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Lab 6 – Order Roden)A, Family Sciuridae
Lab 6 – Order Roden.a, Family Sciuridae Need to know Cynomys spp—ID based on skull Cynomys ludovicianus—ID based on skin, n. history C. leucurus—ID based on skin, n. history Glaucomys sabrinus—ID based on skin or skull, n. history Marmota flaviventris—ID based on skin or skull, n. history Sciurus niger—ID based on skin or skull, n. history Spermophlius spp—ID based on skull Spermophilus armatus—ID based on skin, n. history S. elegans—ID based on skin, n. history S. lateralus—ID based on skin, n. history S. tridecemlineatus—ID based on skin, n. history Tamias spp—ID based on skull Tamias amoenus—ID based on skin, n. history T. minimus—ID based on skin, n. history Tamiasciurus hudsonicus—ID based on skin and skull, n. history 1 2 Order Roden.a, Family Sciuridae—squirrels 1) Reduced infraorbital foramen 2) Postorbital processes conspicuous and pointed 3 Cynomys spp—prairie dogs 1) Anterior view of skull similar to Marmota, with postorbital processes at 90o from frontals 2) Rows of cheek teeth converge posteriorly 4 C. ludovicianus (black-tailed prairie dog) 1) Yellowish pelage 2) Relatively long, black tail Natural history --Shortgrass prairie specialist --Does not hibernate --98% range collapse between ~1900 and 2000; historically about 5 billion individuals, now about 1.5 million (i.e., 0.05% of historic numbers) --Reduce economic returns from cattle (~$14 per steer per year) --Keystone species ”hunted” by people 5 Cynomys leucurus (white-tailed prairie dog) 1) Yellowish pelage 2) Relatively short, white tail 3) Black “eyebrows” Natural history --Steppe specialist --Hibernates --Occurs in colonies smaller than C. -
Squirrels and Allies (Sciuridae Spp.)
Squirrels and Allies (Sciuridae Spp.) There are about 275 species of tree, ground, and flying squirrels throughout the world, ranging from the five-inch pygmy squirrel (Myosciurus pumilio) of Africa to the nearly three-foot giant squirrel (Ratufa indica) of Asia. Currently, there are five species of squirrel found in Rhode Island: The Eastern gray squirrel, the Southern flying squirrel, the red squirrel, the chipmunk, and the woodchuck. Tree squirrels are those species that nest in trees, while ground squirrels nest in underground burrows. This publication is intended to provide information on the above species found in Rhode Island. Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) Gray squirrels are the most common species of squirrel in Rhode Island. They are a tree squirrel, however they spend much of their time on the ground, and have adapted well to human-altered environments. They are commonly found in urban and suburban habitats. Gray squirrels can be grayish-brown, gray or black, with a white or light brown underside. Adults range in size from 15 to 20 inches, and between 1 to 1 ½ pounds. Their bushy tail accounts for almost half of their length. Gray squirrels may live between four and eight years in the wild, but they have been known to live up to ten years in captivity. They are active mainly during the day and do not hibernate. In the winter they spend days at a time in their nests, leaving only to gather food. Their habitat is mainly any wooded area with mast producing trees, where they live in tree cavities or leaf nests. -
Behavioral Aspects of Western Gray Squirrel Ecology
Behavioral aspects of western gray squirrel ecology Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Cross, Stephen P. Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 11/10/2021 06:42:38 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/565181 BEHAVIORAL ASPECTS OF WESTERN GRAY SQUIRREL ECOLOGY by Stephen Paul Cross A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of. the DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY WITH A MAJOR IN ZOOLOGY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 1 9 6 9 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE I hereby recommend that this dissertation prepared under my direction by St e p h e n Paul Cross_______________________________ entitled B E H A V I O R A L A S P E C T S OF W E S T E R N G RAY__________ S Q U I R R E L E C O LOGY___________________________________ be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement of the degree of D O C T O R OF P H I L O S O P H Y_____________________________ Dissertation Director Date After inspection of the final copy of the dissertation, the following members of the Final Examination Committee concur in its approval and recommend its acceptance:* This approval and acceptance is contingent on the candidate's adequate performance and defense of this dissertation at the final oral examination. -
The Beaver's Phylogenetic Lineage Illuminated by Retroposon Reads
