Mites (Acari: Laelapidae) parasitic on the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus

Three species of parasitic mites of the family Laelapidae were found to be present in significant numbers on the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus. Two hundred and two individuals were identified from 15 host animals. Hyperlaelaps microti (Ewing), the most abundant parasite, made up 97 % of the individuals found. Androlaelaps fahrenholzi (Berlese) and Hirstionyssus isabellinus (Oudemans) constituted the remaining 3 % of the individuals found

Distribution, Natural History, and Parasites of Mammals of Cook County, Minnesota

This is the publisher's version, which the author has permission to share on KU Scholarworks.Natural history, distributions, and parasites of mammals of Cook County, Minnesota, were studied from the summer of 1971 through the summer of 1973. The purposes of this research were twofold. First, to determine species composition and relative abundance of individual species present in the county today. These base-line data may be used to project both back in time and into the future to assess man s effects on the mammalian fauna of the area. Second, to develop a technique for analyzing similarities and differences between the parasite fauna of groups of hosts as a tool in systematic and ecological research. Data on the mammalian fauna of Cook County were obtained through field collecting, by examination of mammal specimens from the county in collections, from discussions with individuals familiar with the local mammalian fauna, and from the published literature. The present mammalian fauna of Cook County is composed of 48 species of verified occurrence. Eleven other species may be inhabitants of the county, but documentation of their occurrence there is lacking. Data presented for verified species includes localities of record, comments on abundance, refiroduction, habitats, taxonomy, parasites, and pertinent literature. Known distributions and pertinent iterature are presented for the eleven species or unverified occurrence. All mammalian species of verified occurrence have been reported from the state previously; however, the records of Sorex arcticus, Sorex palustris, Condylura cristata, Myotis keenii, Lasionycteris noctivagans, Lasiurus borealis, Microtus chrotorrhinus, Synaptomys cooperi, Napaeozapus insignis, Procuon lotor, Martes americana, Martes pennanti, and Lynx canadensis especially aid in our understanding of their distribution and natural history. Ectoparasites representing three widespread groups of parasitic arthropods (Anoplura, Siphonaptera, Acari) were found parasitizing 20 species of small mammals in the county. Host-parasite records are presented for 23 species of fleas, 11 species of mites, 6 species of sucking lice, and 3 species of ticks. New host records are reported for six species of mites and one species of tick. New state records are recorded for seven species of mites and five species of fleas. A technique was developed which produced an artificial classification of the mammalian fauna based entirely on the similarity of the ectoparasitic fauna between species. Similarity was calculated using Sorensen's similarity coefficient. An agglomerative clustering program utilizing within-group sums of squares was used to produce a two dimensional phenogram of the hosts. This clustering technique may prove to be of value in comparisons of similarity and difference between hosts or other communities. Man's effect on the mammalian fauna has been to increase species diversity. The recent additions to the mammalian fauna are of deciduous forest affinity, are widespread in North America, or are introduced. Two species of coniferous forest affinity, Gulo gulo and Rangifer tarandus, have been extirpated recently from the county. It is hypothesized that most future additions to the mammalian fauna of Cook County, Minnesota, will be of deciduous forest, widespread, or the introduced category of faunal affinity

Devices for Vertebrate Pest Control: Are they of Value?

Electromagnetic, sonic, and ultrasonic devices claiming effectiveness in controlling rodents and other pests have seen resurgence in the marketplace. Laboratory and field tests of such devices have generally failed to show they are effective, despite advertising claims. Rodent burrow exploders have been marketed for use against pocket gophers, ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and other burrowing rodents since the 1980s. Field tests indicate these exploders are expensive to use and typically provide unacceptably low efficacy. Vehicle-mounted devices to scare deer off roadways, with many claiming to generate ultrasonic sound, have been widely sold. Studies reveal that deer are unable to hear ultrasonic sound, and that the devices appear to have no effect on deer behavior. While Federal regulatory agencies have authority to prohibit false and misleading statements in advertising of such devices, enforcement actions and scientific testing on which regulatory actions are based are expensive and time-consuming, and agencies are resource-limited

Field key to the bats of Costa Rica and Nicaragua

With more than 1,400 species of bats described worldwide, the order Chiroptera is second only to rodents in ecological and taxonomic diversity. Bats play critically important roles in natural systems as seed and pollen dispersers, predators of invertebrates and vertebrates, and sanguinivores. The Central American countries of Costa Rica and Nicaragua have at least 123 species of bats (in 9 families and 66 genera), or nearly 10% of the world's known species. Because of the importance of proper species identification for ecological and systematic studies and conservation efforts, we present a dichotomous key to the bats of this region. Our goal is the positive, in-hand identification of living bats that may be released unharmed after identification. Identifying Neotropical bats and understanding the taxonomic changes that affect the names used for the various species over time can be a challenge. This key includes the 123 species known to occur in Costa Rica and Nicaragua as well as three that are expected to occur in these countries but which have not yet been recorded. We provide illustrations of key characters useful for differentiating bats to species and updated taxonomic notes to assist the reader in assessing the literature. Con más de 1,400 especies de murciélagos descritos en todo el mundo, el orden Chiroptera es el segundo más diverso después de los roedores respecto a taxonomía. Los murciélagos juegan papeles de importancia crítica en los sistemas naturales como dispersores de semillas, polinizadores, depredadores de vertebrados e invertebrados, así como hematófagos. Costa Rica y Nicaragua presentan al menos 123 especies de murciélagos (en 9 familias y 66 géneros), casi el 10% de las especies conocidas en el mundo. Debido a la importancia de la identificación precisa de las especies para los estudios ecológicos, sistemáticos y de conservación, presentamos una clave dicotómica para los murciélagos de esta región. Nuestro objetivo es la identificación correcta con los murciélagos in vivo y que se pueden liberar sin daño después de la identificación. La caracterización de los murciélagos neotropicales y el seguimiento del estatus taxonómico de cada especie puede ser un reto en el proceso de identificación. Esta clave incluye las 123 especies conocidas en Costa Rica y Nicaragua, así como 3 no registradas pero con distribución potencial. Proporcionamos ilustraciones de características claves útiles para diferenciar murciélagos al nivel de la especie y notas taxonómicas actualizadas para ayudar al lector a la identificación

Integrated Pest Management: A Useful Approach to Wildlife Damage Control?

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has become a popular phrase and is looked upon by some persons as the solution to all pest problems and many environmental issues. Unfortunately, the concept of IPM is often misunderstood and at times misused

Coyotes Nipping At Our Heels: A New Suburban Dilemma

In the 1970s, coyote attacks on humans in urban and suburban environments began to occur, primarily in Southern California. Such attacks have increased in number, and since the late 1980s coyote attacks on people have been reported from at least 16 additional states and 4 Canadian provinces. Attack incidents are typically preceded by a sequence of increasingly bold coyote behaviors, including attacks on pets during daylight hours. In suburban areas, coyotes can habituate to humans as a result of plentiful food resources, including increased numbers of rabbits and rodents, household refuse, pet food, water from ponds and landscape irrigation run-off, and intentional feeding. Cessation of predator control has also contributed to coyotes’ loss of wariness toward humans. Preventive (e.g., habitat modification) and corrective actions (e.g., hazing) can be effective if implemented before coyote attacks on pets become common. However, if environmental modification and changes in human behavior toward coyotes are delayed, then removal of offending coyotes is needed to resolve threats to human safety. Coyote attacks on humans in suburbia are largely preventable, but the long-term solution of this conflict requires public education, changes in residents’ behavior, and in some situations, the means to effectively remove individual offending animals