A Reflection on Natural History (Part 2)

Before the Scientific Revolution, any attempt to ascribe order to nature was largely rooted in the study of holy texts, rather than in the nature of minerals and organisms themselves. The development of natural history as an observational science in the seventeenth century changed this entirely and lives on to be a crucial element in the study of living organisms today.

It has become popular in the modern era to dismiss natural history as “mere” classification, lacking empirical methods, but this could not be further from the truth. Accurate classification is an essential element of understanding the natural world. There is not a more essential answer to the question “what is x?” than to give the classification of x, i.e. put it in relation to other living beings. Such an indefinite number of characteristics can be inferred by an organism’s taxonomic standing alone that this serves as a sort of shortcut to ripping individual organisms to shreds and painstakingly having to analyze and reanalyze the constituent parts of each individual organism. While an understanding of the anatomy of individuals within a species is of interest to some and has intrinsic value, the understanding of organisms in context with other similar and dissimilar organisms also has value. For those with questions unconcerned with the minutia of differences between individuals and who are focused with broader themes in evolution or organismal biology, a system of classification serves as a heuristic to understanding basic aspects of the organism at hand in relation to its own or other groups of organisms. Today, rather than defining natural groups by shared characteristics, these characteristics aid in the diagnoses of natural groups, which rather are defined by evolutionary relatedness. Still a need for the accurate classification of organisms persists.

Natural history as an observational rather than experimental science is not an outdated way of conducting zoology, ecology, or botany. Research lab settings are artificial and for those concerned with ethology, ecology, and observational field studies are crucial for comprehending the life history and behavior of animals and plants. Such observational studies have formed the bedrock of the modern understandings of these subjects. Even experimental studies themselves are inspired by observational studies after all.

Carolina Parakeet specimens are among the irreplaceable extinct specimens held in the Tetrapod Collection. (Photo Credit: Chelsea Hothem 2016)

Carolina Parakeet specimens are among the irreplaceable extinct specimens held in the Tetrapod Collection. (Photo Credit: Chelsea Hothem 2016)

Natural history museums and the specimens they contain also retain both intrinsic and practical value. Far from ‘mere’ cabinets of curiosities, natural history specimens serve as physical records of organisms, vouchers, from throughout history. The tags of these specimens usually record the location where the specimen was collected, the date, the stomach contents of the organism (for animals), pre-preparation measurements, the name of the collector, the cause of death, and many other bits of information that prove invaluable for research. Each specimen is comparable to a library book brimming with information that can inform future scientists on topics ranging from biodiversity, species distribution, the changes in species over time, impacts of humans over time, genetic information, historic climates, and conservation.

A young bluebird (Sialia sialis) that died after being entangled in this plastic. This is an unfortunate reminder that what humans do with their trash has repercussions for other species.This specimen was prepared by Tetrapod Curatorial Assistant, Grant Terrell and is now housed in the Museum of Biological Diversity’s Tetrapod Collection. (Photo: Grant Terrell, 2016)

A young bluebird (Sialia sialis) that died after being entangled in this plastic. This is an unfortunate reminder that what humans do with their trash has repercussions for other species.This specimen was prepared by Tetrapod Curatorial Assistant, Grant Terrell and is now housed in the Museum of Biological Diversity’s Tetrapod Collection. (Photo: Grant Terrell, 2016)

A modern example of the utility of museum collections is the application of DDT and its effects on North American birds. Chemicals within DDT were responsible for the terminal thinning of eggshells in birds exposed to the pesticide. Not until contemporary eggs could be compared with eggs in museum collections, were scientists able to confirm why avian populations were suffering.  If naturalists had not been consistently collecting eggs from North American bird species, humans may have continued using DDT without fully understanding its effects on non-targeted species. The value of a particular specimen only increases with time. This lesson can effortlessly be learned after only a single encounter with a specimen of a recently extinct species such as the Passenger Pigeon. Individuals within museum collections and the observations of naturalists are now all that remain for researchers with questions about such species. The advent of new technologies only increases the value of the work of naturalists such as Sir Hans Sloane. Researchers now sequence the DNA of specimens and compare it to that of modern individuals. It is unknowable what advances may further enhance the value of the study of natural history.

Thus it is very important to ensure preservation of specimens for future generations. Please support our efforts through our current fundraiser.

About the Author: Grant Terrell is a second year student at the Ohio State University who is currently double-majoring in Evolution & Ecology and History. He currently works as a Curatorial Assistant in the Tetrapod Collection of the Museum of Biological Diversity and focuses on Ornithology.

About the Author: Grant Terrell is a second year student at the Ohio State University who is currently double-majoring in Evolution & Ecology and History. He currently works as a Curatorial Assistant in the Tetrapod Collection of the Museum of Biological Diversity and focuses on Ornithology.

Works Cited

Huxley, Robert. The Great Naturalists. London: Thames & Hudson, 2007. Print.

Otter, Christopher. “Natural History.” History 3712. The Ohio State University Main Campus, Columbus. 6 Sept. 2016. Lecture.

Stott, Rebecca. Darwin’s Ghosts: The Secret History of Evolution. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2012. Print.