www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN The Beaver’s Phylogenetic Lineage Illuminated by Retroposon Reads Liliya Doronina1,*, Andreas Matzke1,*, Gennady Churakov1,2, Monika Stoll3, Andreas Huge3 & Jürgen Schmitz1 Received: 13 October 2016 Solving problematic phylogenetic relationships often requires high quality genome data. However, Accepted: 25 January 2017 for many organisms such data are still not available. Among rodents, the phylogenetic position of the Published: 03 March 2017 beaver has always attracted special interest. The arrangement of the beaver’s masseter (jaw-closer) muscle once suggested a strong affinity to some sciurid rodents (e.g., squirrels), placing them in the Sciuromorpha suborder. Modern molecular data, however, suggested a closer relationship of beaver to the representatives of the mouse-related clade, but significant data from virtually homoplasy- free markers (for example retroposon insertions) for the exact position of the beaver have not been available. We derived a gross genome assembly from deposited genomic Illumina paired-end reads and extracted thousands of potential phylogenetically informative retroposon markers using the new bioinformatics coordinate extractor fastCOEX, enabling us to evaluate different hypotheses for the phylogenetic position of the beaver. Comparative results provided significant support for a clear relationship between beavers (Castoridae) and kangaroo rat-related species (Geomyoidea) (p < 0.0015, six markers, no conflicting data) within a significantly supported mouse-related clade (including Myodonta, Anomaluromorpha, and Castorimorpha) (p < 0.0015, six markers, no conflicting data). Most of an organism’s phylogenetic history is fossilized in their heritable genomic material. Using data from genome sequencing projects, particularly informative regions of this material can be extracted in sufficient num- bers to resolve the deepest history of speciation. -
Symposium on the Gray Squirrel
SYMPOSIUM ON THE GRAY SQUIRREL INTRODUCTION This symposium is an innovation in the regional meetings of professional game and fish personnel. When I was asked to serve as chairman of the Technical Game Sessions of the 13th Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Game and Fish Commissioners this seemed to be an excellent opportunity to collect most of the people who have done some research on the gray squirrel to exchange information and ideas and to summarize some of this work for the benefit of game managers and other biologists. Many of these people were not from the southeast and surprisingly not one of the panel mem bers is presenting a general resume of one aspect of squirrel biology with which he is most familiar. The gray squirrel is also important in Great Britain but because it causes extensive damage to forests. Much work has been done over there by Monica Shorten (Mrs. Vizoso) and a symposium on the gray squirrel would not be complete without her presence. A grant from the National Science Foundation through the American Institute of Biological Sciences made it possible to bring Mrs. Vizoso here. It is hoped that this symposium will set a precedent for other symposia at future wildlife conferences. VAGN FLYGER. THE RELATIONSHIPS OF THE GRAY SQUIRREL, SCIURUS CAROLINENSIS, TO ITS NEAREST RELATIVES By DR. ]. C. MOORE INTRODUCTION It seems at least slightly more probable at this point in our knowledge of the living Sciuridae, that the northeastern American gray squirrel's oldest known ancestors came from the Old \Vorld rather than evolved in the New. -
Ground Squirrels Live in Burrows That Are Litter Size: Five to Seven
L-1909 6/13 Controlling GROUND SQUIRRELDamage round squirrels are small, burrowing rodents earthen dikes with their burrows. Their burrow- found throughout the state, with the excep- ing and gnawing behavior also can cause damage G tion of extreme East Texas. There are five in irrigated areas. different species in Texas. These are the thirteen- lined ground squirrel, Mexican ground squirrel, spotted ground squirrel, rock squirrel, and the Texas antelope ground squirrel. Most ground Biology and Reproduction squirrels prefer grassy areas such as pastures, Rock squirrels golf courses, cemeteries and parks. Rock squir- Adult weight: 1½ to 1¾ pounds. rels are nearly always found in rocky cliffs, Total length: 18 to 21 inches. boulders, and canyon walls. The rock squirrel Color: Varies from dark gray to black. and thirteen-lined ground squirrel are the two species that most commonly cause damage by Tail: 7 to 10 inches, somewhat bushy. their burrowing and gnawing. Gestation period: Approximately 30 days. Ground squirrels live in burrows that are Litter size: Five to seven. usually 2 to 3 inches in diameter and 15 to 20 Number of litters: Possibly two per year, feet long. The burrow system usually has two usually born from April to August. entrances. Dirt piles around the entry holes are seldom evident. Rock squirrels and thirteen- Life span: 4 to 5 years. lined ground squirrels may hibernate during the Thirteen-lined ground squirrels coldest periods of winter. Adult weight: 5 to 9 ounces. Damage Total length: 7 to 12 inches. Ground squirrels normally do not cause Color: Light to dark brown with 13 stripes extensive damage in urban areas. -
Tree Squirrels
