists, conservation and environmental constituencies, and the public. The Natural Resource Technical Report Series is used to disseminate results of scientific studies in the physical, biological, and social sciences for both the advancement of science and the achievement of the National Park Service mission. The series provides contributors with a forum for displaying comprehensive data that are often deleted from journals because of page limitations. All manuscripts in the series receive the appropriate level of peer review to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and designed and published in a professional manner.
    [Show full text]
  • (Procyon Lotor) and Striped Skunks (Mephitis Mephitis) to SARS-Cov-2
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.06.434226; this version posted March 8, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 1 Article Summary Line: Experimental SARS-CoV-2 inoculation of North American raccoons 2 and striped skunks showed susceptibility to infection, but transient, low-level shedding suggests 3 that neither species is likely to be a competent natural reservoir. 4 Running Title: SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility of raccoons and skunks 5 Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Mephitidae, Raccoons, Disease Susceptibility, One 6 Health, Zoonosis, Animals, Wild 7 8 Experimental susceptibility of North American raccoons (Procyon lotor) and striped skunks 9 (Mephitis mephitis) to SARS-CoV-2 10 Authors: Raquel Francisco, Sonia M. Hernandez, Daniel G. Mead, Kayla G. Adcock, Sydney C. 11 Burke, Nicole M. Nemeth, and Michael J. Yabsley 12 Affiliations: 13 University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA (R. Francisco, S. Hernandez, D. Mead, K. Adcock, 14 S. Burke, N. Nemeth, and M. Yabsley) 15 Abstract 16 Skunks and raccoons were intranasally inoculated or indirectly exposed to SARS-CoV-2. Both 17 species are susceptible to infection; however, the lack of, and low quantity of infectious virus 18 shed by raccoons and skunks, respectively, and lack of cage mate transmission in both species, 19 suggest that neither species are competent SARS-CoV-2 reservoirs. 20 Introduction 21 SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate on a global scale, the need to identify potential 22 animal reservoirs, especially among wildlife, has become a priority, spurring surveillance and bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.06.434226; this version posted March 8, 2021.
    [Show full text]
  • The 2008 IUCN Red Listings of the World's Small Carnivores
    The 2008 IUCN red listings of the world’s small carnivores Jan SCHIPPER¹*, Michael HOFFMANN¹, J. W. DUCKWORTH² and James CONROY³ Abstract The global conservation status of all the world’s mammals was assessed for the 2008 IUCN Red List. Of the 165 species of small carni- vores recognised during the process, two are Extinct (EX), one is Critically Endangered (CR), ten are Endangered (EN), 22 Vulnerable (VU), ten Near Threatened (NT), 15 Data Deficient (DD) and 105 Least Concern. Thus, 22% of the species for which a category was assigned other than DD were assessed as threatened (i.e. CR, EN or VU), as against 25% for mammals as a whole. Among otters, seven (58%) of the 12 species for which a category was assigned were identified as threatened. This reflects their attachment to rivers and other waterbodies, and heavy trade-driven hunting. The IUCN Red List species accounts are living documents to be updated annually, and further information to refine listings is welcome. Keywords: conservation status, Critically Endangered, Data Deficient, Endangered, Extinct, global threat listing, Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable Introduction dae (skunks and stink-badgers; 12), Mustelidae (weasels, martens, otters, badgers and allies; 59), Nandiniidae (African Palm-civet The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the most authorita- Nandinia binotata; one), Prionodontidae ([Asian] linsangs; two), tive resource currently available on the conservation status of the Procyonidae (raccoons, coatis and allies; 14), and Viverridae (civ- world’s biodiversity. In recent years, the overall number of spe- ets, including oyans [= ‘African linsangs’]; 33). The data reported cies included on the IUCN Red List has grown rapidly, largely as on herein are freely and publicly available via the 2008 IUCN Red a result of ongoing global assessment initiatives that have helped List website (www.iucnredlist.org/mammals).
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogenomic Systematics of the Spotted Skunks (Carnivora, Mephitidae, Spilogale)
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.10.23.353045; this version posted October 25, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 1 Phylogenomic systematics of the spotted skunks (Carnivora, Mephitidae, Spilogale): 2 Additional species diversity and Pleistocene climate change as a major driver of 3 diversification 4 Molly M. McDonough*,†, Adam W. Ferguson*, Robert C. Dowler, Matthew E. Gompper, and 5 Jesús E. Maldonado 6 *-Equally contributing lead authors 7 †-Corresponding Author 8 Molly M. McDonough, Ph.D. 9 Chicago State University 10 Department of Biological Sciences 11 9501 S. King Drive, WSC 290 12 Chicago, IL 60628-1598 13 [email protected] 14 (773) 995-2443 15 16 17 Abstract 18 Four species of spotted skunks (Carnivora, Mephitidae, Spilogale) are currently recognized: 19 Spilogale angustifrons, S. gracilis, S. putorius, and S. pygmaea. Understanding species 20 boundaries within this group is critical for effective conservation given that regional populations 21 or subspecies (e.g., S. p. interrupta) have experienced significant population declines. Further, 22 there may be currently unrecognized diversity within this genus as some taxa (e.g., S. 23 angustifrons) and geographic regions (e.g., Central America) never have been assessed using 24 DNA sequence data. We analyzed species limits and diversification patterns in spotted skunks 25 using multilocus nuclear (ultraconserved elements) and mitochondrial (whole mitogenomes and 26 single gene analysis) data sets from broad geographic sampling representing all currently 27 recognized species and subspecies.
    [Show full text]