scholarly journals A Novel Retrovirus (Gunnison’s Prairie Dog Retrovirus) Associated With Thymic Lymphoma in Gunnison’s Prairie Dogs in Colorado, USA

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 606
Author(s):  
Molly D. Butler ◽  
Karen Griffin ◽  
Connie D. Brewster ◽  
Marylee L. Kapuscinski ◽  
Mark D. Stenglein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Thymic Lymphoma ◽  
Type D ◽  
Cynomys Gunnisoni ◽  
Cynomys Leucurus ◽  
Free Ranging ◽  
Gunnison's Prairie Dogs

As part of research and wildlife disease surveillance efforts, we performed necropsy examinations of 125 free-ranging (n = 114) and captive (n = 11) prairie dogs in Colorado from 2009 to 2017. From these cases, we identified three cases of thymic lymphoma in free-ranging Gunnison’s prairie dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni), and we identified a novel retroviral sequence associated with these tumors. The viral sequence is 7700 nucleotides in length and exhibits a genetic organization that is consistent with the characteristics of a type D betaretrovirus. The proposed name of this virus is Gunnison’s prairie dog retrovirus (GPDRV). We screened all 125 prairie dogs for the presence of GPDRV using PCR with envelope-specific primers and DNA extracted from spleen samples. Samples were from Gunnison’s prairie dogs (n = 59), black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) (n = 40), and white-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys leucurus) (n = 26). We identified GPDRV in a total of 7/125 (5.6%) samples including all three of the prairie dogs with thymic lymphoma, as well as spleen from an additional four Gunnison’s prairie dogs with no tumors recognized at necropsy. None of the GPDRV-negative Gunnison’s prairie dogs had thymic lymphomas. We also identified a related, apparently endogenous retroviral sequence in all prairie dog samples. These results suggest that GPDRV infection may lead to development of thymic lymphoma in Gunnison’s prairie dogs.

Effects of habitat quality on growth, age of first reproduction, and dispersal in Gunnison's prairie dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni)

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (12) ◽  
pp. 2835-2840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda S. Rayor
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Maturity ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Ground Squirrels ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Adult Weight ◽  
Cynomys Gunnisoni ◽  
South Central ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Gunnison's Prairie Dogs

Populations of the highly social Gunnison's prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) were studied at two sites in south central Colorado. The sites differed in availability of water, duration of the growing season, and the diversity and quantity of edible vegetation. At the lusher site, Quartz Creek, all age- and sex classes weighed significantly more than their counterparts at the more barren site, Blue Mesa. Growth rates and overwinter survival of Quartz Creek young were higher than at Blue Mesa. Two of 5 yearling females raised litters at Quartz Creek, whereas none of 15 yearling females weaned litters at Blue Mesa. Quartz Creek females produced larger litters [Formula: see text] than Blue Mesa females [Formula: see text]. At Quartz Creek, 6 of 17 yearlings dispersed from their natal harem, but none of the 31 yearlings at Blue Mesa dispersed. Thus, in a favorable habitat, Gunnison's prairie dogs were heavier, reached sexual maturity more rapidly, and dispersed at a younger age than in a less favorable habitat. These results provide intraspecific support for Armitage's hypothesis that delayed sexual maturity and dispersal in the large-bodied, social ground squirrels is associated with the age at which immatures attain adult weight.

Plague in a Colony of Gunnison's Prairie Dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni) Despite Three Years of Infusions of Burrows with 0.05% Deltamethrin to Kill Fleas

2018 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 347-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
John L. Hoogland ◽  
Dean E. Biggins ◽  
Nathaniel Blackford ◽  
David A. Eads ◽  
Dustin Long ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Cynomys Gunnisoni ◽  
Gunnison's Prairie Dogs

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.

What is the best way to estimate vigilance? A comparison of two methods for Gunnison's prairie dogs, Cynomys gunnisoni

2016 ◽  
Vol 121 ◽  
pp. 117-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian M. Hirschler ◽  
Jennifer L. Gedert ◽  
Jessica Majors ◽  
Tucker Townsend ◽  
John L. Hoogland
Keyword(s):  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Cynomys Gunnisoni ◽  
Gunnison's Prairie Dogs

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.

Resource availability influences global social network properties in Gunnison’s prairie dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni)

Behaviour ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Ferenc Jordán ◽  
Bálint Kovács ◽  
Jennifer L. Verdolin
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Resource Availability ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Word Index ◽  
Cynomys Gunnisoni ◽  
Network Connectedness ◽  
Network Properties ◽  
Gunnison's Prairie Dogs

Abstract Increasingly we are discovering that the interactions between individuals within social groups can be quite complex and flexible. Social network analysis offers a toolkit to describe and quantify social structure, the patterns we observe, and evaluate the social and environmental factors that shape group dynamics. Here, we used 14 Gunnison’s prairie dogs networks to evaluate how resource availability and network size influenced four global properties of the networks (centralization, clustering, average path length, small word index). Our results suggest a positive correlation between overall network cohesion and resource availability, such that networks became less centralized and cliquish as biomass/m2 availability decreased. We also discovered that network size modulates the link between social interactions and resource availability and is consistent with a more ‘decentralized’ group. This study highlights the importance of how individuals modify social cohesions and network connectedness as a way to reduce intragroup competition under different ecological conditions.

Coyote (Canis latrans) predation of colonial rodents facilitated by Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos)

2021 ◽  
Vol 135 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-123
Author(s):  
Thomas S. Jung
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Canis Latrans ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Scientific Interest ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Aquila Chrysaetos ◽  
Avian Predators ◽  
Large Colony ◽  
Golden Eagles

Interactions between Coyote (Canis latrans) and Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) are complex and likely not yet fully documented or understood. I observed a Coyote prey on a Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) at the edge of a large colony in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan. The prairie dogs were vigilant toward three Golden Eagles circling above, and the Coyote apparently used this to its advantage. As such, the eagles appeared to facilitate the ability of the Coyote to rush in virtually undetected and prey on a prairie dog that was distracted by the avian predators. This observation is of scientific interest because it is another example of the varied interactions between Coyotes and Golden Eagles, which is competitive and includes kleptoparasitism.

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