Tree Squirrels When the public is polled regarding suburban and urban wildlife, tree squirrels generally rank first as problem makers. Residents complain about them nesting in homes and exploiting bird feeders. Interestingly, squirrels almost always rank first among preferred urban/suburban wildlife species. Such is the Figure 1. The Eastern gray squirrel is from the deciduous paradox they present: We want them and we don’t and mixed coniferous-deciduous forests of eastern North want them, depending on what they are doing at any America, and was introduced into city parks, campuses, given moment. and estates in Washington in the early 1900s. (Drawing by Elva Paulson) Although tree squirrels spend a considerable amount of time on the ground, unlike the related ground squirrels, they are more at home in trees. Washington is home to four species of native tree squirrels and two species of introduced tree squirrels. Native Washington Tree Squirrels The Douglas squirrel, or chickaree (Tamiasciurus douglasii) measures 10 to 14 inches in length, including its tail. Its upper parts are reddish-or brownish-gray, and its underparts are orange to yellowish. The Douglas squirrel is found in stands of fir, pine, cedar, and other conifers in the Cascade Mountains and western parts of Washington. The red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, Fig. 4) is about the same size as the Douglas squirrel and lives in coniferous forests and semi-open woods in northeast Washington. It is rusty-red on the upper part and white or grayish white on its underside. The Western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus, Fig. 2) is the largest tree squirrel in Washington, ranging from 18 to 24 inches in length. -
Eastern Gray Squirrel Survival in a Seasonally-Flooded Hunted Bottomland Forest Ecosystem
Squirrel Survival in a Flooded Ecosystem. Wilson et al. Eastern Gray Squirrel Survival in a Seasonally-Flooded Hunted Bottomland Forest Ecosystem Sarah B. Wilson, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, 602 Duncan Dr. Auburn University, AL 36849 Stephen S. Ditchkoff, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, 602 Duncan Dr. Auburn University, AL 36849 Robert A. Gitzen, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, 602 Duncan Dr. Auburn University, AL 36849 Todd D. Steury, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, 602 Duncan Dr. Auburn University, AL 36849 Abstract: Though the eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is an important game species throughout its range in North America, little is known about environmental factors that may affect survival. We investigated survival and predation of a hunted population of eastern gray squirrels on Lown- des Wildlife Management Area in central Alabama from July 2015–April 2017. This area experiences annual flooding conditions from November through the following September. Our Kaplan-Meier survival estimate at 365 days for all squirrels was 0.25 (0.14–0.44, 95% CL) which is within the range for previously studied eastern gray squirrel populations (0.20–0.58). There was no difference between male (0.13; 0.05–0.36, 95% CL) and female survival (0.37; 0.18–0.75, 95% CL, P = 0.16). Survival was greatest in summer (1.00) and fall (0.65; 0.29–1.0, 95% CL) and lowest during winter (0.23; 0.11–0.50, 95% CL). We found squirrels were more likely to die during the flooded winter season and mortality risk increased as flood extent through- out the study area increased. -
Nature Detectives: Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrels
Spring 2019 Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrels Plus Arithmetic Add 6+7 and your answer is the number of light and dark stripes on ground squirrels with an odd name. The name truly is thirteen-lined ground squirrel. In addition to thirteen cute stripes, their fur has orderly little spots. The cream-colored spots are more squarish than round, and they march in a line up the middle of each dark stripe. The spotted dark stripes and thinner light stripes stand out against a furry tan background. What a fancy coat on a tiny mammal! Thirteen-lined ground squirrels spend most of their time underground, out of sight. In late summer or early fall, the critters enter their winter burrows and plug the entrance shut. The burrows are deep so the temperature in their winter quarters never drops below freezing, no matter how frigid it is above ground. The little squirrels snooze through the winter, barely breathing. Ground Squirrel Spring Once spring arrives, their internal clock signals it is time to wake up. At first, like some sleepy kids on a school morning, the squirrels barely stir. They might visit their toilet room, but they snuggle back to sleep. While school kids may snatch a few minutes extra sleep, ground squirrels may doze for a few more days. But as the spring air grows warmer, the squirrels finally get excited to be out doing their squirrel work. Pull Out and Save Pull Out and The male squirrels are the early risers. Their first spring job is getting their digestive system working. -
Aberts-And-Pine-Squi
