William Caire

Stimuli Used by Trichobius major (Diptera:Streblidae) to Locate Its Bat Host, Myotis velifer

Bat flies, Trichobius major, were challenged in a Y-maze with stimuli to determine which might be used in the locating of a bat host in a darkened cave environment. Positive responses were to heat and carbon dioxide. The adaptive significance of these two stimuli are discussed.

SEX RATIO VARIATION OF MYOTIS VELIFER (CHIROPTERA: VESPERTILIONIDAE) IN OKLAHOMA

Abstract Sex ratios of Myotis velifer populations were studied during 2 hibernating seasons within and among 42 caves across a portion of its geographic range in Oklahoma and Kansas. The number of females to males was significantly different than the expected 1∶1 sex ratio in 25 of 44 visits to hibernacula. The percentage of females at the Selman Cave System, one of the largest hibernacula in Oklahoma, was always greater than the percentage of males throughout the season and in clusters of different sizes. Neither females nor males were any more likely to be found at the center than on the periphery of large clusters. The sex ratio of volant young at a maternity roost did not differ significantly from the expected 1∶1 sex ratio.

Conjunctival lymphoid follicles in new world rodents.

We report for the first time, the detection of conjunctival lymphoid follicles (CLF) in the eyes of New World rodents. CLF were found in 7 of the 15 species examined, 6 of the 10 genera, and in at least one individual in four families of rodents. These follicles are dense collections of leukocytes in the conjunctival substantia propria with a thinned overlying epithelium lacking in goblet cells. Although the precise location of CLF within the conjunctiva varied from species to species, all CLF were found in the fornix of the conjunctival sac. In general, size and complexity of CLF varied with the size of the eye; the larger the eye, the larger and more complex the CLF. Our findings also reveal that some species of New World rodents, like the majority of Old World rodents examined in this and previous studies might lack CLF. However, until larger samples are examined, this is difficult to state with certainty. Consequently, the presence/absence of CLF at this point might not be informative for phylogenetic comparisons. Our findings also suggest the deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, might serve as a useful model species for studying ocular infections and immunology of the eye. Anat Rec, 290:1190–1194, 2007.

Loss in Mass by Hibernating Cave Myotis, Myotis velifer (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in Western Oklahoma

Abstract This study characterized loss in body mass by the cave myotis, Myotis velifer, in 7 hibernation seasons (October–March 1979–1986) in western Oklahoma. Average mass entering hibernation was 14.4 g for males and 15.4 g for females. At the end of hibernation, average mass of males and females was 11.5 and 12.0 g, respectively. Males lost an average of 2.9 g (20.1%) and females lost 3.4 g (22.1%). During hibernation, males and females lost 0.021 and 0.024 g/day, respectively. We detected no difference in rate of loss of mass between the first and second halves of hibernation for either sex. Males and females lost 3.8 and 4.1 g, respectively, during 2005–2006, when only two visits were made to the cave (October and March). These values for loss in mass were slightly more than losses recorded for males and females when bats were sampled each month during hibernation.

Use of thermal imaging to estimate the population sizes of Brazilian free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis, maternity roosts in Oklahoma

Abstract We used thermal imaging to estimate the sizes of the four major Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) maternity populations in Oklahoma during the summer of 2010 and 2011. The four Oklahoma maternity caves were Merrihew Bat Cave which averaged 66,708 bats, Reed Bat Cave which averaged 165,057 bats, Selman Bat Cave which averaged 54,238 bats, and Vickery Bat Cave which averaged 84,252 bats for all emergences. This study suggests there is a sizable difference in the thermal imaging population size estimates of free-tailed bats at Oklahoma maternity roosts compared to historical estimates using other methods. These differences might be due to the improved accuracy of thermal imaging, or because there is a real decline in bat numbers in Oklahoma, or both.

First Record of the Encinal Mouse, Peromyscus pectoralis, for Oklahoma, and Additional Records for North-Central Texas

(5000 ft). The bregmatic bone, located at the anterior fontanelle at the junction of the coronal and sagittal sutures, is kite shaped, and is 2.3 mm long and 1.6 mm wide (Fig. 1). I would like to thank Dr. E. Lendell Cockrum of the University of Arizona for bringing this specimen to my attention and for his contagious enthusiasm, and Dr. D. I. Rasmussen for critically reading the manuscript.-Loy T. Merkle, Department of Zoology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281.

The Greater Mastiff Bat Eumops perotis (Chiroptera: Molossidae) in Oklahoma

Abstract We report the first record of the greater mastiff bat Eumops perotis from Oklahoma. This specimen represents a 1,000 km range extension from the nearest reported occurrences in the Trans Pecos and Big Bend regions of Texas. Resumen Reportamos el primer registro del gran murciélago mastín Eumops perotis de Oklahoma. Este espécimen representa una extensión de 1,000 km de los registros más cercanos en las regiones de Trans Pecos y Big Bend de Texas.

Loss of a significant maternity population of Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) in Oklahoma

Abstract Based on site-visits over the past several years to Conner Cave in Major County, Oklahoma, it appears that the large population of Brazilian free-tailed bats that historically used the cave as a maternity site has abandoned the cave. This was one of the northernmost maternity caves in the Great Plains. Previous estimates of the size of the population were several hundred thousand.

CYPRINODON RUBROFLUVIATILIS, RED RIVER PUPFISH (TELEOSTEI: CY PRINODONTIDAE), ESTABLISHED IN THE CIMARRON RIVER IN OKLAHOMA

Abstract Cyprinodon rubrofluviatilis (Red River pupfish) is established in a stream tributary to the Cimarron River in Oklahoma. Further work is needed to determine the extent of the distribution of this nonnative species in the Arkansas River system.

Use of A Gelatin Suspension Method To Examine Lack of Sexual Dimorphism In Cranial Capacity of Tadarida brasiliensis From Oklahoma

Abstract We estimated the cranial capacity of 128 Brazilian free-tailed bats, Tadarida brasiliensis, from Oklahoma by filling each cranium with a gelatin suspension. There was no significant difference between the mean cranial capacity of males and females.