-
Two new species of brush-tailed mouse, genus Calomyscus (Rodentia: Calomyscidae), from the Iranian Plateau J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-05 Elham Rezazadeh, Hessamodin Zali, Faraham Ahmadzadeh, Roohollah Siahsarvie, C William Kilpatrick, Ryan W Norris, Mansour Aliabadian
The monogeneric family Calomyscidae includes the brush-tailed mice, genus Calomyscus, which have a Palearctic distribution ranging from the Hindu Kush Mountains in western Pakistan to the eastern Mediterranean region. Zagros Mountains—stretching from northwest to south of Iran—was assumed for long as the range of a single species, Calomyscus bailwardi; however, recent studies revealed considerable
-
The post-emergence period for denning polar bears: phenology and influence on cub survival J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-03 Erik M Andersen, Ryan R Wilson, Karyn D Rode, George M Durner, Todd C Atwood, David D Gustine
Among polar bears (Ursus maritimus), only parturient females den for extended periods, emerging from maternal dens in spring after having substantially depleted their energy reserves during a fast that can exceed 8 months. Although den emergence coincides with a period of increasing prey availability, polar bears typically do not depart immediately to hunt, but instead remain at the den for up to a
-
The first living cervid species described in the 21st century and revalidation of Pudella (Artiodactyla) J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-02 Javier Barrio, Eliécer E Gutiérrez, Guillermo D’Elía
Several issues regarding the systematics and taxonomy of the Neotropical deer tribe Odocoileini, an assemblage of 18 recognized living species currently allocated into 7 genera, remain unclear. The few available phylogenetic analyses indicate that some genera are not monophyletic and that species richness in the group is underestimated. One genus that presents both problems are the stocky and short-legged
-
A new Mexican endemic species of yellow-eared bat in the genus Vampyressa (Phyllostomidae, Stenodermatinae) J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-01 Guilherme S T Garbino, Giovani Hernández-Canchola, Livia León-Paniagua, Valéria da C Tavares
Bats from the genus Vampyressa Thomas, 1900 are known from a relatively small number of individuals in Mexico. Through recent collecting efforts in southwestern Mexico, we detected several previously unknown populations of Vampyressa, which appeared to represent a lineage independent from but closely related to V. thyone. Here, we describe this lineage as a new species of the genus Vampyressa from
-
Home range in genus Capra: from polygons to Brownian bridges of scabietic and healthy Iberian ibexes (Capra pyrenaica) J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-27 Marta Valldeperes, Roberto Pascual-Rico, Paulino Fandos, Ramón C Soriguer Escofet, Jesús M Pérez, Francisco J Cano-Manuel León, Paloma Prieto Yerro, Jorge Ramón López-Olvera, José Enrique Granados
Home range and home range overlap can be used to describe use of space and movement of wildlife. During the last years, advancements in technology have greatly improved our understanding of animal movement, especially among large herbivores. Wild ungulate abundance and distribution have increased in temperate areas. Moreover, their diseases—including sarcoptic mange in the Iberian Ibex (Capra pyrenaica)—have
-
Comparative transcriptome profiling across 9 tissues in 2 pika species provides new insights and resources to interpret plateau adaptation J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-27 Ruobing Zhang, Danping Mu, Xinlai Wu, Anderson Feijó, Zhixin Wen, Jilong Cheng, Lin Xia, Qisen Yang, Wenjuan Shan, Deyan Ge
As an endemic species of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, the Plateau Pika (Ochotona curzoniae) exhibits adaptation to the extremely high-altitude environment and possesses a number of distinct physiological characteristics. In order to explore potential mechanisms underlying the adaptation of plateau pikas, we investigate transcriptomic differences across tissues (heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, muscle
-
Genetic structuring of fishers in British Columbia, Canada: implications for population conservation and management J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-21 Richard D Weir, Andrew M Rankin, Lacy Robinson, Kristine L Pilgrim, Michael K Schwartz, Michael K Lucid
In the westernmost Canadian province of British Columbia, fishers (Pekania pennanti) occur in low-elevation forested ecosystems in the central and northern portions of the province, with several substantial mountain ranges and rivers bisecting this distribution. The effect of these geographic features on gene flow and population structuring is unknown and may contribute to fishers differentiating into
-
Unraveling the Myotis morass: ultraconserved-element analysis reveals introgression, cryptic diversity, and taxonomic trouble J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-20 Jennifer M Korstian, Richard D Stevens, Thomas E Lee, Robert J Baker, David A Ray