A Reflection on Natural History: Part 1 of 2 (Topic post)

Before the Scientific Revolution, any attempt to ascribe order to nature was largely rooted in the study of holy texts, rather than in the nature of minerals and organisms themselves. The development of natural history as an observational science in the seventeenth century changed this entirely and lives on to be a crucial element in the study of living organisms today.

The philosophers of Classical Greece are responsible for an outlook towards the scheme of nature that would persist through the Early Modern Period. Among the first to attempt to organize nature was Aristotle. Aristotle saw the living world as a tiered hierarchy with a deity at its pinnacle, followed by angles (demigods), humans, [nonhuman] animals, plants, and minerals respectively (Otter 2016). While Aristotle was not himself a follower of an Abrahamic religion, this vision of nature was highly compatible with the Christian bible which painted humans at the height of Earthly creation. It was likely this compatibility that allowed the Aristotelian “Great Chain of Being” to persist as the dominant paradigm after Christianity came to rule the West, through the beginning of the Early Modern Period.

 

The Great Chain of Being from the Rhetorica christiana by Fray Diego de Valades (1579)

The Great Chain of Being from the Rhetorica christiana by Fray Diego de Valades (1579)

 

Likely spurred by rapidly expansive European marine excursions after Columbus’ voyage of 1492, and the resulting natural oddities shipped back to Europe from far-off lands, a pressing need arose to fit these new plants and animals into the existing understanding of nature. Natural history prints of this period were often fraught with inaccuracies and it became apparent that actual specimens of organisms would be necessary to properly sort these creatures into their places. Often, plants and animals were classified according to how useful these organisms were to humans (Huxley 2007, pp.33-37). Though the value placed on these specimens usually did not go beyond their potential economic worth or sheer curiosity towards the unfamiliar ‘beasts,’ collections of natural history specimens such as that of English doctor, Sir Hans Sloane, went on to become the foundations of Europe’s most prestigious natural history museums (Huxley 2007, pp. 116-117). It was at institutions such as these that a more systematic approach to the study of nature would be developed.

Swedish botanist, Carl Linnaeus has been credited with blowing apart the “Great Chain of Being” with the publication of his Systema Naturae in 1735 (Otter 2016). It is quite misleading, however, to think of his breaks with the Aristotelian system to be novel. Renaissance anatomist, Pierre Belon published his L’Histoire de la Nature des Oyseaux in 1555 and within he classified birds into 6 taxonomic groups based on their anatomy (revealed via dissection) and life habits. Like Linnaeus after him, Belon also understood the importance of homology in his classification schemes. His most famous monograph features an avian skeleton in the same anatomical position as a human skeleton depicted adjacent to it. Without making evolutionary assertions, Belon recognized that similar skeletal anatomy unified certain groups of animals (in this case, the tetrapods). This way of viewing nature represents a breakdown of the divinely planned hierarchical order long before Linnaeus (Huxley 2007, pp. 67-70).

The significance of Linnaeus’ Systema Naturae is, however, the codification of standards for the nomenclature and classification of animals, plants, and later fungi (Otter 2016). Linnaeus created a system of classification that he admitted was artificial, still elements of Linnaean taxonomy, crucially binomial nomenclature, survive today. In the system devised by Linnaeus, every living organisms is referred to with two names, the Genus and the species. Linnaeus’ hierarchical system has also been married with phylogenetic systematics by modern taxonomists who more-justifiably group organisms based on perceived-evolutionary relatedness.

This tag illustrates why binomial names are invaluable. Apparently it was common practice to refer to anhingas as "Water-Turkeys" in the '40s. Today, bird watchers and ornithologists alike would be lost in translation. (Photo: Grant Terrell 2016)

This tag illustrates why binomial names are invaluable. Apparently it was common practice to refer to anhingas as “Water-Turkeys” in the ’40s. Today, bird watchers and ornithologists alike would be lost in translation. (Photo: Grant Terrell 2016)

 

 

The work of French pop-naturalist, George-Louis Leclerc, the Comte de Buffon, represents the epitome of natural history in the eighteenth century. Buffon used his royal appointment at the Jardin du Roi as a platform from which to conduct expansive research which he then compiled into his fifty-volumed Histoire Naturelle which sought to document all that was then known about the natural world. Buffon revolutionarily depicted species as independent studies (meaning that he focused on detailing one species at a time), accompanied by lavish color illustrations, documenting their form, life history, and interactions with the rest of their environment. He placed humans in with the rest of animals (even apes), wrote of an old Earth, and included many proto-evolutionary ideas in his work.

 

Portrait of Georges-Louis Leclerc, comte de Buffon (1757)

Portrait of Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon (1757)

Histoire Naturelle was “pop-science”, intended for the amusement of the aristocracy and upper-bourgeois, yet it contained many revolutionary ideas and changed the face of natural history forever. While condemned by the academic circles of eighteenth century France, Charles Darwin himself wrote of a huge debt to Buffon in his letters to fellow naturalists (Stott 2012, pp. 10-11).

