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.

 

Species of January: The Bengal Tiger

I had been saving this particular species of tetrapod for my final blog post, and now that time has come. Recently I accepted an internship at the Center Of Science and Industry in Columbus, so I will be ending my work here at the Tetrapod Collection. As my time here comes to an end, I’d like to finish by writing about my favorite tetrapod species.

Growing up to 6 feet in length and weighing up to 500 lbs, the Bengal Tiger (Panther tigris tigris) is, without question, one of the most majestic and regal animals on this planet. Different tiger species can be found in different parts of Asia but the Bengal Tiger is found primarily in India and some areas of neighboring Bangladesh. Tigers are the largest cats in the world and have a distinct roar that can be heard

A tiger skull that we have here in the Tetrapod Collection.

A tiger skull that we have here in the Tetrapod Collection.

from two miles away. Tigers are known for their distinctive striped coats and, like our fingerprints, no two tigers have the same pattern of stripes. The tiger’s stripes are used to break up the tiger’s shape against the shadows of the mangrove forests in which they live. When tigers hunt, they will get in very close and use a quick fatal pounce to deliver a crushing bite to their prey. An adult tiger can eat up to 60 pounds of meat in one night, and will usually bury whatever it can’t finish in order to come back to it later. Tigers are fiercely territorial and unlike lions (who live and hunt in a large pride) tigers live, hunt, and rear offspring alone. Female tigers give birth to two to six cubs and raise them for two to three years before the young are kicked out and must find territory ranges of their own. To learn more facts about the Bengal Tiger, feel free to visit the National Geographic’s website.

It pains me dearly to say that all subspecies of tiger are endangered. At the beginning of the 20th century there were eight subspecies, but they have now been reduced to five. There are many reasons for the tiger’s place on the endangered species list, the primary being poachers illegally selling the tiger’s body parts for use in Traditional Chinese Medicine. However, other threats such as habitat loss have also caused tiger numbers to shrink.

Yet another reason for the reduction in tiger numbers has received some attention lately. Loss of prey items has always been a large concern in tiger population, but a new paper by Bhattarai et al (2012) explores a different aspect of this problem. In much of the range, tigers often live in the same habitat and compete for food with their cousin the Leopard (Panthera pardus). In India, this isn’t much of a problem because tigers like to hunt larger prey items while the leopards prefer to hunt smaller prey items. However, due to increased human activity in the area, larger prey species are vanishing which means that tigers now must resort to hunting prey species that the leopard would usually hunt. This lack of food will often cause the big cats to hunt livestock, which brings tigers and leopards into conflict with humans. The researchers stress that larger prey species must be protected to help the tigers and leopards go back to their normal feeding patterns so as to reduce inter-species competition and conflict with humans.

Few other big cats come close to matching the tiger’s enormous strength and majestic beauty. None of the other species of big cat is as critically endangered as the tiger is and there are many projects currently underway attempting to increase, or even double the tiger’s population. Talks with the Indian government and a protected tiger pathway into neighboring Bhutan are among some of the ideas being discussed to help protect this beautiful animal. The World Wildlife Fund’s website lists several ways to action for you to help save tigers. Their struggle to survive in the modern world is reflected in the problems all endangered species face. So if we can save the Bengal Tiger, then there may be hope for other species teetering on the edge of existence.

 

I’d like to say thank you to everyone who has read my posts. It has been a pleasure and an honor to expand this blog with fresh stories and new feature. I’d like to believe at my posts were educational and entertaining. From here on out, OSU undergraduate and Tetrapod Volunteer Abby Miller, will be taking over as editor of the blog. May she entertain and enlighten you as much as hope that I have. Thank you.

References

“Bengal Tiger, Bengal Tiger Pictures, Bengal Tiger Facts – National Geographic.” National Geographic. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/bengal-tiger/

“Leopard, Leopard Pictures, Leopard Facts – National Geographic.” National Geographic.

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/leopard/

Bhattarai, B. P., Kindlmann P. 2012 Interactions between Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris) and Leopard (Panthera pardus): Implications for Their Conservation. Biodiversity and Conservation 21, 2075-2094.

