Lab Exam 3 Flashcards
Lepus spp. (Skull)
Hares
- post orbital process does not extend compared to similar species
Naming: Order Lagomorpha, Family Leporidae
Lepus americanus (skin)
Snowshoe hare
- white fur
Naming: Order Lagomorpha, Family Leporidae
Natural History:
- nocturnal
- white fur in winter
- high elevation habitat
- NO hibernation
Sylvilagus spp. (skull)
Cottontail rabbits
- postorbital process extends to parietal, unlike similar species
Naming: Order Lagomorpha, Family Leporidae
Sylvilagus floridanus (Skin)
Eastern cottontail
- variable coat color, generally medium gray with white edges and orange around hind
Naming: Order Lagomorpha, Family Leporidae
Natural History:
- do not change color
- NO hibernation
- nocturnal
- solitary
- brushy area habitat
- decline due to loss of habitat
- game species
Didelphis virginiana (skull & skin)
Virginia Opossum
- skin: mostly gray with some white and black coloring, medium length
- skull: top of skull fairly straight besides prominent sagittal crest; roof of mouth has openings (fenestrae)
Naming: Order Didelphimorphia, Family Didelphidae
Natural History:
- only marsupial in US
- prehensile tail, semi arboreal
- generalist habitat
- omnivore
- nocturnal
- furbearer, hunted in most states
- NO hibernation
Soricidae (skull)
Shrews
- NO zygomatic arch or associated structures
- red or black tipped teeth
- cheek teeth form a “W” pattern
Naming: Order Eulipotyphla
Sorex palustris (skin)
Water shrew
- pointy noise, tail length of body, gray brown color
- webbed feet (hard to see) with stiff hairs along sides of feet and toes
Naming: Order Eulipotyphla, Family Soricidae
Natural History:
- largest shrew in US
- webbed hind feet (semi aq.)
- small streams and wetlands
- invertebrates and small fish/amphibians
- endangered in VA
Sorex cinereus (skin)
Masked shrew
- light chestnut color, similar in shape to palustris, shorter tail than palustris but not stubby, no feet webbing
Naming: Order Eulipotyphla, Family Soricidae
Natural History:
- generalist habitat, high-elevation
- subterranean runways, constructs tunnels
- insectivorous mostly
Sorex fumeus (skin)
Smoky shrew
- smoky color, large thick tail, hairy tail
Naming: Order Eulipotyphla, Family Soricidae
Natural History:
- cool damp woodlands, high elevation
- mostly insectivorous
Sorex longirostris (skin)
Southeastern shrew
- short tail, small body, more reddish-brown than similar species
Naming: Order Eulipotyphla, Family Soricidae
Natural History:
- habitat generalist
- allopatric with S. cinereus (geographic separation caused speciation)
Cryptotis parva (skin)
Least shrew
- smallest size (1 inch width), noticeably shorter tail
Naming: Order Eulipotyphla, Family Soricidae
Natural History:
- group dwelling unlike other shrews
- food hoarders
- insectivorous
- not well known
Blarina spp. (skin)
Short-tailed shrews
- large size (two inch width) compared to similar species and very small tail
Naming: Order Eulipotyphla, Family Soricidae
Blarina brevicauda (natural history)
Northern short-tailed shrew
Naming: Order Eulipotyphla, Family Soricidae
Natural History:
- only venomous mammal in N.A (venomous saliva)
- echolocation
- heaviest shrew in VA
- generalist
- semi-fossorial
Blarina carolinensis (natural history)
Southern short-tailed shrew
Naming: Order Eulipotyphla, Family Soricidae
Natural History:
- only venomous mammal in N.A (venomous saliva)
- generalist
- not well known
Talpidae (skull)
Moles
- complete zygomatic arches
- no dark tips on teeth
Naming: Order Eulipotyphla
Scalopus aquaticus (skin)
Eastern mole
- large digging feet, pointed snout, short mostly bald tail
Naming: Order Eulipotyphla, Family Talpidae
Natural History:
- oil glands on head, chin, wrist, belly stain fur
- most widespread of any mole in N.A
- lower elevations
Condylura cristata (skin)
Star-nosed mole
- star nose
Naming: Order Eulipotyphla, Family Talpidae
Natural History:
- swampy habitat
- not well known
- nasal star is sensory device for detecting prey, Eimer’s organ
Parascalops breweri (skin)
Hairy-tailed mole
- hairy or bushy appearing tail
Naming: Order Eulipotyphla, Family Talpidae
Natural History:
- high elevation
- ???