Using sequences from 2,615 ultraconserved element (UCE) loci and multiple methodologies we inferred phylogenies for the largest genetic data set of New World bats in the genus Myotis to date. The resulting phylogenetic trees were populated with short branch lengths and widespread conflict, hallmarks consistent with rapid adaptive radiations. The degree of conflict observed in Myotis has likely contributed
-
Summer habitat for the female Tricolored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus) in Tennessee, United States J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-20 Ashleigh B Cable, Emma V Willcox
The Tricolored Bat is an imperiled species due to white-nose syndrome. There is limited information available on roosting and foraging area use of the species to support planning and management efforts to benefit recovery in the Southeastern United States. Female tricolored bats exit hibernation and allocate energy toward disease recovery, migration, and reproduction. Providing and managing for summer
-
Reproductive state alters vocal characteristics of female North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-17 Alexander J Hare, Andrew G McAdam, Ben Dantzer, Jeffrey E Lane, Stan Boutin, Amy E M Newman
Female advertisement of reproductive state and receptivity has the potential to play a large role in the mating systems of many taxa, but investigations of this phenomenon are underrepresented in the literature. North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) are highly territorial and engage in scramble competition mating, with males converging from spatially disparate territories to engage
-
Range expansion of a declining forest species, the Western Gray Squirrel (Sciurus griseus), into semiarid woodland J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-12 Sean M Sultaire, Robert A Montgomery, Patrick J Jackson, Joshua J Millspaugh
Globally, animals that are range-restricted are frequently becoming species of conservation concern, in part due to competitive exclusion by phylogenetically and ecologically similar species that are more tolerant of human disturbance. However, climate and land use changes to natural landscapes can create pockets of refugia for range-restricted species. Western gray squirrels (Sciurus griseus) are
-
Diversity of MHC class II DRB alleles in the Northern chamois genus Rupicapra J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-12 Sunčica Stipoljev, Elena Buzan, Laura Iacolina, Toni Safner, Andrea Rezić, Ana Galov, Krešimir Križanović, Hüseyin Ambarlı, MariaCruz Arnal, Elmar Babaev, Ferdinand Bego, Attila Farkas, Dragan Gačić, Peter Lazar, Vladimir Maletić, Georgi Markov, Dragana Milošević, Haritakis Papaioannou, Massimo Scandura, Nikica Šprem
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are commonly used markers for monitoring adaptive genetic and evolutionary potential of species. In this study, we investigated genetic variation of the MHC class II DRB locus in the chamois genus Rupicapra by using next-generation sequencing. Sequencing of 102 samples led to the identification of 25 alleles, 11 of which are novel. The high ratio of the
-
A drying climate and habitat availability drive extirpations of a southward advancing ground squirrel J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-12 Austin L Nash, Christy M McCain
Ground squirrels act as important members of grassland ecosystems by serving as both ecosystem engineers and as a prey base for carnivores. There is mounting evidence that climate change is driving ground squirrel population declines. We resurveyed 54 historical localities throughout the Wyoming Basin and western Colorado where Wyoming Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus elegans) specimens were collected
-
Landscape and farm environmental structure determinants of small mammal assemblages in agroecosystems of central Argentina J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-07 Rodrigo Javier Alonso, Rosario Lovera, María Soledad Fernández, Regino Cavia
Natural processes and patterns are altered by human activity at different spatial and temporal scales, affecting species assemblages and population traits, modifying mechanisms or regulating dynamics at different scales. However, little is known about the influence of landscape structure on small mammal assemblages and populations on farms. Thus, in this work, we aimed to study the effect of landscape
-
Using PIT tags to infer bat reproductive status and parturition date: busy nights during lactation J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-07 Amélie Fontaine, Anouk Simard, Valérie Simard, Hugh G Broders, Kyle H Elliott
Passive integrated transponders (PIT tags) can aid in the collection of important demographic data for species for which other methods, such as GPS technology, are not suitable. PIT tags can be particularly suitable to monitor small and cryptic species like bats and permit inference on their behavioral ecology. Literature for several species of bats states that females change their nightly activity