 

14117765_900911790015385_3081594463923684747_nAbout the Author: Grant Terrell is a second year student at the Ohio State University. He is  double-majoring in Evolution & Ecology and History. Grant works as a Curatorial Assistant in the Tetrapod Collection of the Museum of Biological Diversity and focuses on Ornithology.

 

Works Cited

Huxley, Robert. The Great Naturalists. London: Thames & Hudson, 2007. Print. Amazon: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Great-Naturalists-Robert-Huxley/dp/0500251398&sa=D&ust=1476732896892000&usg=AFQjCNFdoE3oSkmxbPuFX35rthSgiKioEA

Otter, Christopher. “Natural History.” History 3712. The Ohio State University Main Campus, Columbus. 6 Sept. 2016. Lecture.

Stott, Rebecca. Darwin’s Ghosts: The Secret History of Evolution. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2012. Print.

 

Third Party Photo Credits

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AThe_Great_Chain_of_Being_(1579).jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ABuffon_1707-1788.jpgA Reflection on Natural History: Part 1 of 2 (Topic post)

Reptiles in winter

Last time we talked about how birds spend the winter, many of them leaving our state and moving south. But what do animals do that cannot fly or move long distances? How do lizards, snakes and turtles stay warm in the cooler temperatures? Birds are endothermic homeotherms, animals that keep a constant body temperature and maintain this temperature through metabolic processes. They face the problem of not finding enough food in winter to maintain their high body temperatures. When our fields are covered with snow, frost has turned the soil rock-hard and trees and bushes have lost all leaves and berries there is not much left for birds to feed on (unless they rely on you filling your bird feeder all winter and some of them do take that risk).

Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus at a feeder in Wayne County, Ohio on December 5th, 2015 (© Ed Wransky, ML21615071)

Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus at a feeder in Wayne County, Ohio on December 5th, 2015 © Ed Wransky, ML21615071

Reptiles face an even greater problem, they not only have to worry about food but also about their body temperature dropping drastically, maybe even below temperatures that allow normal metabolic processes. As ectothermic poikilotherms they gain heat from the environment and their body temperature changes with the surrounding temperature. You have probably seen lizards and snakes basking in the sun, particularly early on a cool morning in spring or fall. The last mornings were good examples with temperatures in the low forties but the sun quickly warming up the ground. These reptiles are also warming up and most of the time, when disturbed, are only slowly moving out of harm’s way. Their sensory cells and muscles are not working well at low temperatures.

Eastern garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis

An Eastern garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis basking in the sun

 

So how do cold-blooded animals survive winter’s cold which comes with reduced daylight hours and little sun – at least in Ohio? Let’s look at turtles, for example. Do you remember the big snapping turtle that spent the summer in your garden pond and fed on all living creatures that would come close?

The recent colder temperatures have slowed the turtle’s metabolism. This means that it needs less oxygen and food. Once the water temperature drops (not quite yet, as you may have seen fog over your pond in the early morning indicating that the pond water and immediate air are warmer than the surrounding cool air, and the water appears to steam), the turtle will look for a sheltered area of your pond and descend to the bottom of it. It will hibernate below the frost line where the water temperature stays constant and the turtle’s metabolism can adjust to a constant rate. (Snapping turtles are actually hardy creatures that have been reported to be active and moving around below the ice on frigid winter days).

Early morning fog over pond

Early morning fog (CC0 public domain)

The turtle slowly uses up its energy reserves and keeps breathing. To sustain the latter turtles have evolved to breath directly through their skin and retrieve oxygen from the water itself. Amphibians survive the same way.

How did we find out about this amazing behavior of hibernation in reptiles? Imagine you are a scientist observing turtles, you watch them in spring, summer and fall and then they suddenly disappear until they resurface in spring. Your first thought may be that they die in fall, maybe right after they had laid some eggs which somehow survive the winter and develop into new life in spring. But the animals that you observe in spring are not young ones. You collect a few and take them to your local natural history museum, where you find many more specimens in the collection and you can compare them with each other. It turns out they are indeed adults and must have survived the winter.

Turtles in glass jars stored in ethanol

Turtle specimens in ethanol

A quick search of our collection database reveals that of the 609 specimens of some 35 species in the turtle family Testudines only one specimen was found alive in February, a Mexican mud turtle Kinosternon integrum that Ted Cavender, then curator of fishes at OSU, collected  in a stream 20 miles west of El Naranjo along Highway 80 in San Luis Potosí county, Mexico on Sunday February 7th. The year was 1971. This was two days after the crew of Apollo 14 started exploring the moon, but probably more important for the turtle, it was a very warm February, with temperatures in the low eighties and even into the nineties in southern California (Wagner 1971 – Weather and Circulation of February 1971). Maybe the turtle was fooled into an early arrival of spring? If such warm weather continued over several weeks, maybe the water temperature rose, increasing the metabolism of the turtle which would use up its energy reserves much faster and would require it to resurface to replenish its reserves. Given the exact data on location and date with this specimen we could investigate further.  If the scenario I laid out above is true, this turtle may even give us a hint at what may happen to turtles across the USA should temperatures continue to rise due to recent climatic changes. I hope you can see how a museum specimen can be a treasure trove of information helping us to understand today’s fauna and in some cases may even help us predict changes into the future.