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10531-012-0298-y/fulltext.html

“Bengal Tiger.” WorldWildlife.org. World Wildlife Fund. http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/bengal-tiger

Where’s Waldo?

While reading our “Meet the Staff” post, you probably saw that the term “geo-referencing” came up a number of times. What does geo-referencing mean and what purpose does it serve in a museum? It’s a fair question since geo-referencing isn’t exactly an everyday activity, yet it plays an important role in the digitization of our collection.

Here’s the scenario: you’re sitting at home and hear a very loud smack. You go to see what happened, and find a bird has slammed right into your window. The bird is dead but you know a place where it can live on forever, the Museum of Biological Diversity’s Tetrapod Collection. You put the body in a freezer bag and take it over to the collection in order to donate it. This is known as salvaging and the whole process begins with that one action. If you have more questions there is a whole webpage devoted to the contribution of specimens to the Tetrapod Collection.

After our preparation lab assistants prepare a bird, it is given a label, a number, and is entered into the database. In the database we enter in the name of the collector, when it was collected, the species name, and the location. However, we can’t simply just put an address in for the location, we need to be much more thorough than that. We use latitude and longitude in order to map out points where our specimens were found. It helps build a species list of an area and maintain consistency when landmarks are removed or names are changed. In short, it reduces the uncertainty of a location.

Having a specimen with latitude and longitudinal points clears up some of the following questions: For instance, a bird crashed into your window. What side of the house did the bird hit? Was it the north side, or was it the east side? How far from the house was it? Two feet? Maybe three? Sometimes a person can’t really give us information that is too specific, but we can still work with a general location given with a specimen. We’ll simply find the area that the specimen was found so we can use varying degrees of uncertainty that depend on the specificity of the locality provided.

Geo-referencing is a common practice among scientists and research collections such as ours. Thanks to modern technology, we now have the ability to more accurately map out the presence of a particular species and assess the population’s health with more certainty. There are many times when scientific discoveries or conservation efforts rely on citizen scientists such as you making an interest in what we as a scientific institution do. Contributing a deceased specimen to a museum like ours counts as one of those times.

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.

Species of December: Snowy Owl

When choosing a species for the month of December, an obvious choice came to mind: Reindeer. However, writing about the Reindeer would be supporting a Christmas cliché and not everyone celebrates the holidays in the same way. So I decided to choose an animal that better represents the advent of winter and the calming beauty that this time of the year brings.

With a wingspan of about five feet, the Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) is a beautiful and iconic bird that is not often seen around Ohio. During the summer, they can only be found above the Arctic Circle where they hunt prey such as ptarmigan, waterfowl, and lemmings. The only time you are likely to see one of these owls is during the winter when they often move south to northern states of the U.S. such as Ohio, New York, and Colorado. We have a few Snowy Owl specimens here in the museum, all of which have been collected in Ohio. Among them is the almost famous Snowy Owl from Hardin County in 2012. You may have seen this owl yourself since it stayed in place for several weeks or read about it in the Columbus Dispatch.

The Snowy Owl

One of the mounted Snowy Owls from our collection

Unlike most owls, Snowys, as birders lovingly refer to them, are diurnal (meaning that they’re active during the day. The Arctic Circle has 24-hour sunlight during the summer, and these birds have adapted to such conditions. Because these owls live in very cold temperatures, they have developed a bulky body with dense feathering especially on their legs; thus, these birds are the heaviest owls in North America. Unlike most owl species, Snowy Owls nest on the ground and have a tendency to sit in one place for hours on end to the point where they can become invisible against a snowy backdrop. Male Snowy Owls have a very unique courtship that involves flapping their wings in a “V” formation, and dropping a prey item in front of the female for her consumption. While they appear to be peaceful and calm, Snowy Owls will vigorously defend their territory against other species and some individuals have even been recorded attacking Arctic Wolves. To learn more about an owl’s biology one can search for pellets that these birds regurgitate which contain leftovers of the last meal, such as bones, hair and teeth. Learn more about dissecting owl pellets through this video. If you’d like to learn more general facts about Snowy Owls, feel free to visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s page on them.

