A new prairie dog, Cynomys churcherii, from the Late Pleistocene of southern Alberta

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (11) ◽  
pp. 2633-2639 ◽  
Author(s):  
James A. Burns ◽  
W. Bruce McGillivray
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Remains ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
New Taxon ◽  
Habitat Association ◽  
Third Molars ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Skull Length ◽  
Morphometric Analyses ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
Feature Characteristic

Excavation of fossil burrows in the Hand Hills, about 30 km northeast of Drumheller, Alberta, has produced over 3000 skeletal remains, including major portions of nine associated skeletons of a species of prairie dog (Cynomys) dating from 22 000 to 33 000 BP. All lower third molars possess the stylid feature characteristic of white-tailed prairie dogs (subgenus Leucocrossuromys). Similarly, the conformation of the zygomatic arch is peculiar to whitetails. Morphometric analyses based on 10 characters from 9 skulls and 6 characters from 22 mandibles show that the fossil population is significantly different from extant C. ludovicianus, C. leucurus, and C. gunnisoni. Skull length, a good measure of overall size, is significantly greater in the fossil population than in any Recent Cynomys species. The fossil localities are not montane sites typical of extant whitetail populations, and the fossil mammal community differs little from the modern assemblage expected in an aspen groveland in Alberta. The morphological distinctiveness of the fossils, plus the uncharacteristic (for whitetails) habitat association, suggest the erection of a new taxon, Cynomys churcherii n.sp.

Influence of motilin and cholecystokinin on sphincter of Oddi and duodenal mobility

1987 ◽  
Vol 253 (5) ◽  
pp. G679-G683 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. L. Muller ◽  
P. A. Grace ◽  
R. L. Conter ◽  
J. J. Roslyn ◽  
H. A. Pitt
Keyword(s):  
Sphincter Of Oddi ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Cholecystokinin Octapeptide ◽  
Side Hole ◽  
Hole Pressure ◽  
Duodenal Motility ◽  
Sphincter Of Oddi Motility ◽  
Duodenal Lumen ◽  
Distal Port

The sphincter of Oddi and the duodenum exhibit cyclical activity in phase with the migrating myoelectric complex. Both motilin and cholecystokinin have been shown to modulate gastrointestinal and sphincter of Oddi motility. However, previous studies have not monitored the effects of these hormones on simultaneously recorded sphincter of Oddi and duodenum pressures. The present investigation was undertaken, therefore, to determine the influence of both motilin and cholecystokinin on simultaneously recorded sphincter of Oddi and duodenal motility. In seven anesthetized prairie dogs, a triple-lumen, side-hole, pressure-monitored perfusion catheter was positioned with the proximal port in the sphincter of Oddi and the distal port in the duodenal lumen. Sphincter of Oddi and duodenal motility was recorded before and during 20-min infusions of motilin and cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) at 1, 10, and 100 ng.kg-1.min-1. Both hormones produced dose-related increases in sphincter of Oddi and duodenal motility. No response was observed with either hormone at 1 ng.kg-1.min-1. At 10 ng.kg-1.min-1, the duodenum was slightly more sensitive to motilin than to CCK-8, while the sphincter of Oddi was equally affected by both hormones. At 100 ng.kg-1.min-1, both hormones stimulated the sphincter of Oddi and the duodenum equally. These data indicate that in the prairie dog, both motilin and cholecystokinin stimulate sphincter of Oddi and duodenal motility.

Taphonomy of the Danek Bonebed: a monodominant Edmontosaurus (Hadrosauridae) bonebed from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta

2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (11) ◽  
pp. 992-1006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phil R. Bell ◽  
Nicolás E. Campione
Keyword(s):  
Cause Of Death ◽  
Skeletal Remains ◽  
Bite Marks ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
Bone Fragments ◽  
Faunal Diversity ◽  
Horseshoe Canyon Formation