-
Effects of burn severity and postfire salvage logging on carnivore communities in montane forests J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-01 Logan A Volkmann, Karen E Hodges
Wildfire and postfire salvage logging are major drivers of forest succession in western North America. Although postfire landscapes support a variety of carnivore species, it is unclear how these animals respond to differing patterns and severities of burning, or to additional landscape change from postfire salvage logging. Open, early-seral habitats created by these disturbances are predicted to benefit
-
Determining abundance predictors of the European Hare (Lepus europaeus), a global invader in southeastern Brazil J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-30 Nielson Pasqualotto, Larissa L Bailey, Danilo Boscolo, Thiago S F Silva, Nayra T Rodrigues, Bruno H Saranholi, Pedro M Galetti Jr., Marcella do Carmo Pônzio, Vinicius Alberici, Adriano G Chiarello
European Hare (Lepus europaeus), like many invasive species, have declined in much of their native range but flourished in non-native regions (e.g. South America). Previous studies suggested that loss of farmland heterogeneity due to agricultural intensification is the main driver of the species decline in its native range in Europe. Yet, little is known about the role of spatial and temporal heterogeneity
-
Noninvasive EEG measurement of sleep in the family cat and comparison with the dog J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-25 Anna Bálint, Vivien Reicher, Barbara Csibra, Márta Gácsi
We have successfully measured the sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) of 12 family cats during an afternoon nap using a completely noninvasive methodology originally developed and validated for family dogs. Extracting both macrostructural and spectral sleep variables from the acquired data, we: (1) provided a descriptive analysis of sleep structure in cats and the power spectral density (PSD) distribution
-
Latrine site selection by African clawless otters, Aonyx capensis, and their behavior during latrine visitations J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-18 Stephanie G Nicolaides, Theodorus H C Mostert, Trevor McIntyre
Latrine sites are used as areas for the deposition of scent-containing excretions and play important roles in intraspecific olfactory communication, territoriality, sexual attraction, and defense behaviors of many mammals. African clawless otters (Aonyx capensis) likely use latrine sites as primary areas for scent marking and scent communication but no studies to date have investigated their potential
-
Causes and consequences of pre-hibernation body mass in golden-mantled ground squirrels (Callospermophilus lateralis) J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-12 Summer Howland, Caitlin P Wells, Dirk H Van Vuren
Mammals that cope with harsh environmental conditions by hibernating show seasonal variation in body mass, as fat reserves are accumulated during summer and depleted during winter. In hibernating species, pre-hibernation mass is often considered a key phenotypic trait that can influence future survival and reproductive success—yet we know little about how variation in environmental conditions and seasonality
-
Beta diversity patterns in Andean rodents: current and historical factors as drivers of turnover and nestedness J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-08 Agustina Novillo, Cecilia Lanzone, J Pablo Jayat, Pablo Teta, Agustina A Ojeda, Luciana Cristobal, Ricardo A Ojeda
The Andes are known to be one of the most species-rich regions on Earth, with their origination promoting formation of new habitats and acting as climatic barriers. This orogenic event was structured latitudinally with 3 major segments having different formation times and with different environmental and historical conditions. The Andean region has been historically important in the evolutionary history
-
How does an urban landscape influence spatiotemporal ecology of South American coatis (Nasua nasua)? J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-08 Wanessa Teixeira Gomes Barreto, Gabriel Carvalho de Macedo, Filipe Martins Santos, Andreza Castro Rucco, Nayara Yoshie Sano, William Oliveira de Assis, Heitor Miraglia Herrera, Grasiela Edith de Oliveira Porfírio, Luiz Gustavo Rodrigues Oliveira-Santos
Increasing urbanization and consequent habitat fragmentation and loss call for studies of the influence of urbanization on native fauna. South American Coati (Procyonidae: Nasua nasua) live in groups and are common in urban areas of South America. Here, we aimed to understand how coatis occupy and select space, and whether they change their circadian activity in an urban environment. We estimated home
-
Social media as a tool to understand the distribution and ecology of elusive mammals J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 Makabudi V Phakoago, Shane K Maloney, Peter R Kamerman, Leith C R Meyer, Nora M Weyer, Andrea Fuller