Mexican mud turtle Kinosternon integrum

Mexican mud turtle Kinosternon integrum

We are still in the middle of our campaign to raise funding for the purchase of a new cabinet for our not-so-lucky animals, species that went extinct because of over-hunting, habitat loss and other mainly human-caused changes in their environment. Please help us spread the word and donate today.

Cool fact: The oldest turtle specimen in our collection is a common musk turtle from Franklin Co, Ohio collected in June 1896.

Species of the Month: Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis)

Snakes in Jars

Tetrapod Collection Smooth Green Snakes, ©Chelsea Hothem, 2016

If you don’t think snakes can be cute, perhaps you’ve just never seen a smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis).  A cousin of garter snakes and rat snakes, the smooth green snake is in the Colubridae family.  They are found throughout the continental United States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico. The smooth green snake looks similar to the rough green snake (O.

Rough green snakes (Opheodrys aestivus) look similar to smooth green snakes but have keeled scales and a more arboreal lifestyle. ( © Patrick Coin, 2003)

aestivus) but can be distinguished by its namesake smoother scales and more terrestrial lifestyle.  This slender snake only grows to around one to two feet (30-60 cm) long.  Since they are small and non-venomous, they’re harmless, unless you’re a small invertebrate.  Much like The Lion King’s Timon and Pumbaa, smooth green snakes primarily eat insects, spiders, worms, and snails (1,2,3,5).

 

From June to September, the female smooth green snakes lay eggs in burrows under logs, rocks, or vegetation.  Multiple females have been observed depositing eggs in one communal nest site.  The eggs can hatch anywhere from four to thirty days later.  The incubation period is thought to vary greatly due in part to the female’s ability to retain the eggs in her body, which helps speed their development.  Born with no need for parental care, hatchlings grow quickly and can triple in size within their first year of life (1,2,3).

From November to March, smooth green snakes spend the winter hibernating.  Hibernacula (places where animals hibernate) can be under rocks and logs or inside anthills and abandoned rodent burrows (1,2,3).  Individuals frequently hibernate together and have even been known to share hibernacula with other species including their close relative the garter snake (genus Thamnophis) or even skinks (genus Plestiodon) (1).

Western Smooth Green Snake, Opheodrys vernalis blanchardi

(Smooth green snakes are usually found on the ground.  (©Greg Schechter, 2009)  )

Year-round, this reptile prefers to live in moist and grassy habitats in prairies or near marshes and lakes, although they can sometimes be found in drier habitats like forests.  As prairies and marshes have given way to neighborhoods and shopping centers, the wildlife that lived in those habitats has also disappeared (1,2,3,5).  Unfortunately, the smooth green snake is no exception.  In Ohio, the smooth green snake is endangered and is only encountered in the extreme southwest of the state (if at all)(5).  However, the species as a whole is considered stable and smooth green snakes are still populous in other parts of their range for now (4).

Because this species can be hard to find in the wild and usually does not thrive in captivity (1,2), museum specimens are an important source of information for scientific studies.  At the Museum of Biological Diversity, we have sixteen smooth green snake specimens.  They were collected between the 1920’s and 1960’s and the majority were found in Ohio.   For more information about the smooth green snake and their range in Ohio, watch this video.

Abby poses with the polar bear head.

Abby is one of our  Volunteers. She works on the general collection

About the Author:

Abby Miller is a 2nd year majoring in Zoology at the Ohio State University and is a volunteer in the Tetrapod Collection.

 

 

 

 

  1. Redder, Alan J., Brian E. Smith, Ph.D., and Douglas A. Keinath. 2006 Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys Vernalis): A Technical Conservation Assessment.” United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service: Rocky Mountain Region. USDA Forest Service, 27 Nov. 2006. Web. http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5182074.pdf

 

  1. Smooth Green Snake.” Lincoln Park Zoo. Lincoln Park Zoo, n.d. Web. <http://www.lpzoo.org/animal/smooth-green-snake>.
  2. Hammerson, G.A. 2007.  Liochlorophis vernalis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2007: e.T63842A12721291. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/63842/0
  3.  “Opheodrys Vernalis (Smooth Green Snake).” Animal Diversity Web. Regents of the University of Michigan, n.d. Web.  <http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Opheodrys_vernalis/>.

5. “Smooth Greensnake – Opheodrys Vernalis.” ODNR Division of Wildlife. Ohio DNR, n.d. <http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/species-guide-index/reptiles/smooth-greensnake>.

 

Intelligence in Corvidae: Crows, Jays, Ravens, Magpies

In the 1960’s, Jane Goodall’s groundbreaking work with wild chimpanzees rattled the scientific world by striking down the notion that Homo sapiens alone deserves the title of “toolmaker.” Though chimpanzees have since been renowned for their human-like cognitive abilities, research over the last couple of decades of revealed that corvids (the bird family which includes crows and jays) deserve to be held in equal regard to our fellow apes.