The Danek Bonebed (Horsethief Member, Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Late Campanian) is dominated by the remains of at least 12 Edmontosaurus regalis. Skeletal remains of a tyrannosaurid and ceratopsid are also known. The predominantly disarticulated remains were interred on a periodically inundated floodplain and, although the cause of death is unknown, a sudden, catastrophic death explains the demographic spread, faunal diversity, rare greenstick fractures, and homogeneous weathering/abrasion categories of the assemblage. The Danek Bonebed shares a similar taphonomic signature to the Liscomb Bonebed (Prince Creek Formation, Alaska), but it is unique among all other described hadrosaurid bonebeds in the unusually high proportion of bite-marked bones (∼30%), suggesting scavenging played a major role in the reworking of the assemblage. The highest frequency of bite marks is found on small, often unidentifiable (and commonly ignored) bone fragments, underscoring the role that such fragments can play in taphonomic interpretation. Finally, the recognition of E. regalis from central Alberta is an important datum linking contemporaneous occurrences in southern Alberta with slightly older records of this species from the Wapiti Formation in northwestern Alberta.

scholarly journals Observations of Bobcats, Lynx rufus, Hunting Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs, Cynomys ludovicianus, in Western South Dakota

2010 ◽  
Vol 124 (3) ◽  
pp. 209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel S. Licht
Keyword(s):  
South Dakota ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Lynx Rufus ◽  
The Other ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Winter Diet ◽  
Hunting Strategies ◽  
Close Proximity

There is a paucity of scientific literature describing Bobcat (Lynx rufus) hunting strategies. I document 13 observations of Bobcats hunting Black-tailed Prairie Dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in western South Dakota. In all cases the Bobcats stationed themselves next to a prairie dog mound in an attempt to ambush prairie dogs emerging from their burrows. In eight cases the Bobcats successfully captured a prairie dog emerging from the burrow, in one case the Bobcat turned and captured a prairie dog that had walked up behind it, and in the other cases the Bobcats lunged at the burrow openings, but did not capture a prairie dog. There were two variations of the tactic: in some cases Bobcats entered a colony prior to prairie dog emergence and stationed themselves next to a mound, whereas in other cases Bobcats stationed themselves next to a burrow that a prairie dog had just escaped to. One Bobcat appeared to have waited next to the same mound for at least 7.5 hr. Prairie dogs may comprise a large portion of a Bobcat's winter diet in landscapes where prairie dog colonies exist in close proximity to badlands or woody cover.

scholarly journals A new species of troodontid theropod (Dinosauria: Maniraptora) from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation (Maastrichtian) of Alberta, Canada

2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 813-826 ◽  
Author(s):  
David C. Evans ◽  
Thomas M. Cullen ◽  
Derek W. Larson ◽  
Adam Rego
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
North America ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Width Ratio ◽  
New Taxon ◽  
Lateral Region ◽  
Morphometric Analyses ◽  
Dinosaur Park Formation ◽  
Horseshoe Canyon Formation ◽  
A New Species

Troodontid material from the Maastrichtian of North America is extremely rare, beyond isolated teeth from microvertebrate sites. Here we describe troodontid frontals from the early Maastrichtian Horseshoe Canyon Formation (Horsethief Member). The most complete specimen, TMP 1993.105.0001, is notably foreshortened and robust when compared with numerous specimens referred to Troodon from the Dinosaur Park Formation, and exhibits several characteristics that distinguish it from other Late Cretaceous troodontids. Morphometric analyses reinforce shape differences between TMP 1993.105.0001 and other North American troodontids, and show that proportional differences are independent of size. We therefore erect a new taxon, Albertavenator curriei gen. et sp. nov., which is diagnosed by the following autapomorphies: (1) primary supraciliary foramen is truncated anteriorly by the lacrimal contact; (2) superficial (ectocranial) surface of the frontal proportionally shorter than all known troodontids, with a length to width ratio under 1.3; and (3) frontoparietal contact in which an enlarged lappet of the frontal extends medially to extensively overlap the lateral region of the anteromedial process of the parietal. Interestingly, tooth and jaw morphology from the single relatively complete dentary recovered from the Horseshoe Canyon cannot be distinguished from dentaries and teeth from the Dinosaur Park Formation. If the dentary and teeth from the Horsethief Member of the Horseshoe Canyon Formation prove to belong to A. curriei, extensive overlap in tooth morphology between the Dinosaur Park and Horseshoe Canyon formations reinforces the notion that tooth morphotypes do not exhibit strong correspondence to species alpha diversity, and may encompass multiple closely related taxa.

scholarly journals Catch the wave: prairie dogs assess neighbours’ awareness using contagious displays