Comparatively little is known about the distribution and ecology of Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) and Temminck’s Ground Pangolin (Smutsia temminckii). Both are elusive species that are normally nocturnal, solitary, and fossorial. Formally collected records have been used to map the distribution of these species, and social media records provide a tool to gather information on their distribution and ecology
-
Genetic footprints of Quaternary climatic fluctuations on the endangered Tuco-tuco-das-dunas (Ctenomys flamarioni) J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-26 Luiza Flores Gasparetto, Gabriela Paula Fernández, Cecilia Soledad Carnovale, Renan Maestri, Daniel Galiano, Willian Thomaz Peçanha, Bruno Busnello Kubiak, Thales Renato Ochotorena de Freitas
The biogeographic history of a species results from responses to past and current processes, and understanding those responses at both temporal scales is essential. We explored phylogeographic and current genetic variation structure in Ctenomys flamarioni—a subterranean rodent that inhabits a small region of the coastal plain of Brazil—and contrasted the roles of “present-day niche suitability” versus
-
Ontogenetic and static scaling of antler mass in White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-24 Willis P Sontheimer, Deanna Pfeffer, Floyd W Weckerly
Antlers are a costly trait that require skeletal reserves to grow to a large size. Thus, insight into variation in antler size requires understanding the connection between antler and body size, which can be summarized through ontogenetic and static scaling relationships. Both types of scaling relationships are also needed to examine the influence of factors besides body mass on antler growth at different
-
Movement response of small mammals to burn severity reveals importance of microhabitat features J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-24 Sandy A Slovikosky, Melissa J Merrick, Marina Morandini, John L Koprowski
Disturbance events are increasing at a global scale, with cascading impacts to ecosystems and residents therein that include fragmentation and altered vegetation structure and composition. Such changes may disproportionately impact small mammal movements, risk perception, and community dynamics as smaller species perceive such changes at finer spatial scales. We examined movement response to burn severity
-
Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes contribute to mass gain variation in female obligate hibernators J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-16 Samuel Degregori, Gina C Johnson, Paul H Barber, Daniel T Blumstein
Obtaining body condition is an important life history challenge that directly impacts individual fitness and is particularly important for hibernating animals, whose maintenance of adequate body fat and mass is essential for survival. It is well-documented that host-associated microorganisms play a vital role in animal physiology and behavior. Recent work demonstrates that gut microbes are associated
-
A new extinct desert rodent from the Holocene of South America and its bearing on the diversity of Octodontidae (Hystricognathi) J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-16 Diego H Verzi, A Itatí Olivares, Nahuel A De Santi, Cecilia C Morgan, José Manuel López, Horacio Chiavazza
A Late Holocene (ca. 3,100 to 380 BP) sample of the viscacha rat genus Octomys (Octodontidae) from the Vaquerías Gruta 1 site (VQ-G1) in western Argentina is reported. Phylogenetic and morphometric comparative analyses with living octodontids support that the VQ-G1 sample is related to the desert specialists Tympanoctomys and Octomys, and is sister to the only living species of the latter, O. mimax
-
Skull shape and size changes in different subpopulations of the California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) in Mexico J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-14 Rosalía Aguilar Medrano, Víctor Hugo Cruz Escalona, Juan Ángel Payán Alcacio, Larissa Rosa de Oliveira, Arelly Ornelas Vargas, Claudia J Hernández Camacho, Carlos Mauricio Peredo
California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) are distributed along the Gulf of California and northeastern Pacific coast. Genetic studies have suggested the existence of 3 to 4 subpopulations in Mexico—1 on the Pacific coast of the Baja California peninsula (PC) and 3 in the Gulf of California—but the extent of this divergence is unclear, and it remains unknown if these subpopulations are morphologically
-
From backyard to backcountry: changes in mammal communities across an urbanization gradient J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-28 Christopher P Hansen, Roland Kays, Joshua J Millspaugh
Urbanization often results in biodiversity loss and homogenization, but this result is not universal and there is substantial variability in the spatiotemporal effects of urbanization on wildlife across cities and taxa. Areas with lower population and housing density are some of the fastest-growing regions in the western United States; thus, more research in these areas could offer additional insight