The Nature of Teller Photos and article courtesy of Mark J. Platten, CSU Extension Director, Teller County The Nature of Teller explores the various flora and fauna of Teller County, identifying common life forms you might encounter, and focusing on prevalent insects, diseases, and invasive species that may affect the wellbeing of the residents of the county. This week’s emphasis is on the two native tree squirrels you might encounter while hiking through the forest: Abert’s and pine squirrels. The Abert’s squirrel (Sciurus aberti) is associated almost solely within the montane (8,000-10,000 foot) forest ecosystem. They are quite distinct because of their tufted, or tasseled, ears and black coat. Interestingly, their ear tufts diminish in the spring and summer months, while their fur color can range from the typical black to gray. Abert’s squirrels make their home among mature ponderosa pine, appearing to use taste to select trees with the most nutritional value. They rely on the ponderosa pine for all aspects of their life including food, nesting, and cover. They are not known to defend territories, perhaps because their home range is quite large, averaging nearly 20 acres. Their preferred food is the seeds of the ponderosa cone although their summer diet contains a high proportion of fungi. You might observe them holding the cone like an ear of corn, slowly rotating it as they remove the cone scales to unveil the meaty seeds. Unlike many of their relatives, Abert’s squirrels do not store large caches of food in the nest although they occasionally bury a cone. -
Wildlife Species
Wildlife Species This chapter contains information on species featured in each of the ecoregions. Species are grouped by Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish. Species are listed alphabetically within each group. A general description, habitat requirements, and possible wildlife management practices are provided for each species. Wildlife management practices for a particular species may vary among ecoregions, so not all of the wildlife management practices listed for a species may be applicable for that species in all ecoregions. Refer to the WMP charts within a particular ecoregion to determine which practices are appropriate for species included in that ecoregion. The species descriptions contain all the information needed about a particular species for the WHEP contest. However, additional reading should be encouraged for participants that want more detailed information. Field guides to North American wildlife and fish are good sources for information and pictures of the species listed. There also are many Web sites available for wildlife species identification by sight and sound. Information from this section will be used in the Wildlife Challenge at the National Invitational. Participants should be familiar with the information presented within the species accounts for those species included within the ecoregions used at the Invitational. It is important to understand that when assessing habitat for a particular wildlife species and considering various WMPs for recommendation, current conditions should be evaluated. That is, WMPs should be recommended based on the current habitat conditions within the year. Also, it is important to realize the benefit of a WMP may not be realized soon. For example, trees or shrubs planted for mast may not provide cover or bear fruit for several years. -
Mammals of the Finger Lakes ID Guide
A Guide for FL WATCH Camera Trappers John Van Niel, Co-PI CCURI and FLCC Professor Nadia Harvieux, Muller Field Station K-12 Outreach Sasha Ewing, FLCC Conservation Department Technician Past and present students at FLCC Virginia Opossum Eastern Coyote Eastern Cottontail Domestic Dog Beaver Red Fox Muskrat Grey Fox Woodchuck Bobcat Eastern Gray Squirrel Feral Cat Red Squirrel American Black Bear Eastern Chipmunk Northern Raccoon Southern Flying Squirrel Striped Skunk Peromyscus sp. North American River Otter North American Porcupine Fisher Brown Rat American Mink Weasel sp. White-tailed Deer eMammal uses the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for common and scientific names (with the exception of Domestic Dog) Often the “official” common name of a species is longer than we are used to such as “American Black Bear” or “Northern Raccoon” Please note that it is Grey Fox with an “e” but Eastern Gray Squirrel with an “a”. Face white, body whitish to dark gray. Typically nocturnal. Found in most habitats. About Domestic Cat size. Can climb. Ears and tail tip can show frostbite damage. Very common. Found in variety of habitats. Images are often blurred due to speed. White tail can overexpose in flash. Snowshoe Hare (not shown) is possible in higher elevations. Large, block-faced rodent. Common in aquatic habitats. Note hind feet – large and webbed. Flat tail. When swimming, can be confused with other semi-aquatic mammals. Dark, naked tail. Body brown to blackish (darker when wet). Football-sized rodent. Common in wet habitats. Usually doesn’t stray from water. Pointier face than Beaver.