Mustela frenata (skin, skull)
Long-tailed weasel
- skin: brown dorsal, yellow ventral, tail 50% total length with black tip
- skull: 34 - 53 mm, rounded palatine, 3 upper premolars, auditory bullae longer than wide
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Mustelidae
Natural History:
- can kill animals up to 4x mass
- sexual size dimorphism
- seasonal molts depending on latitude
- most widespread N.A
Mustela erminea (skull)
Short-tailed weasel
- smallest weasel skull, less than 33 mm, rounded palatine, 3 upper premolars, auditory bullae longer than wide
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Mustelidae
Natural History:
- season molts, cryptic coloration
- circumpolar distribution patterns (high elevation)
Mustela nivalis (skin)
Least weasel
- brown dorsal, white ventral
- tail 25% of length, black tip
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Mustelidae
Natural History:
- one of largest distribution of any mammal
- smallest extant carnivore
- seasonal molts at high alt.
Mustela vison (skin, skull)
American mink
- skin: brown pelage, white around throat, partially webbed feet
- skull: largest mustela skull, larger than 54 mm, rounded palatine, 3 upper premolars, auditory bullae longer than wide
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Mustelidae
Natural History:
- semi-aquatic
- furbearer
- abandoned lodges
Martes americana (skin, skull)
American marten
- skin: brown belage, orange/yellow markings on throat, bushy tail
- skull: 4 upper premolars, thinner auditory bullae
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Mustelidae
Natural History:
- restricted by deforestation
- vocal variety
- economically important furbearer
- den on ground, often found in trees
Lontra canadensis (skin, skull)
River otter
- skin: thick brown fur, rudder-like tail, webbed feed & claws
- skull: 4 upper premolars, flat skull, reduced rostrum (base of snout), about 114 mm, bullae reduced
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Mustelidae
Natural History:
- thick oily coat, trapped for fur
- vibrassae/whiskers sense prey underwater
- close nostrils underwater
- very social mustelid species
Mephitidae (skull)
Skunks
- first molar is squarish compared to mustela, flat edge of palatine, 2 upper molars
Naming: Order Carnivora
Mephitis mephitis (skin)
Striped skunk
- black with white stripes
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Mephitidae
Natural History:
- aposematic coloration (warning)
- bred as pets
Spilogale putorius (skin)
Spotted skunk
- spotted rather than striped
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Mephitidae
Natural History:
- aposematic coloration
- climbs trees
- sprays from handstand position
Procyon lotor (skin, skull)
North American raccoon
- skin: ringed tail, mask on face
- skull: molars similar to humans, extremely small or terminated palate, noticeably round cranium
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Procyonidae
Natural History:
- omnivorous
- commensal with humans
- dexterous hands (skilled)
- NO hibernation
Ursus americanus (skull)
American black bear
- ~ 300 mm, massive rostrum, poorly developed carnassials, crushing cheek teeth, small bullae
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Ursidae
Natural History:
- omnivorous
- excellent sense of smell (Jacobson’s organ)
- winter lethargy
Canis lupus (pelt, skull)
Grey wolf
- pelt: broad snout, short ears, head large compared to dogs
- skull: broad long rostrum, 2 upper molars, 3 lower molars, upper canines greater than 12 mm
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Canidae
Natural History:
- complex social system
- habitat generalist, prefer remote
Canis rufus (natural history)
Red wolf
- occupation in U.S before mid 1900s
- preferred swamps, river forests
- rodents, rabbits, nutria
- only ~25 in the wild
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Canidae
Canis latrans (pelt, skull)
Coyote
- pelt: grizzled, black tipped tail, thin snout and long ears
- skull: 2 upper molars, 3 lower molars, long/narrow rostrum, upper canines less than 12 mm, zygomatic arches rounded rather than straight with rostrum like in lupus
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Canidae
Natural History:
- pairs or packs
- broad diet (fruit -> vertebrates)
- generalist
- recolonizing urban landscapes
Urocyon cinereoargenteus (skin, skull)
Gray fox