Not only do crows use tools, some like the New Caledonian crow also make and modify them to solve an array of challenges. Since the forests of New Caledonia have a dearth of woodpeckers, the ever-ingenious resident crows have taken to crafting hooked tools in order to pull grubs and other morsels from within trees. In laboratory studies, New Caledonian crows have bent pieces of wire into hooks in order to retrieve bucket-shaped containers full of mealworms. When presented with similar tasks, human children were not able to solve this puzzle until around age 8. Such demonstrations of mental dexterity have led some researchers to referring to the corvids as “feathered apes.”

Three taxidermy Corvidae Mounts (Magpie, Crow, Raven)

Representative members of the corvid family in the Tetrapod Collection at OSU’s Museum of Biological Diversity, ©Grant Terrell, 2016

Perhaps it should not be surprising that birds generally have very large brain-to-body ratios, because flight demands a sophisticated super-computer in order to process multiple variables while in the air. Crows have especially-large forebrains, the portion of the brain responsible for higher-level thinking, memory, and contemplation of sensory data. Like humans, crows possess an enlarged hippocampus. This structure of the brain is responsible for memory in vertebrates. This structure is proximal to the amygdala which is responsible for processing emotions. PET scans have shown that corvid brains use a feedback loop between these regions in order to evaluate their memories and attach them to an emotion. For example, a Common Raven may have a memory of a man who chased it from the bird feeder and while reminiscing about this event, they feel angry.

Avian behavior is far from mechanistic; for corvids especially, mental dexterity and curiosity prove to be important attributes. Wild Common Ravens have been observed surfing through the air and on snow, using pieces of bark as a makeshift sled. This behavior is not linked to any immediate reward and is instead thought to be an example of play in animals . Corvids are also extremely curious. Many crows have been observed picking up and examining human-made objects, including cigarettes. Like parrots, captive ravens can also learn to mimic human speech. Ever-adaptable, Swedish magpies have been shown that they are able to recognise friendly individuals that feed them. In one case, these magpies even learned that they could summon their friendly human for a snack by ringing a doorbell.

Corvids are an endlessly-adaptable and marvelously-sophisticated family of birds, yet they are among the least admired by the public. Perhaps this is a result of how much corvids remind us of ourselves. Their versatile nature leads them to be viewed as a weedy species, not unlike humans. Still, this adaptability makes corvids one of the few groups to thrive in the presence of humans. Rather than being feared or hated, these brainy birds should be elevated to the regard in which society now holds the great apes. At the very least, a short reflection on the intellect of corvids should finally sound the end of the “bird brain” insult.

 

Grant next to an American White Pelican

Grant is one of our Research Assistants and focuses on birds.

About the Author: Grant Terrell is a 2nd year majoring in Evolution & Ecology at The Ohio State University and works as a Research Assistant at the Museum of Biological Diversity in the Tetrapod Collection.

 

 

 

 

References:

Marzluff, John M., and Tony Angell. Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave like Humans. New York: Free, 2012. Print.

Morell, Virginia. Animal Wise: The Thoughts and Emotions of Our Fellow Creatures. N.p.: Crown, 2013. Print.

Species of the Month: Allegheny Woodrat (Neotoma magister)

Headshot of N. Magister.

Close up of N. magister. Note the large ears!

For most people, encountering a rat is an unpleasant, if not traumatic, experience.  They associate rodents with dirt, nuisance, and swarms.  None of those things apply to the Allegheny Woodrat (Neotoma magister– also called the Appalachian Woodrat).  The bothersome species that many associate with the word “rat” are brown rats (Rattus norvegicus- also known as Norway rats) and black rats (R. rattus), both of which are

Allegheny Woodrat tail, covered in fur.

Unlike the bald tails of “pest” rat species, the tail of N. Magister is covered in fur.

invasive in the United States.  Although these rodents might look similar at a glance, there are a few ways to distinguish them.  The Allegheny Woodrat’s tail is completely covered in hair while other rats have a bald tail.  They also have larger ears and longer whiskers than the nonnative rats. (1) This clip provides a closer look at their morphology.

Unlike their pesky cousins, the Allegheny Woodrat typically avoids associating with humans.  Rocky areas, such as cliffs and caves, in the Appalachian Mountain region are their natural habitat.  Primarily nocturnal, they venture out at night to search for food like plants, seeds, fruits, fungi, and insects.  Similar to squirrels, they store food in caches, which they depend on during winter or other times when food sources are limited. (1, 2)  Amusingly, they have even been known to cache other items like Band-Aids, gun cartridges, and glass. (3)  Their life expectancy is around four years. (1)

        Historically, this rodent was found in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, western Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and southern parts of Ohio and Indiana.  Now they have been extirpated from many places and are endangered here in Ohio.  According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Allegheny Woodrat still remains in Adams County but has not been seen anywhere else in Ohio for several years. (1, 4, 5, 6)

        Loss of habitat is one of the primary reasons for the Allegheny Woodrat’s decline, but disease also takes a toll on their population.  Raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) is often fatal to them.  They accidentally ingest the roundworm eggs found in raccoon feces and become infected, leading to loss of muscle control, lethargy, and potentially death. (1, 2, 4, 6)

Allegheny Woodrat specimens on a specimen tray

N. magister specimens from our collection.

In the Tetrapod Collection, we have eighteen Allegheny Woodrat specimens, most of which were collected in Ohio.  The oldest one was collected on December 15, 1923.  Decades later, you would have a hard time finding an Allegheny Woodrat here.  Hopefully, museums won’t become the only place in Ohio to find the Allegheny Woodrat.