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1777) ◽  
pp. 20132153 ◽  
Author(s):  
James F. Hare ◽  
Kevin L. Campbell ◽  
Robert W. Senkiw
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Group Size ◽  
Social Information ◽  
Group Living ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Social Awareness ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Active Probing

The jump–yip display of black-tailed prairie dogs ( Cynomys ludovicianus ) is contagious, spreading through a prairie dog town as ‘the wave’ through a stadium. Because contagious communication in primates serves to assess conspecific social awareness, we investigated whether instigators of jump–yip bouts adjusted their behaviour relative to the response of conspecifics recruited to display bouts. Increased responsiveness of neighbouring town members resulted in bout initiators devoting a significantly greater proportion of time to active foraging. Contagious jump–yips thus function to assess neighbours’ alertness, soliciting social information to assess effective conspecific group size in real time and reveal active probing of conspecific awareness consistent with theory of mind in these group-living rodents.

scholarly journals Social Behavior of Captive Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs (Mammalia, Rodentia) with Changing Numbers of Observers

2011 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. e-25-e-32
Author(s):  
A. Eltorai ◽  
R. Sussman
Keyword(s):  
Social Behavior ◽  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Kin Recognition ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Captive Population ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Model Species ◽  
Rich Variety ◽  
The Rich

Social Behavior of Captive Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs (Mammalia, Rodentia) with Changing Numbers of Observers Black-tailed prairie dogs Cynomys ludovicianus (Ord, 1815) are diurnal rodents that live in intricate cities. Their social complexity rivals that of some primates, and, in some respects, resembles the behavior of humans. Due to the rich variety of readily-observable, sophisticated behaviors such as coloniality, infanticide, anti-predator behaviors, "kin recognition", cooperation, conflict, and reproductive success, the black-tailed prairie dog is a wonderful model species for the study of behavior. Using a captive population, we were able to quantify the effects of observation on key social behaviors.

scholarly journals Molecular and morphological data resurrect the long neglected Carex laxula (Cyperaceae) and expand its range in the western Mediterranean

2017 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Benítez-Benítez ◽  
Mónica Míguez ◽  
Pedro Jiménez-Mejías ◽  
Santiago Martín-Bravo
Keyword(s):  
Considerable Increase ◽  
New Records ◽  
Type Specimen ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Morphological Data ◽  
New Taxon ◽  
Morphometric Analyses ◽  
Italian Flora ◽  
Ne Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Shed Light

Carex sylvatica subsp. paui is a poorly studied taxon considered endemic from a few places in the western Mediterranean. It has been frequently misidentified as C. sylvatica subsp. sylvatica. To date, it has been reported only from the NE Iberian Peninsula and the NW Africa. We use molecular —nuclear ribosomal and plastid sequences— and morphological data to shed light on the taxonomic circumscription and distribution of this taxon, especially regarding its distinction from the type subspecies. The genetic data support the recognition of C. sylvatica subsp. paui as an independent taxon, and confirm new records from the Balearic and Tuscan archipelagos. It implies a considerable increase in its range and a new taxon for the Italian flora. Strikingly, the morphometric analyses revealed that the Sicilian type specimen ofC. laxula identifies this species with C. sylvatica subsp. paui. We consider that the taxon should be ranked at the species level. Based on the priority of the name C. laxula over C. paui, we subsume C. sylvatica subsp. paui in C. laxula. We also provide notes on the ecology of the species.

scholarly journals Dispersal Activities of the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog in Wind Cave National Park

1979 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 144-147
Author(s):  
Monte Garrett ◽  
William Franklin
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
National Park ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
The Past ◽  
Resource Managers

In Wind Cave National Park, where prairie dogs are fully protected, their numbers have greatly increased over the past few years. Park managers are concerned over the prairie dog's tenacious ability not only to expand their colonies, but to pioneer and establish new ones. The seemingly unpredlctable expansion of prairie dog towns has long amazed and alarmed resource managers. Since the Park's cessation of management efforts in the mid-1950's, prairie dog colonies have grown from less than 500 acres in surface area, to an estimated 1,600 acres. Within the past few years, at least eight new prairie dog colonies have been established in the park. The tendency of prairie dogs to colonize and inhabit productive grasslands on gently rolling terrain is believed to be reductng the range's capacity to support other herbivores such as elk and bison.