Snowy Owl Talons

As you can see, Snowy Owls have feet that have a thick covering of feathers to help shield them from very cold temperatures

One of the Snowy Owl’s more remarkable feats is that it has been recorded to be able to hunt up to 1,600 lemmings in a single year. In an environment as barren as the Arctic Tundra, one would think that at this rate of hunting, the lemming population would be seriously affected. Yet scientists have never been able to conclusively prove the link between heavy predation of aerial predators such as the Snowy Owl, and the lemmings’ population fluctuation. However, a recent study by Therrien et. al (2014) shows, for the first time, that relentless predation by aerial predators can play an important role in the cyclic depression in lemming population during the warmer periods on the tundra. The study also found that breeding populations of arctic avian predators increased vastly as a result of high lemming population densities. And it is in those years of abundance that young Snowy Owls often move far south in search of food. This fall Snowy Owls have already been sighted as far south as Illinois.

Whether you celebrate any of the winter holidays or enjoy the oncoming winter, the Snowy Owl is a beautiful bird whose presence can add to the spirit of the season and the tranquility this time of year brings.

From all of us at the Tetrapod Collection, we wish you a very Happy Holiday Season!

 

References

Decker, Theodore. “Snowy Owl on ‘Dispatch’ Front Page Found Dead.” Columbus Dispatch 13 Jan. 2012

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/01/13/snowy-owl-starved-to-death-bird-expert-says.html

“Snowy Owl.”, Life History, All About Birds. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Snowy_Owl/lifehistory

Therrien, J. F., Gauthier G., Korpimaki E. 2014 Predation Pressure by Avian Predators Suggests Summer Limitation of Small-mammal Populations in the Canadian Arctic. Ecology 95, 56-67. http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/13-0458.1

 

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

Species of November: Leatherback Sea Turtle

From the massive wingspan of the American White Pelican to the incredible size of the Eastern Hellbender, recently the focus has been on very large specimens from the Tetrapod Collection. So for this month’s post, I’d like to write about one more giant specimen we have and end the trilogy of the colossal species.

Leatherback Sea Turtle

Our gigantic Leatherback Sea Turtle

With an average length of seven feet and an average weight of 2,000 pounds, the Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest species of turtle on the planet. Leatherbacks are believed to have the widest global distribution of any vertebrate, meaning they can be found in any of the world’s temperate oceans. Like most other sea turtles, leatherbacks feast on soft bodied organisms such as jellyfish, squid, blue-green algae, etc… One unique trait of the Leatherback Sea Turtle is that it has the ability to maintain warm body temperatures in cold water. Reptiles are famously “cold-blooded” and can only heat up their bodies using their surroundings. However, Leatherback Sea Turtles seem to be able to generate and maintain their own body heat through adaptations such as their large body size, changes in blood flow and a thick layer of fat. The leatherback is the only sea turtle species that doesn’t have a hard bony shell. A leatherback’s top shell (carapace) consists of leathery, oil-saturated connective tissue that is almost rubbery to the touch. Even after decades of storage at the museum, oils are still leaking from the carapace of our specimen. For more general facts about the Leatherback Sea Turtle, visit the National Geographic’s website .

All seven species of sea turtles (leatherbacks included) are endangered, with some species even being classified as critically endangered (meaning they are facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild). There are a number of reasons for the turtles being in danger of extinction such as poaching, habitat loss, pollution, collisions with boats, people stealing turtle eggs, etc…

Turtle Girl

Just so you can get an idea of how large these turtles are, here is Tetrapod Volunteer Abby Miller sitting beside our specimen

