Life History of \u3ci\u3eCeratocombus Vagans\u3c/i\u3e (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Ceratocombidae), With Notes on the Immature Stages

The biology and life stages of Ceratocombus vagans are given together with distributional notes. The current systematic position of Ceratocombidae is reviewed. This species is one of the most generalized Hemiptera: Heteroptera known. Its predatory habits lend credance to the idea that primitive Hemiptera: Heteroptera were predaceous as suggested by Stys and others. Ceratocombus vagans occurs in moss, leaf litter, and under loose bark. It has wide distribution in much of North America

Dead Leaf Clusters as Habitats for Adult \u3ci\u3eCalliodis Temnostethoides\u3c/i\u3e and \u3ci\u3eCardiastethus Luridellus\u3c/i\u3e and Other Anthocorids (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Anthocoridae)

Two species of Anthocoridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) were found in dead-leaf clusters of black oak in west-central Michigan, Calliodis temnostethoides and Cardiastethus luridellus. These clusters resulted from full- leafed trees being blown over by a severe wind storm in May 1998. They contained spiders, springtails, tubiliferan thrips, small beetles, and psocids, besides the predaceous anthocorids. Such habitats are well-known for some bugs elsewhere. Because only adults were collected, it was assumed that the more permanent habitat was likely to be under bark. Further attention to this habitat likely will result in additional records for other species of Anthocoridae

\u3ci\u3eArhyssus Hirtus\u3c/i\u3e (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Rhopalidae) in Minnesota: The Inland Occurrence of an East Coast Species

Arhyssus hirtus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Rhopalidae), is reported from the Cedar Creek Natural History Area, a Long-Term Ecological Research site, outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota where over 4000 species of arthropods have been collected. This species has previously been known only from a narrow zone along the sandy edges of the Atlantic Ocean (Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York). The species is known on Hudsonia tomentosa at these ocean sites, but other hosts may be involved at Cedar Creek. This small species of Arhyssus occurs in both micropterous and macropterous forms, unusual for this genus. Thus far, only micropterous forms have been collected at the Minnesota site

Host sex, size, and hemoparasite infection influence the effects of ectoparasitic burdens on free-ranging iguanas

Investigations focusing on host-ectoparasite interactions in animals have revealed asymptomatic to severe health and fitness consequences suggesting that species mobilize different interspecific response mechanisms. Fewer studies, however, have examined intraspecific responses to ectoparasitic burdens. In this study, we analyzed host health and fitness responses to increasing ectoparasite burdens along with the presence/absence of hemoparasites of free-ranging insular rock iguanas (Cyclura cychlura) in The Bahamas. Using hematology, plasma biochemistry, as well as body condition and growth rate comparisons, we failed to find significant associations of tick burdens with annual growth rate, corticosterone, packed cell volume, total white blood cell, and heterophil, monocyte, eosinophil or hemoglobin measures. We did, however, find mixed and significant associations of tick burdens with lymphocyte and basophil counts, heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratios, and body condition indices. These associations varied by sex, size, and hemoparasite infection status suggesting that different life stages of iguanas may invest differently in immune responses, and impacts may be modulated based on size and sex of hosts, and coinfection status

[Review of] Orlando Romero, Nambe--Year One

In the last few years the New Mexican Chicano narrative has taken a significant place within Chicano fiction. Writers like Anaya, Candelaria, and Ulibarri have revealed the uniqueness of being Chicano in New Mexico, often writing about the people who have maintained their century-old ties with past customs and ways of life. Orlando Romero’s novel, Nambe--Year One, adds a new and interesting voice to this growing body of literature

California Glacial Till and the Glaciated Valley Landsystem: Engineering Classification and Properties

The engineering characteristics of glacial tills in the Sierra Nevada are difficult to determine due to the depositional nature of the material; however, testing methods unique to these dense materials can be utilized to obtain good engineering data. A literature review was conducted to determine testing methods and recommendations for engineering in glacial till. Further literature review revealed a significant amount of glacial deposits mapped by the USGS and CGS in the Sierra Nevada geomorphic province in California. Sierra Nevada glacial till field and lab data were obtained from Taber Consultants along with samples for further testing. Consequently, four significant conclusions were determined from testing and research. First, it was determined that Sierra Nevada glacial deposits may have large amounts of clay due to neoformation of the local volcanic rockform. As a result, plasticity and compressibility results ranged from low to high. Second, SPT N values for matrix material were correlated with depth. Third, unconfined compressive strength results for coarse-grained samples with no cohesive binding were independent of depth. Fourth, the matrix material dominated the engineering behavior of a given glacial till layer