scholarly journals A new species of troodontid theropod (Dinosauria: Maniraptora) from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation (Maastrichtian) of Alberta, Canada

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Evans ◽  
Thomas Cullen ◽  
Derek Larson ◽  
Adam Rego
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
North America ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Width Ratio ◽  
New Taxon ◽  
Lateral Region ◽  
Morphometric Analyses ◽  
Dinosaur Park Formation ◽  
Horseshoe Canyon Formation ◽  
A New Species

Troodontid material from the Maastrichtian of North America is extremely rare, beyond isolated teeth from microvertebrate sites. Here we describe troodontid frontals from the early Maastrichtian Horseshoe Canyon Formation (Horsethief Member). The most complete specimen, TMP 1993.105.0001, is notably foreshortened and robust when compared with numerous specimens referred to Troodon from the Dinosaur Park Formation, and exhibits several characteristics that distinguish it from other Late Cretaceous troodontids. Morphometric analyses reinforce shape differences between TMP 1993.105.0001 and other North American troodontids, and show that proportional differences are independent of size. We therefore erect a new taxon, Albertavenator curriei gen. et sp. nov., which is diagnosed by the following autapomorphies: (1) primary supraciliary foramen is truncated anteriorly by the lacrimal contact; (2) superficial (ectocranial) surface of the frontal proportionally shorter than all known troodontids, with a length to width ratio under 1.3; and (3) frontoparietal contact in which an enlarged lappet of the frontal extends medially to extensively overlap the lateral region of the anteromedial process of the parietal. Interestingly, tooth and jaw morphology from the single relatively complete dentary recovered from the Horseshoe Canyon cannot be distinguished from dentaries and teeth from the Dinosaur Park Formation. If the dentary and teeth from the Horsethief Member of the Horseshoe Canyon Formation prove to belong to A. curriei, extensive overlap in tooth morphology between the Dinosaur Park and Horseshoe Canyon formations reinforces the notion that tooth morphotypes do not exhibit strong correspondence to species alpha diversity, and may encompass multiple closely related taxa.

scholarly journals A new elasmosaurid (Sauropterygia: Plesiosauria) from the non-marine to paralic Dinosaur Park Formation of southern Alberta, Canada

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e10720
Author(s):  
James A. Campbell ◽  
Mark T. Mitchell ◽  
Michael J. Ryan ◽  
Jason S. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Small Body ◽  
Niche Partitioning ◽  
Estuarine Sediments ◽  
Character State ◽  
New Taxon ◽  
Distinctive Character ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Marine Deposits ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
Dinosaur Park Formation

Elasmosaurid plesiosaurian remains have been documented from non-marine to paralic (fluvial to estuarine) sediments of the upper Campanian Dinosaur Park Formation (DPF) of southern Alberta since 1898. Despite this long collection history, this material has received relatively little research attention, largely due to the highly fragmentary nature of most recovered specimens. However, this assemblage is significant, as it constitutes a rare occurrence of plesiosaurian remains in a non-marine depositional environment. This study reports on a recently collected and prepared specimen, which represents the most complete elasmosaurid yet collected from the DPF. This specimen preserves the trunk region, the base of the neck and tail, a partial fore and hind limb, and tooth, and is sufficiently complete to be assigned as the holotype of a new genus and species. This new taxon is diagnosed by a distinctive character state combination including a boomerang-shaped clavicular arch with acute anterior process, convex anterolateral margin, deeply embayed posterior margin, and pronounced ventral keel, together with the presence of 22 dorsal vertebrae, and the anterior dorsal centra bearing a ventral notch. The DPF plesiosaurian fossils were recovered from both estuarine/bay and fluvial palaeochannel sediments. The holotype skeleton represents an osteologically mature individual with an estimated body length of around 5 m, although the largest referred DPF elasmosaurid might have been closer to 7 m, which is considerably larger than other plesiosaurians reported from non-marine deposits. This suggests small-body lengths relative to typical elasmosaurids from marine settings, but is consistent with other plesiosaurians recovered from non-marine sediments. The identification of a distinct elasmosaurid taxon in the DPF might be evidence of niche-partitioning among the predominantly oceanic members of the ubiquitous plesiosaurian clade.

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