References

  1. “Allegheny Woodrat (Neotoma Magister).” ARKive. Wildscreen, n.d. Web. <http://www.arkive.org/allegheny-woodrat/neotoma-magister/>.
  2. Stanesa, Lindsey. “Neotoma Magister (Allegheny Woodrat).” Animal Diversity Web. Regents of the University of Michigan, 2012. Web. <http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Neotoma_magister/>.
  3. “Journey with Nature: Allegheny Woodrat.” The Nature Conservatory. The Nature Conservatory, n.d. Web. <http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/indiana/journeywithnature/allegheny-woodrat.xml>.
  4. Linzey, A. V., G. Hammerson, J. C. Whittaker, and S. J. Norris. “Neotoma Magister (Allegheny Woodrat, Appalacian Woodrat).” The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, 2008. Web. <http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/14581/0>.
  5. “Allegheny Woodrat- Neotoma Magister.” Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife. Ohio DNR, n.d. Web. <http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/species-guide-index/mammals/allegheny-woodrat>.

6. Monty, Anne-Marie, and George A. Feldhamer. “Conservation Assessment for The Eastern Woodrat, (Neotoma Floridana) and The Allegheny Woodrat (Neotoma Magister).” U.S. Forest Service. USDA Forest Service, Eastern Region, May 2002. Web. <http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsm91_054316.pdf>.

Abby poses with the polar bear head.

Abby is one of our new Volunteers. She works on the general collection

About the Author:

Abby Miller is a 2nd year majoring in Zoology at the Ohio State University and is a volunteer in the Tetrapod Collection.

Bats with White-nose Syndrome: Makes jump to West Coast of the United States

Each Autumn, cave-goers cannot help but notice large groups  of bats roosting in caves throughout the winter months, or at least they used to. For the past decade, bat populations in the Eastern United States have plummeted in the presence of an invasive fungus responsible for what has been coined “white-nose syndrome.” Last month, officials from the US Fish and Wildlife services stunned biologists by announcing the first observed bats with white-nose syndrome on the West Coast. The current threats facing American bats are unprecedented in recent history, and unless human intervention succeeds, many once-common bat species may vanish altogether.

Little Brown Bat with white nose caused by White-nose Syndrome, hangs from its roost in a Vermont cave.

A Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) with White-Nose Syndrome (Source: Bloomberg via Getty Images, 2009)

 

Around October and November of every year, North American bats like the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) flutter into caves called hibernacula where they wait out the winter. During this period, they enter a state known as torpor; their heartbeat slows to a near stop, and their body temperature drops to just above freezing. In March 2007, biologists from Albany, New York, set out to do a routine census of the local hibernating bats. Upon reaching the first hibernaculum, they were floored at the site before them: they found  dead bats everywhere. Peculiarly, the bats looked as if they had dunked their faces in a white powder. When spring arrived, the surviving bats left the hibernacula, and the pandemic seemed to have ended. However, by the next winter, it became clear that this disease did not just go away.

A map of the United States charting the spread of white-nose syndrome

The spread of White-nose syndrome (Source: Lindsey Heffernan, PA Game Commission, 2016)

 

In 2008, white-nose syndrome was reported in 33 caves in four states. By 2009, five more states started experiencing massive bat die-offs. Spreading in an ever-expanding bullseye, 25 states and five Canadian provinces were losing bats to white-nose syndrome by 2015. Only last month, officials in Washington have confirmed that the disease has made the  leap across the great plains. It is unknown whether or not this fungus was carried west by human cave-goers, or if infected Eastern bats made rare forays to the region.

The condition has since been linked to a cold-loving fungus dubbed Pseudogymnoascus destructans. It is not known exactly how this fungus kills the bats, but it has been shown to disrupt their torpor during hibernation. The bats, perhaps irritated by the fungus, fly out of the hibernacula during the Winter months. There are no insects for them to eat during this time and so these flights turn out to be costly, depleting vital energy stores, leaving the bats likely to succumb to starvation and respiratory complications caused by the fungus. Similar fungi have been found on European bats, although they do not experience adverse symptoms. These bats likely coevolved with the fungus, and so gained resistance. P. destructans was likely introduced from Europe by way of human activity. Unlike in Europe, North American bats exposed to P. destructans experience mortality rates approaching 100%.

Bat skins from the Tetrapod Collection.