-
In the Lyme light: individual trait determinants of Borrelia burgdorferi infection in Peromyscus mice J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-28 Ivy Yen, Allison Gardner, Alessio Mortelliti
Disease ecologists commonly use abiotic factors (e.g. temperature and moisture) or measures of biodiversity (e.g. species richness) to predict Lyme disease transmission patterns, but variance in infection probability among individuals within a population is poorly understood. Most studies assume intraspecific consistency, but recent evidence suggests that individual traits, such as animal personality
-
The utility of alpine cave fossil assemblages for zoological census: an example from northern Utah, United States J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-21 Kaedan O’Brien, Randall B Irmis, Joan Brenner Coltrain, Daniel Martin Dalmas, Katrina M Derieg, Thomas Evans, Eric S Richards, Fumiko M Richards, Eric A Rickart, J Tyler Faith
Assemblages of mammal skeletal remains provide a powerful tool for censusing wildlife populations to establish zoological baselines required for evaluating biogeographic trends over varying timescales. Caves provide an ideal depositional setting to preserve these skeletal remains despite potential time averaging and taphonomic filtering. We describe a Holocene paleontological assemblage from Boomerang
-
Seasonal roost characteristics and fall behavior of coastal populations of Northern Myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-17 Samantha Hoff, Casey Pendergast, Luanne Johnson, Elizabeth Olson, Danielle O’Dell, Zara R Dowling, Katherine M Gorman, Carl Herzog, Wendy C Turner
Temperate bats exhibit seasonal and sex differences in resource selection and activity patterns that are influenced by ambient conditions. During fall, individuals face energetic trade-offs as they make choices relating to migration, mating, and hibernation that may diverge for populations throughout their range. However, research has largely focused on the summer maternity and winter hibernation seasons
-
Sex and age mediate the effects of rapid environmental change for a forest carnivore, the Fisher (Pekania pennanti) J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-17 Corbin C Kuntze, M Zachariah Peery, Rebecca E Green, Kathryn L Purcell, Jonathan N Pauli
Rapid environmental changes—in climate, land use, and biotic interactions—are accelerating species extinctions and extirpations globally. Identifying drivers that threaten populations is essential for conservation yet can be difficult given the variable nature of the response of an organism to biotic and abiotic stressors. We analyzed a long-term monitoring data set to explore demographic responses
-
Lion (Panthera leo) movements in a multiuse area of the eastern Panhandle of the Okavango Delta, Botswana J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-16 Eric G LeFlore, Todd K Fuller, Andrew B Stein
As global large carnivore populations continue to decline due to human actions, maintaining viable populations beyond protected area (PA) borders is critical. African lions (Panthera leo) ranging beyond PA borders regularly prey on domestic livestock causing humans to retaliate or even preemptively kill lions to minimize impacts of lost livestock. To understand how lions navigate high-conflict areas
-
Female pond bats hunt in other areas than males and consume lighter prey when pregnant J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-16 Anne-Jifke Haarsma, Eelke Jongejans, Elza Duijm, Carolien van der Graaf, Youri Lammers, Milan Sharma, Henk Siepel, Barbara Gravendeel
Animals with large energy requirements are forced to optimize their hunting strategy, which may result in differentiation of the diet between sexes and across seasons. Here, we examined spatiotemporal variation in the diet of both sexes of the Pond Bat Myotis dasycneme, a species known to have spatial segregation of sexes when the young are born and lactating. Fecal pellets were collected from live
-
Seasonal and sex-specific changes in the gastrointestinal tracts of Peromyscus maniculatus J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-09-25 Olivia S Chapman, Bryan S McLean
Functional traits are phenotypic characteristics that contribute to fitness of individuals in dynamic and changing environments. In mammals, both categorical and continuous (e.g., quantitative) functional traits have been extensively utilized as proxies for diet, locomotion, and other aspects of species ecology, but there has been less focus on form and function of soft tissues. This is particularly
-
Multiscale influences on Elk (Cervus canadensis) calving site selection across a fragmented Appalachian landscape J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-09-14 Nathan D Hooven, Kathleen E Williams, John T Hast, Joseph R McDermott, R Daniel Crank, Matthew T Springer, John J Cox
