Species Identification of Golden and Bald Eagle Talons Using Morphometrics

The Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) and Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are the largest avian predators in North America, and are thus species of great ecological importance and cultural significance. There is a long history of human use of eagle body parts, and this use continues today: Bald and Golden eagles are among the North American birds most affected by the illegal wildlife trade. Detached eagle talons are often recovered in both law enforcement and archaeological contexts, but data to allow morphological identification of these talons have been lacking. This study documents measureable differences in the morphology of Bald Eagle and North American Golden Eagle talons, which can be used to identify the detached talons of these two species. We measured talon samples of both species from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory and other collections and categorized them according to species, sex, age, and digit number (Digits I–IV). We then conducted ANOVA and principal components analysis to test for statistical differences in the talon measurements of these two species. Although species identification was not always possible, due to overlap in the morphology of the talons of the two eagles, our results demonstrated that measurements allow identification of many talons, especially the large talons of Digits I and II, which are most commonly recovered in law enforcement cases. These results will be valuable for researchers studying North American eagle remains in the contexts of law enforcement, archaeology, and anthropology

African hornbills: keystone species threatened by habitat loss, hunting and international trade

Africa is home to 23 of the world's 54 hornbill species, including the largest members of the family, the ground hornbills. None of Africa's hornbills are currently considered to be at significant risk of extinction by IUCN, and none are listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). However, there is evidence for serious declines of African forest hornbills due to habitat loss and fragmentation, and to unsustainable exploitation for bushmeat. In addition, this paper documents a previously unreported international trade involving importation of African hornbills and their parts into the United States. In the absence of CITES reporting requirements, it is difficult to estimate the magnitude of this trade, but it appears to represent an additional threat to African hornbills, particularly large forest-dwelling species of the genera Bycanistes and Ceratogymna. Given this international trade, and other known threats to African forest-dwelling hornbills, the status of these species is in urgent need of review.Ostrich 2007, 78(3): 609–61

Notes on the Behavior and Ecology of the Red-Cotingas (Cotingidae: Phoenicircus)

Volume: 103Start Page: 539End Page: 55

Genetic Identification of Spotted Owls, Barred Owls, and Their Hybrids: Legal Implications of Hybrid Identity

Recent population expansion of Barred Owls (Strix varia) into western North America has led to concern that they may compete with and further harm the Northern Spotted Owl (S. occidentalis caurina), which is already listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). Because they hybridize, there is a legal need under the ESA for forensic identification of both species and their hybrids. We used mitochondrial control-region DNA and amplified fragment-length polymorphism (AFLP) analyses to assess maternal and biparental gene flow in this hybridization process. Mitochondrial DNA sequences (524 base pairs) indicated large divergence between Barred and Spotted Owls (13.9%). Further, the species formed two distinct clades with no signs of previous introgression. Fourteen diagnostic AFLP bands also indicated extensive divergence between the species, including markers differentiating them. Principal coordinate analyses and assignment tests clearly supported this differentiation. We found that hybrids had unique genetic combinations, including AFLP markers from both parental species, and identified known hybrids as well as potential hybrids with unclear taxonomic status. Our analyses corroborated the findings of extensive field studies that most hybrids genetically sampled resulted from crosses between female Barred Owls and male Spotted Owls. These genetic markers make it possible to clearly identify these species as well as hybrids and can now be used for research, conservation, and law enforcement. Several legal avenues may facilitate future conservation of Spotted Owls and other ESA-listed species that hybridize, including the ESA similarity-of-appearance clause (section 4[e]) and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act appears to be the most useful route at this time

From the cover : explosively launched spores of ascomycete fungi have drag-minimizing shapes

The forcibly launched spores of ascomycete fungi must eject through several millimeters of nearly still air surrounding fruiting bodies to reach dispersive air flows. Because of their microscopic size, spores experience great fluid drag, and although this drag can aid transport by slowing sedimentation out of dispersive air flows, it also causes spores to decelerate rapidly after launch. We hypothesize that spores are shaped to maximize their range in the nearly still air surrounding fruiting bodies. To test this hypothesis we numerically calculate optimal spore shapes-shapes of minimum drag for prescribed volumes-and compare these shapes with real spore shapes taken from a phylogeny of >100 species. Our analysis shows that spores are constrained to remain within 1% of the minimum possible drag for their size. From the spore shapes we predict the speed of spore launch, and confirm this prediction through high-speed imaging of ejection in Neurospora tetrasperma. By reconstructing the evolutionary history of spore shapes within a single ascomycete family we measure the relative contributions of drag minimization and other shape determinants to spore shape evolution. Our study uses biomechanical optimization as an organizing principle for explaining shape in a mega-diverse group of species and provides a framework for future measurements of the forces of selection toward physical optima