Bats from the Tetrapod Collection, Museum of Biological Diversity © Stephanie Malinich, 2015

Many affected areas have experienced declines in bat populations by more than 90%. In some places, there just are no more  bats to kill off. In what were populous hibernacula, there are now bodies of dead bats, piling up like snow drifts. Often, biologists conducting a bat census find it impossible to navigate the caves without stepping on carcasses. In 50 years from now, if populations have not recovered, the only place to study North American bat populations may be in natural history collections. Museum collections, such as the one at the Ohio State’s Museum of Biological Diversity, contain physical records (specimens) that continue to yield valuable information about biogeography, and serve as a template against which modern populations may be compared. It is through using such records, that changes within species can be detected. Museums are a natural starting place in the attempt to solve issues such as those currently threatening North American bats.

 

Grant next to an American White Pelican

Grant is one of our Research Assistants and focuses on birds.

About the Author: Grant Terrell is a 1st year majoring in Evolution & Ecology at The Ohio State University and works as a Research Assistant at the Museum of Biological Diversity in the Tetrapod Collection.

Domestic breeds: Fancy Traits Come at a Price

Afroduck

Afroduck swimming in Mirror Lake at OSU
(©Abigail Smith)

Afroduck was Ohio State’s beloved unofficial mascot because of a unique trait that set him apart from the other ducks, a crest of feathers on his head that looked like an afro. Many have wondered if this is a kind of rare genetic mutation never before seen in ducks. As it turns out, his fluffy little afro is a genetic mutation, but it is far from rare.

Crested Mallard

Many duck varieties can have the crested trait, like this Mallard Duck. (©Heather Paul, 2011)

Afroduck was a breed of domestic Crested Duck. This means that he was specifically bred to have a fluffy crest atop his head. The crest trait has been selected for by breeders in many different duck species. These ducks are considered ‘fancy breeds’ and are bred for show, not for their eggs or meat.

17th Century Dutch Painting of a Crested Duck

Breeders have been selecting for this trait for centuries. Crested ducks even appear in 17th century Dutch paintings.

Melchior d’ Hondecoeter. A Hunter’s Bag near a Tree Stump with a Magpie, 1678. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, www.rijksmuseum.nl

When humans breed animals for a specific trait we call this  artificial selection. Artificial selection has allowed us to domesticate wild animals into livestock like pigs, cows, and sheep. Unfortunately, selecting for a certain trait and attempting to exaggerate that trait as much as possible can have unintended consequences. For example, dog breeds with smashed-in faces, like bulldogs and pugs, have respiratory problems because of their small nostrils, elongated soft palate, and narrow trachea. Selectively breeding for a crest in ducks also comes with negative consequences.

The crest forms on the head of the duck because of a malformation in the skull. These ducks develop with a gap in their skull which is filled in with a mass of fatty tissue. The feathers growing from this area of the head are fluffy and create the crest. Studies have found that the fat bodies cause motor incoordination in some ducks. A 2009 study conducted by J. Mehlhorn and G. Rehkämper tested coordination in crested ducks by placing them on their backs and timing how long it took for them to right themselves. Ducks with larger fat bodies were more likely to have bad coordination

Brain Fat Body

This diagram shows where the fat body develops inside the skull. (Julia Mehlhorn and G. Rehkämper, Brain alterations, their impact on behavior and breeding strategy in Crested Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos f. d.), 2010)

The crested gene is potentially a lethal gene as well. If two ducks with the crested trait are bred there is a 25% mortality rate for the ducklings. Ducklings who receive the crested gene from both parents are likely to die in the shell. The gap in the skull will cause the duckling’s brain to develop outside of the skull.

Humans have used artificial selection for hundreds of years to genetically modify and domesticate plants and animals. In the case of Afroduck and other fancy ducks, humans have selected unusual genetic mutations that they find visually pleasing. Breeding animals in order to exaggerate a single trait often creates unintended and detrimental side-effects. While we might consider Afroduck’s best phyiscal trait to be his fully afro, he might not agree.

 

 

Chelsea holds a baby tiger skin.

Chelsea is one of our student workers and does general collection work

About the Author: Chelsea Hothem is a 3rd year majoring in Evolution & Ecology at The Ohio State University and works as a Research Assistant at the Museum of Biological Diversity in the Tetrapod Collection.

 

One Strike, They’re Out

As a university museum, we get a fair amount of artists in the Tetrapod Collection who will come to borrow specimens for uses beyond science. Sometimes an artist will borrow specimens and create a beautiful masterpiece that has a message behind it.

Ohio State associate art professor, Amy Youngs, is undertaking a massive project that, once completed, is sure to turn heads and get people talking. Using the vast resource of dead birds from our collection, she has displayed many of our bird skins on a specially designed frame to spell out the word “STRIKE” in an elaborate, yet macabre, fashion. She then plans to hang the unique piece of art in the second floor windows of Hopkins Hall, as a reminder of the dangers windows can pose to birds.

STRIKE

Amy Youngs working on a part of her STRIKE project

This particular art project is the result of a much larger undertaking called the Biopresence Project. This project involves collaboration of many departments at OSU such as art, engineering, and science. The point of the project is to foster a greater appreciation for the biodiversity of our local ecology and start dialogue on how we can make room for animals in our modern world. People all over the campus are encouraged to document when they see any kind of animal and report it through social media (Twitter, Tumblr or Instagram) using the hastag #AnimalOSU. According to Professor Youngs, the Biopresence Project inspired her to create the window strike piece. “I’ve been working on the Biopresence Project with Dr. Nelson for about a year,” said Professor Youngs. “This idea came out of some of the things I’ve learned working with her [Dr. Nelson] and working with some of the other people in the project.” To learn more about the Biopresence Project, you can visit their website.

biopresence_poster_w_artists_s-01

A flyer for the BioPresence gallery event where Professor Youngs’ STRIKE piece will be displayed.