However, a paper by Lewison, Freeman and Crowder (2004) discusses another reason for the turtle’s decline. When fishermen throw out their nets in hopes of catching fish such as sardines or mackerel, they often end up catching many other animals such as dolphins, sharks, and sea turtles by mistake. This is known as bycatch, and many times these other non-target species will see drastic reductions in population because of it. I know it may be hard to picture an animal as massive as the Leatherback Sea Turtle getting caught in these nets, but these are very large nets that are often used for large groups of fish. When a turtle becomes entangled in the net, they can drown or suffer external injuries while struggling to get out. This study aimed to determine what effect bycatch has on leatherback numbers and what they found was shocking. According to their research, 50,000 leatherback sea turtles were caught as bycatch in the year 2000. This research and other investigations like it, have led to some new policies regarding the use of drift nets. According to the American Bird Conservancy, Russia has banned the use of drift nets due to the harm they cause to seabirds, marine mammals and other aquatic species such as sea turtles.

As I had mentioned earlier, all sea turtle species are endangered and the Leatherback is no exception. This phenomenon of bycatch illustrates how much damage commercial fishing can do to the oceans’ ecosystems and how we should think of ways to alleviate this problem. There has already been much success in reducing bycatch by using specially designed nets that help free any turtles that become ensnared, and many fishermen have begun to employ these nets in their everyday work. These animals are unique due to their immense size and awe-inspiring presence, to lose them would be a major defeat for conservationists worldwide.

References:

“Leatherback Sea Turtles, Leatherback Sea Turtle Pictures, Leatherback Sea Turtle Facts – National Geographic.” National Geographic. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/leatherback-sea-turtle/

Lewison R. L., Freeman S. A., Crowder L. B. 2004 Quantifying the Effects of Fisheries on Threatened Species: The Impact of Pelagic Longlines on Loggerhead and Leatherback Sea Turtles. Ecology Letters 7, 221-231.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2004.00573.x/full

Nevins, Hannah. “Russian Ban on Drift Net Fishing Bodes Well for Seabirds American Bird Conservancy.” American Bird Conservancy. N.p., 31 July 2015

http://abcbirds.org/russian-ban-on-drift-net-fishing-bodes-well-for-seabirds/

What’s in a Name?

Thank you for taking an interest in the Tetrapod Collection and what we do here. Just like the collection itself, our blog is always growing. Recently we’ve had many stories to tell and new, exciting topics to write about. Today I will announce a name change of the blog and give you some reasoning why we decided to do this.

You may be familiar with blogs of other natural history collections and their catchy names. Among our collections at the OSU Museum of Biological Diversity the insect collection has a very timely blog that is aptly named ”The Pinning Block.” A pinning block is a surface where preserved insects are pinned down, so having a blog named after something that the insect collection uses daily is a great way to attract interest.

So I have been thinking about what we do in the Tetrapod Collection and how we can put this into the blog’s name. It turned out to be a challenging exercise: The Tetrapod Collection holds about 4,800 amphibians, 2,300 reptiles, 17,000 birds, and 5,200 mammals; in addition to this we house many preserved bird eggs, nests and skeletons. Not to mention, many of the specimens have historical value due to them dating back to the late 1800’s. And if that weren’t enough, we also have preserved specimens from three extinct species of birds. Not to brag, but our collection is pretty impressive and deserves an awesome blog to go with it. But what is the unifying feature of this collection?

It really was not easy to come up with a good name for a blog about tetrapods. It turns out that we do not use a particular tool every day that can be used as a good name (like the insect collection’s pinning block). Also, we preserve vertebrates but not all of them. The museum has a separate fish collection and we thus do not want to call it a vertebrate collection blog as we do not include the largest group of vertebrates, the fishes. I came up with some suggestions of new blog names and had the collection staff vote on them. After much deliberation and careful consideration, a verdict was reached and the name was changed. So it gives me great pleasure to announce that from now on, the Tetrapods Collection’s blog will be called…

Fur, Feathers, Fangs, and Frogs

News and Musings from the OSU Tetrapod Collection

This is an improvement on the name that we already had by making it catchier and more alliterate:

Fur = Mammals

Feathers = Birds

Fangs = Reptiles

Frogs = Amphibians

Let us know what you think about the new name and share it with colleagues, friends, and family. Under our new and catchier name, we will continue to post about on goings and news in the collection.