Due to the vulnerability of neonatal ungulates, selection of a birth site can have important implications for offspring survival and thus fitness of the mother. We studied parturition site selection in cow Elk in southeastern Kentucky, United States, using a use–availability framework to evaluate the effects of landscape variables sampled at multiple spatial grains on the relative probability of use
-
Uncertainty during migration: the role of predictable resources in unpredictable conditions in determining movement in Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-08-28 Emilie Dedeban, Quinn M R Webber, Michel P Laforge, Alec L Robitaille, Eric Vander Wal
Environmental and climatic variation drive animal migration. Animals must adjust their behavioral strategies, for example, habitat selection, to match best variation in resources whose value likely varies with conditions such as weather. For example, climate change makes processes such as snowmelt and the emergence of vegetation less predictable at the scale of months or weeks. Furthermore, climate
-
Rocky rule: the idiosyncrasy of spatial and temporal size variation in mammals J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-08-28 Kirsten E Crandall, Link E Olson, Virginie Millien
Mammals are predicted to vary in body size following Bergmann’s rule, with individuals found at higher latitudes in colder temperatures being larger in size compared to conspecifics occurring at lower latitudes in warmer temperatures. Body size is similarly expected to vary temporally, with a decrease in size through time due to recent climate warming. While Bergmann’s rule is well-supported in mammals
-
Social play predicts caution in juvenile Belding’s ground squirrels (Urocitellus beldingi) J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-08-24 Madelene I Shehan, Melissa Hernandez, Jenevieve D Rodriguez, Scott Nunes
Play is an important component of development in a range of mammalian species, and may provide adaptive benefits for young individuals in some cases. We evaluated the hypothesis that social play in juvenile Belding’s ground squirrels (Urocitellus beldingi) promotes development of cautious responses when individuals are confronted with a potential threat. We observed the play behavior of juvenile U
-
The influence of landscape features on the population connectivity and genetic structure of the Edible Dormouse Glis glis in Poland J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-08-24 Magdalena Moska, Anna Mucha, Heliodor Wierzbicki, Błażej Nowak
In this study, we analyze and compare the genetic structure of edible dormice representing five populations, inhabiting forest complexes in southwestern Poland that differ in their degree of fragmentation and isolation. Total genomic DNA was isolated from hairs with bulbs of 145 individuals captured between 2018 and 2020. All dormice sampled were genotyped at 14 microsatellite loci. Population genetic
-
Apparent annual survival of female eastern small-footed bats (Myotis leibii) roosting in Arkansas bridges J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-08-24 D Blake Sasse, Roger W Perry
The Eastern Small-footed Bat (Myotis leibii) inhabits mountainous areas of the eastern United States and generally roosts in cliff faces and talus slopes. However, the difficulty of accessing these sites has limited research on this species. We studied survival rates of eastern small-footed bats by capturing bats roosting in crevices between sections of concrete guardrails on bridges in the Ozark mountains
-
Life history variation of the Hairy-tailed Akodont (Necromys lasiurus, Rodentia, Sigmodontinae) in the Caatinga biome of northeastern Brazil J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-08-20 Gisela Sobral, João Alves de Oliveira
Rodents are notable for their unique life history traits that render a fast-breeding capacity. Their short generation times allow local adaptations to appear, and several studies have tried to understand if—and how—geographical variables influence local adaptation in life history traits. We compared demographic and life history traits of the Neotropical cricetid Necromys lasiurus based on 7,400 museum
-
What drives prey selection? Assessment of Tiger (Panthera tigris) food habits across the Terai-Arc Landscape, India J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-08-11 Suvankar Biswas, Shrewshree Kumar, Meghna Bandhopadhyay, Shiv Kumari Patel, Salvador Lyngdoh, Bivash Pandav, Samrat Mondol
Large carnivores strongly shape ecological interactions within their respective ecosystems, but experience significant conflicts with humans across their range due to their specific ecological resource requirements. The Tiger (Panthera tigris) typifies the challenges faced by large carnivore species globally. India retains the majority of the global Tiger population with a substantial number occurring
-