While many of the animals documented for the Biopresence project are reported as alive, others are found dead due to the window collisions. Windows can pose a very large hazard to birds. According to the Bird Conservation Network’s website, it is estimated that windows kill at least 100,000,000 birds each year. Ornithologists have followed this trend for decades and have concluded that birds simply can’t recognize glass as a barrier. In the Tetrapod Collection, we understand the effects of window kills very well. “A portion of our specimen donations are the result of window kills,” says Tetrapod Collection Manager Stephanie Malinich.

However, this danger to birds has not gone unnoticed and has prompted local movements nationwide. Ohio Lights Out is a project that seeks to reduce the amount of light produced by buildings during migratory seasons. Ohio Lights Out has specific goals and methods for each major city in Ohio that would seek to make migratory routes safer for birds by having certain buildings enroll in the program. Enrolled buildings take a pledge that, during the migration season, they will reduce the number of lights left on at night.

While we loan out specimens for a variety of projects this is one way to educate the public about the dangers that wildlife face everyday. When asked about what the overall theme of her work is, Amy Youngs stated, “I think it’s an art work that tries to be engaged in what’s around me and this is something I’m noticing and thinking about. Art can be used as a way to help us recognize things that can go unnoticed. We don’t often take notice of a single bird being killed by a window, but en mass it sort of becomes hard to ignore.”

Amy Youngs’ project will be on display at the BioPresence Art exhibition, which takes place in the Hopkins Hall gallery on December 9th 2015 from 5pm to 8pm. Her project will be facing south in the second story windows.

Meet the Staff- Autumn Semester 2015

Meet the Staff that makes the Tetrapod Collection Great

 

Stephanie next to a Turkey Vulture

Stephanie is the Tetrapod Collections Manager and works with every part of the collection.

Stephanie Malinich:

  • Tetrapod Collection Manager
  • Graduated in Evolution & Ecology from OSU, May 2014
  • Manages all projects, staff, and events that occur in the Tetrapod Collection
  • Favorite Tetrapod: Brown Kiwi
Ray poses next to an American White Pelican

Ray is our Writing Intern and works on our blog.

Raymond Gonzo:

  • Writing Intern
  • 4th year Zoology major
  • Writes for blog and does general website maintenance
  • Favorite Tetrapod: Bengal Tiger

 

Sarah poses with the Asian Elephant skull

Sarah is one of our Research Assistants. She works with the Amphibian Collection

Sarah Doyle:

  • Research Assistant
  • 4th year Zoology major
  • Works on geo-referencing, editing our various databases, and general collection work
  • Favorite Tetrapod: African Elephant
Grant next to an American White Pelican

Grant is one of our new Research Assistants and focuses on Birds.

Grant Terrell:

  • Research Assistant
  • 1st year Evolution & Ecology major
  • Works on our freezer lists, scanning field notebooks, and general collection work
  • Favorite Tetrapod: Maniraptora clade
A profile of a snow bunting.

Rebecca is one of our expert skinners and works as one of our Prep Lab Assistants

Rebecca Price:

  • Prep Lab Assistant
  • 6th year Zoology major
  • Works in the prep lab preparing various avian specimens
  • Favorite Tetrapod: Pangolin
Profile of White eye

Olivia is one of our new Prep lab Assistants.

Olivia Smith:

  • Prep Lab Assistant
  • Graduate Student
  • Works in the prep lab preparing various avian specimens
  • Favorite Tetrapod: Bridled White-Eye
A profile of a Marbled Salamander

Vicki is one of our volunteers and works with our Amphibian Collection

Vicki Ramsey:

  • Tetrapod Volunteer
  • 5th year Zoology major
  • Works on geo-referencing, making labels and collection work pertaining to amphibians

Favorite Tetrapod: All tetrapods

 

Chelsea holds a baby tiger skin.

Chelsea is one of our new Volunteers and does General collection work.

Chelsea Hothem:

  • Tetrapod Volunteer
  • 3rd year Evolution & Ecology major
  • Works on imaging of specimens and general collection work
  • Favorite Tetrapod: Axolotl

 

Dan holds a baby jaguar skin

Dan is one our new Volunteers and works with our Amphibian Collection

Dan Hribar:

  • Tetrapod Volunteer
  • 2nd year Environmental Science major
  • Works on making labels and collection work pertaining to amphibians
  • Favorite Tetrapod: African Cheetah

 

Abby poses with the polar bear head.

Abby is one of our new Volunteers. She works on the general collection.

Abby Miller:

  • Tetrapod Volunteer
  • 2nd year Zoology major
  • Works on Social Media projects and general collection work
  • Favorite Tetrapod: African Painted Dog