- skin: gray dorsal, red and white cheeks and belly, black stripe on tail
- skull: temporal ridges form a U (urocyon), sagittal crest not well developed
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Canidae
Natural History:
- only canid in NA that climbs trees with special morphological adaptations: flexible forelimbs, semi-retractable claws
- solitary other than breeding
Vulpes vulpes (skin, skull)
Red fox
- skin: variable pelage with white or black tipped tail, black feet
- skull: temporal ridges form a V (vulpes), sagittal crest not well developed
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Canidae
Natural History:
- most widespread canid in the world
Puma concolor (pelt, skull)
Mountain lion/Puma/Cougar
- pelt: tail greater than 50% of body length, beige pelage uniform
- skull: 3 upper molars, short felid skull
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Felidae
Natural History:
- widespread carnivore, extirpated from eastern U.S
- historically widest distribution of all American mammals
- specialize in preying on deer
Lynx rufus (skin, skull)
Bobcat
- skin: black tipped bob tail and ears, spotted, tufted ears
- skull: 2 upper premolars, MUCH smaller than Puma skull
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Felidae
Natural History:
- solitary, territorial
- prey on small vertebrates, mostly cottontails
- used to be fur-bearers
- currently recolonizing urban landscapes
Zalophus californianus (natural history)
California sea lion
- ‘eared’ seal
- ears have flaps, skin covered, short claws, “walking” on land
- temperate and polar regions
- highly specialized from aquatic existence, never in fresh water
- primarily consume fish and mollusks
- primary range in western NA
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Otariidae
Cystophora cristata (natural history)
Hooded seal
- sexual dimorphism, male has large nose thing and female much smaller
- primary range polar arctic waters
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Phocidae
Halichoerus grypus (natural history)
Gray seal
- primary range Atlantic ocean
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Phocidae
Pagophilus groenlandicus (natural history)
Harp seal
- primary range Atlantic ocean
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Phocidae
Phoca vitulina (natural history)
Harbor seal
- primary range Pacific and Atlantic ocean
Naming: Order Carnivora, Family Phocidae
Equus caballus (natural history)
Feral horse
- damage wildlife habitat
- stallions battle for dominants, establish a harem
- most likely brought to barrier islands to avoid fencing laws and taxation of livestock
Naming: Order Perissodactyla, Family Equidae
Sus scrofa (skull)
Feral pig
- skull: steeply sloped occipital crest, constantly growing upper canines form tusks that curve outward
Naming: Order Cetartiodactyla, Family Suidae
Natural History:
- destructive invasive species
- brought into U.S as food source in 1500s
- multiply faster than any other large mammal
- Brucella
Bison bison (skull)
American bison
- skull: boney horn with keratin horn sheath, resembles cow
Naming: Order Cetartiodactyla, Family Bovidae
Natural History:
- overhunted, extirpated from most of historic range
- functionally extinct in the wild besides national parks
Cervus elaphus (skull/antlers)
- skull: extremely large compared to similar species, long rostrum
- antlers: extremely large, twice as long as deer, NOT bifurcated - primary beam obvious
Naming: Order Cetartiodactyla, Family Cervidae
Natural History:
- extirpated from overhunting
- reintroduced to VA in 2000s through dispersal and translocation from Kentucky
- small VA population currently
Odocoileus hemionus (antlers)
Black-tailed deer
- antlers: bifurcated - primary beam is NOT obvious but rather in equal tines
Naming: Order Cetartiodactyla, Family Cervidae
Natural History:
- major range in middle to western U.S
Odocoileus virginianus (skull/antlers)
White-tailed deer
- skull: much smaller than elk
- antlers: NOT bifurcated - primary beam obvious (unlike hemionus)
Naming: Order Cetartiodactyla, Family Cervidae
Natural History:
- primary range all throughout U.S and northern S.A
Delphinidae (skull)
- skull: small eye orbits, LONG snout, crazy amount of teeth homodont (same shape)
Naming: Order Cetartiodactyla, Infraorder Cetacea, Family Delphinidae
Natural History:
- bottlenose dolphin - Tursiops sp.
- intelligent mammal
- circumglobal distribution
- seafood