Parental effects on offspring sex ratio in the Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus): does captivity influence paternal sex allocation? J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-08-10 Renée C Firman, Connor M Ellis, Sian Thorn, Peter R Mawson
Sex allocation theories predict that under different ecological conditions the production of sons and daughters will affect parental fitness differently. Skewed offspring sex ratios often occur under captive conditions where individuals are exposed to nutritional and social conditions that differ from nature. Here, we analyzed 29 years of offspring sex ratio data from a captive population of an endangered
-
Diet selection, commonness, and rarity in a pair of smooth-toothed pocket gophers J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-07-12 Brittany T Brito, Nichole L Bjornlie, Matthew D Carling, Jacob R Goheen
Understanding the determinants of species rarity is a perennial challenge for ecologists and conservation biologists. In addition to resource specialization, competitive interactions may limit the abundance and distribution of species, thereby accentuating rarity. However, resource partitioning can reduce or altogether offset such competitive effects, and thus permit species to thrive alongside more
-
Using biological traits to assess diet selection: the case of the Pyrenean desman J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-07-05 Amaiur Esnaola, Aitor Larrañaga, Jorge González-Esteban, Arturo Elosegi, Joxerra Aihartza
Traditionally, researchers have assessed diet selection by comparing consumed versus available taxa. However, taxonomic assignment is probably irrelevant for predators, who likely base their selection on characteristics including prey size, habitat, or behavior. Here, we use an aquatic insectivore, the threatened Pyrenean Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus), as a model species to assess whether biological
-
Protein availability on Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau meadows determines density and life-history characteristics of plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-07-05 Xueqin Wu, Guozhen Shang, Huiqing Chen, Yan Wu, Chu Hou, Yuangang Yang, Lu Zhang, Yifan Cao, Jianghui Bian
Plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) play a keystone role in the alpine meadow ecosystem on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). For decades, alpine meadows on the QTP have suffered from severe degradation, predominantly due to livestock grazing and frequent dramatic increases in plateau pikas. The cause has long been thought to be that livestock grazing provides open habitats for pikas. However, open
-
A new species of bat in the genus Nyctinomops Miller, 1902 (Chiroptera: Molossidae) from Misiones, Argentina J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-07-05 Rubén M Barquez, Ivanna H Tomasco, R Tatiana Sánchez, Lourdes Boero, Alejandro Daniel Rodriguez, M Mónica Díaz
Abtract As currently understood, the genus Nyctinomops contains four species: N. aurispinosus (Peale, 1849), N. femorosaccus (Merriam, 1889), N. laticaudatus (É. Geoffroy St.-Hilaire, 1805), and N. macrotis (Gray, 1840). Only N. macrotis and N. laticaudatus have been recorded from Argentina. We found that specimens of Nyctinomops captured in the province of Misiones, Argentina did not correspond to
-
Consequences of postglacial contact between phylogroups of Blarina brevicauda in North America’s Great Lakes Region J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-06-29 Ellen R Cassidy, Kurt E Galbreath
Across eastern North America, glacial cycles of the Pleistocene drove episodic latitudinal range shifts by temperate species. Isolation of populations within low-latitude refugia during glacial maxima was enhanced by physiographic barriers, leading to patterns of phylogeographic differentiation that are shared across diverse taxa. Postglacial population expansion created opportunities for differentiated
-
Effects of sample collection and storage methods on fecal bacterial diversity in California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi) J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-06-25 Erin S Person, Kianna P von Maydell, Jada E Baldoza, Eileen A Lacey, Jennifer E Smith
Measures of fecal bacterial abundance and taxonomic composition are commonly used as proxies for gut microbial diversity in studies of free-living mammals. Because methods of sample collection and storage may affect measures of bacterial diversity, we evaluated the effects of several procedures on fecal bacterial diversity in a free-living population of California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus
-
Efficacy of aural detection methods for detecting Northern Pika (Ochotona hyperborea) occupancy in rocky and densely vegetated habitats J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-06-25 Tomoki Sakiyama, Jorge García Molinos
Wildlife monitoring plays a key role in species conservation, with growing importance under the threat of climate change. The Northern Pika (Ochotona hyperborea) is a cold-adapted species found in Hokkaido, Japan, presumably vulnerable to such threats. However, its high elusiveness hinders detailed population surveys, and visual detection methods—often used for other pika species—are not applicable
-
Analyzing captive breeding outcomes to inform reintroduction practice: lessons from the pookila (Pseudomys novaehollandiae). J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-06-21 Kiarrah J Smith,Maldwyn J Evans,Iain J Gordon,Jennifer C Pierson,Jenny Newport,Adrian D Manning
Captive breeding is often used to produce individuals for reintroduction programs in order to reestablish a species in an area where it has become locally extinct. To maximize the likelihood of establishing a self-sustaining population in the wild, an analysis of data from captive breeding programs is commonly undertaken to (1) increase the quantity of individuals and rate at which they can be released
-
Wagering with an incomplete deck—refining conservation plans for the New Mexico Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus luteus luteus) J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-06-09 Jason L Malaney, Caroline R Wilford, Jonathan T Woods, Bruce L Christman, Randy D Jennings, Carol L Chambers, Jennifer L Zahratka, Schuyler W Liphardt, John R Demboski, Joseph A Cook
Limited sampling for imperiled taxa inhibits effective management by obscuring windows into ecological and evolutionary processes and ultimately thwarting thoughtful conservation efforts. We report eight new locations for the endangered New Mexico Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus luteus luteus) detected across three states that expand their known distribution. When combined with existing curated museum
-
Patterns of post-hibernation wing damage healing in little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) impacted by white-nose syndrome J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-06-09 Katherine M Ineson, Christopher S Richardson, Caitlin E Looney, Nathan W Fuller, Jonathan D Reichard
The patterns of recovery from injury or infection are not well studied in free-ranging animals. Bats that survive the fungal disease white-nose syndrome (WNS) often emerge from hibernation suffering from skin infections and wing damage. The extent of wing damage reflects physiological and immunological responses to WNS and may impact the ability of bats to fly, forage, and reproduce. Here, we built
-
Differential developmental rates and demographics in Red Kangaroo (Osphranter rufus) populations separated by the dingo barrier fence J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-05-31 D Rex Mitchell, Stuart C Cairns, Gerhard Körtner, Corey J A Bradshaw, Frédérik Saltré, Vera Weisbecker
Decommissioning the dingo barrier fence has been suggested to reduce destructive dingo control and encourage a free transfer of biota between environments in Australia. Yet the potential impacts that over a century of predator exclusion might have had on the population dynamics and developmental biology of prey populations has not been assessed. We here combine demographic data and both linear and
-
Niche conservatism versus niche differentiation in sympatric chipmunks in the northern Sierra Nevada J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-05-27 Douglas A Kelt, Stephanie A Coppeto, Dirk H Van Vuren, Jack Sullivan, James A Wilson, Noah Reid
Closely related species are predicted to have similar fundamental niches, and therefore to compete locally and possibly be constrained to occur allopatrically. Over time, niche differentiation should lead to divergent use of niche axes, such as food or habitat. Most studies of niche divergence or of niche conservatism have focused on multiple species at large spatial scales. We studied two species
-
ASM History: Restricted Funds of the American Society of Mammalogists J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-05-19 Guy N Cameron, Matthew E Hopton, Suzanne B McLaren
The American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) currently has 13 Restricted Funds intended to make financial resources available to support the mission of the Society by providing grants and awards to students, early-career mammalogists, and members who perform activities relevant to ASM. Restricted Funds are specified to support a Society objective or area of research. When initially established, the originator(s)
-
Compensatory mortality explains rodent resilience to an invasive predator J. Mammal. (IF 1.7) Pub Date : 2023-05-17 Marina E McCampbell, Margaret E Hunter, John V Stechly, Kaitlyn N Leist, Kristen Hart, Robert A McCleery
Invasive Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) in the Everglades of Florida, United States, have drastically reduced populations of mammals, yet populations of some rodents appear unaffected by the invasion. To understand this pattern, we radio-tagged cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) in areas of high and low python occurrence densities (hereafter occurrence) and quantified the effects of python occurrence